According to its charter, the society's mission was twofold: "the collection, arrangement and preservation of all materials pertaining to the history of, or in any manner illustrative of Florida .

[and to] prepare, edit and publish articles, sketches, biographies, pamphlets, books and documents, descriptive or illustrative of Florida".

"Don't make it necessary for those who are devoting their time and labor in the interest of the Society, without financial compensation, to have to send a second notification to delinquent members", said President F.P.

Named for the enclosed patios where Floridians, forced indoors by heat, mosquitoes, and humidity, entertain guests and casually relax, mingle, and share informal essays, the Florida Room feature is designed to engage readers more directly in recent regional developments.

Published four times annually, the journal promotes scholarly research and appreciation for the peoples, places, and diversity of Florida's past.

Throughout its history, the journal has been a central component of the mission of the Florida Historical Society to promote scholarly research and publication.