History happened here and there and everywhere in Florida.
When uncovering the past consider exploring the still standing historical houses.
These homes are often saved from wrecking balls by volunteers – dedicated souls who value the tenor of time.
They answered the call to preserve our past for future contemplation and visitors reap the rewards.
Ready for a historic homes road trip?
Historic Pensacola Village offers a good start for touring Florida’s historic homes.
Located in the Seville Historic District in downtown Pensacola, the village is two blocks wide and three blocks long.
Gourd utensils at Pensacola Historic Village. Photo by Lucy Beebe Tobias
Get a free brochure at the Tivoli High House, 205 East Zaragoza Street, and take a self-guided walk or buy a ticket ($6 adults) that includes a guided tour. Tour times are 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. The guided tour goes around the village and also goes inside several homes and a church built all built in the early 1800s.
Historic Pensacola Village is Chapter 4 titled: “Five Flags Flew Here” in my award-winning book 50 Great Walks in Florida. National Geographic named the village a Featured Geotourism Site on the U.S. Gulf Coast.
Here are suggestions of some more historic homes to visit:
Eden Gardens State Parkat Santa Rosa Beach has 161 acres and features the renovated Wesley House, built in 1897, a two-story mansion with tall columns and a wrap-around porch. Inside is the second largest know collection of Louis XVI furniture in the United States.
House tours take place Thursdays through Mondays on the hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Adults $4 children under 12 are $2.
The Wesley House at Eden Gardens State Park, Santa Rosa, Florida. Photo by Lucy Beebe Tobias
The lovely grounds are well worth a stroll – walk through the gardens, along a nature trail and plan a picnic alongside Tucker Bayou. Everything, from the grounds to the house, conveys a serene sense of languid days and gracious living.
Historic Home in Tallahassee -Emancipation Proclamation was Read
The Knott House on East Park Avenue in downtown Tallahassee was built for Thomas and Catherine Gamble in 1843 by George Proctor, a free black builder and commandeered right after the Civil War ended by Union Brigadier General Edward M. McCook. On May 20, 1865, he stood on the steps of the Knott House and read the Emancipation Proclamation. That event is reenacted every year.
In 1928 William and Luella Knott bought the house. William, over the course of 40 years was the state’s tax auditor, comptroller and state treasurer. His wife wrote poems. She liked to attach them to pieces of furniture. Copies are still attached today.
Admission is free (donations accepted) with guided tours on the hours at 1 p.m. 2p.m. and 3 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and Saturdays at 10 a.m. 11 a.m. Noon, 1 p.m., 2p.m. and 3 p.m..
In DeLand the Stetson Mansion has the surprise distinction of having TripAdvisor announce that it tops Disney for “Most Popular Destination”.
Built in 1886 the three-story home is a blend of cottage, Gothic, Tudor, Moorish and Polynesian details. Whew! Fully restored, decorated for different seasons, the mansion is available for tours as well as events. Check their calendar for tour dates. Reservations required. Cost is $25 plus tax, cash only.
John and Mable Ringling of circus fame loved to travel to Europe. They never came home empty handed. In fact, entire steamships may have been needed to drag back the tons of marble, tile, statues and more.
All this exuberant excess is on glorious display at their home, Ca’ d’Zan, built on the grounds of Ringling Museum in Sarasota.
Museum admission is $25 for adults and includes entry to the Museum of Art, Circus Museum, Ca’d’Zan and Bayfront Gardens. Please note: Ca’ d’Zan is not open after 5pm.
On Mondays, admission to the Ringling Museum grounds and the Museum of Art is free. Museum General Admission is required to visit Ca’ d’Zan and the Circus Museum.
Wander around then think about ending up sitting on the veranda outside of Ca’ d’Zan (yes, there are lots of chairs and umbrellas). John and Mable probably used to sit here too as they sipped morning coffee and contemplated their next buying trip.
The outside veranda has beautiful inlaid marble and tile plus a great view of the Intracoastal Waterway.
Consider connecting with Jim Clubb, a self-proclaimed history buff who gives delightful history and nature walks in the Sarasota area. His E mail is: [email protected]
On a recent walk on a Monday around the grounds of the Ringling and their next-door neighbor, New College, we went into two buildings now owned by New College but formerly residences for a Ringling brother and some friends. Another layer of history – one I would have missed if I hadn’t taken this walk. Check out his calendar of upcoming events
If you only have time to visit one Florida historic home then in my humble option this is the one – Edison & Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers. Edison’s home, caretaker cottage and guesthouse along with the historic landscaping of the 1929 gardens are all beautifully restored.
Pier at Edison & Ford Winter Estates, Fort Myers, Florida. Photo by Lucy Beebe Tobias
In Edison’s time a pier went way out into the Caloosahatchee River, into water deep enough that steam ships could bring all the lumber and parts to build the homes. Guided, self-guided and audio tours are offered for the homes, gardens and lab of Edison & Ford families along with the Edison Ford Museum. See the Web site for options, times and admission.
Historic Homes in Key West – the Little White House Open to Visitors
President Harry S. Truman liked Key West a lot. He set up a winter White House in Key West’s Naval Station’s command headquarters and made eleven trips here from 1946 to 1952.
Well, think about it, wouldn’t you rather govern the United States from Key West instead of Washington D.C.? Thought so.
The Harry S. Truman Little White House continues to be a retreat for government leaders and is also a public museum. The Little White House is owned by the state of Florida. It receives no government funding. Reservations are not required to visit. An adult ticket costs $16.13 but drops down to $15 if bought online.
Tours take place about every 20 minutes and the Little White House is open every day of the year.
Once you get started visiting historical houses, it can become addictive. Some more to think about visiting
Ernest Hemingway’s home in Key West, where six-toed cats, descendents of a six-toed cat given to Hemmingway by a ship’s captain, all live in splendor.
Mary McLeod Bethune’s home and gravesite in Daytona Beach – she was the founder of Bethune-Cookman University and an educator and civil right leader.
Gamble Plantation Historic State Park in Ellenton – the only surviving plantation house in South Florida.
NEW IN 2015
The second edition of my book Florida Gardens Gone Wild debuts March of 2015. Called Florida Gardens Gone Wild (er) the second edition is greatly expanded with hands on projects, new illustrations and photographs.
It is a keeper – stay tuned for an announcement on when and where you can buy your copy.
More to Explore
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