Historic Homes Of Florida

Houses tell the human side of history. In this survey of restored residences, their stories are intertwined with those of their owners in a domestic history of Florida from the days of Spanish occupation to the Rawlings House in Cross Creek, Vizcaya in Miami, and President Harry S. Trumans "Little White House" in Key West. Most of these houses are museums now; others are restaurants or bed-and-breakfasts. This new edition is updated and illustrated with color photographs.

Some of the earliest European settlers colonized Northeast Florida when it was little more than a wilderness. Today, the area is rich in multicultural heritage and historic significance, and its historic homes stand as a testament to its intriguing past. Step inside a Second Spanish Period structure that was home to European royalty and visited by iconic film star Greta Garbo. Visit the places that inspired works such as Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings's Pulitzer prize-winning novel "The Yearling" and British composer Frederick Delius's masterpiece, "Florida Suite." Author and award-winning photographer Mary Atwood explores the homes of early colonial settlers, wealthy plantation owners, illustrious Florida artists and those responsible for shaping Florida's First Coast.

"A fascinating look at the most historic homes in the First Coast region of Florida"--

"A fascinating look at the most historic homes in the First Coast region of Florida"--

The state of Florida has a rich history of African Americans who have contributed to the advancement and growth of today. From slaves to millionaires, African Americans from all walks of life resided in cabins, homes, and stately mansions. The lives of millionaires, educators, businessmen, community leaders, and innovators in Florida's history are explored in each residence. Mary McLeod Bethune, A.L. Lewis, and D.A. Dorsey are a few of the prominent African Americans who not only resided in the state of Florida but also created opportunities for other blacks to further their lives in education and ownership of property and to have a better quality of life. One of the most humanistic traits found in history is the home of someone who has added something of value to society. Today, some of these residences serve as house museums, community art galleries, cultural institutions, and monuments that interpret and share the legacy of their owners.

The state of Florida has a rich history of African Americans who have contributed to the advancement and growth of today. From slaves to millionaires, African Americans from all walks of life resided in cabins, homes, and stately mansions. The lives of millionaires, educators, businessmen, community leaders, and innovators in Florida's history are explored in each residence. Mary McLeod Bethune, A.L. Lewis, and D.A. Dorsey are a few of the prominent African Americans who not only resided in the state of Florida but also created opportunities for other blacks to further their lives in education and ownership of property and to have a better quality of life. One of the most humanistic traits found in history is the home of someone who has added something of value to society. Today, some of these residences serve as house museums, community art galleries, cultural institutions, and monuments that interpret and share the legacy of their owners.

Forty-one historic Florida houses built in the Victorian era of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries are brilliantly captured in all their beauty, character, and detail, and accompanied by fascinating tales of their original (often famous) owners. Come along and visit twenty-one cities in the great Sunshine State, from the Panhandle region in the far northwest, to the island of Key West in the far south. Victorian architecture was the style chosen by the social elite of the era for their luxurious estates. From beautifully designed houses created for families on a "livable" cottage scale and set along charming tree-lined suburban streets, to the mammoth seaside pleasure palaces of the wealthy heads of industry and the socially elite, Florida's Historic Victorian Homes delivers a feast for one's eyes and mind, a showcase of some of the most enduring Victorian architecture in Florida.