HISTORIC
MELROSE
Est.
1877

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i9th Century Steamboat

In 1877, the community of Melrose was
located along the historic Bellamy Road
(Florida's first federal highway) and platted on
abandoned cotton fields. At the same time, work
started on a canal to connect two lakes and make
the railroad at Waldo reachable by water. In
1881, with the, completion of that canal, steam-
boats began puffing their way twice daily
between Melrose Bay and Waldo, shipping out
local farm produce and bringing back visitors.
Northern tourists began to find their way to
Melrose. Soon fine homes ringed the bay. There
were schools, churches, a hotel, stores, a news-
paper, a grist mill, dances, barbecues, horse
races. All of it seemed idyllic.
Then the winter of 1894-1895 brought disas-
trous freezes. Snow
fell and the temper- ?
ature dropped to
zero.' The hotel
closed. Merchants
went 6ut of busi-
ness. Melrose, sud-
denly, almost a
ghost town, barely
survived. WNf

Trinity Episcopal Church

M&S Bank-Tolles House

T hat was a tragedy that turned into a benefit.
Over the years, while the rest of Florida boomed,
Melrose remained largely the same. Little
changed. Nobody tore down those old homes
and put up condos. Nobody chewed up those
lovely, forested landscapes for development.
The visual history of the community not only
remains but is a functioning part of everyday life.
Seventy-nine sites are listed on the National
Register of Historic Places. Late 19th century
homes-all of them with porches, and most of
them gabled, two-story frame buildings with
brick chimneys-overlook Melrose Bay.
You can stroll or drive through the commu-
nity and see it for yourself. If you wish to start
your tour with #1, the Jackson House, it is locat-
ed on State Route 26 just across the street from
the M&S Bank. Enjoy HistoricMelrose.

Bayview

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1......Jackson House .............................................1877
2......H. Baldwin-Dunbar House................................1885
3......F.W. Tolles House ............. ...........................1893
4......Historic Melrose Museum .................................1900's
5......Barnett House..................................... .....1885
6......Tuttle House ................................................1894
7......Hilton-Brinson Cottage ................................C. 1900
8 ......H.B. Tolles House..............................:1894
9......Mizell-Craig House.................................1880
10....I. Mizell House ................................................1890's
11....Nell Ross House......... .................. ............1925
12....McRae-Craig House ............................... ....1913
13....United Methodist Church ............................. 1879
14....L.M. Baldwin House............................. ...... 902
15....Baldwin Store ..... ............ ..............................1899
16....Simmons House ....................................1900's
17....F. McRae House ...................... ....... 1880"'s
18....Davis Railroad Depot .........................................1913
19....Annie Sapp House;.................. ...................1919
20....Melrose Cemetery ................ ................................159
21....Melrose School .......... ......................1927
22....Melrose Gymnasium........................................1927
23....Chiappini Gas Station....................................1935
24....H.A. Vogelbach House................ ............. 1879
25 ....Tillman House ................................................... 1880's
26....Mossman House ............................ .......... 1881
27....Nondenominational Church ................... ........1920's
28....Trinity Episcopal Church .....................................1886
29....Nobles Meat Market................................1910
30....Hilton House ........ .....................1886
31 ....Painter-Cowart House................................ 1885
32....Lewis-Rose House................................... 1894
33....Wurts House ............................. ........... ..... 1920's
34....Darlington House .................................... ...1885
35.....F.M. Yearwood House .......... ............. ............. 1906
36....Ittner House.............................. ........1894
37.... Sexton House.......... ................. .....1893
38....Hamlyn-Hunt House ........................................1890's
39....St. Lukes Lutheran Church.................................1895
40 ....Lambdin's Bay View ....... ............................1878

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41....Rogers House..................... .............. 1885
42....Alfred Pearsall-Latchstring Cottage .................1900's
43 ....Sandiford-Grimes House .................................1886
44....A.L. McRae House .....................................1890
45....Tom Birt House ...................................................1917
46....W.M. Rhoads-Nobles House .......................1900's
47....John Cason House...........................................1900's
48....Riley House ......... .......... ............1879
49....Dann House....................................... ............ 1940
50.... Willets House ............................................. 1880's
51....Hamlyn House ............................................ 1894
52....Orr House....... ..... .......... ..........1887
53....Hill-Huffman House ............................... ..........1890
54 ...Caldwell House........................................ 1890
55....H.A. Barnett House ............... ...........1925
56....W.H. Rhoads House ............................................1884
57....Leigh Pearsall Guest House............................C. 1925
58....Leigh Pearsall Guest House.............................C. 1925
59.....A.A McRae House ........................................C. 1880
60....I.Vogelbach Drug'Store...........................C 1886
61....Bingham-Remmel House.............. ..........C. 1885
62....Whitney Cottage ....................................1900's
63....Mrs. E. Whitehead House .............................C. 1920
64....H Sutton H ouse.............................................C. 1892
65....Lee H house ...... ...... .... ................. .................1879
66....Melrose Woman's Club ......................................1893
67....L. Pearsall Palm Nursery Site .......................C. 1910
68....E. Whitehead House ..................... .......1.. 883
69.....Leigh Pearsall Cottage...................................C. 1920
70 ....Chamberlin House .............. .............C. 1890
71 ....Leigh Pearsall Boathouse...........................C. 1900
72....Leigh Pearsall Garage Apartment.........................1929
73....Terry House ............................................. 1922
74....Ralph Pearsall-Grey Moss......................................1922
75....Kip Pearsall House.................................. ....1928
76....Corpew-Bert Pearsall House ..............................1886
77....Bonney Farmhouse ..................................... ...1876
78 ....Cason-Fortner House.........................................1926
79....Clarence Perry House.....................................C. 1900

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