Secretary Detzner Announces the Recent Designation of Florida Properties on the National Register of Historic Places

Tallahassee –

Secretary of State Ken Detzner announced today that six additional Florida properties have recently been listed on the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places.

“I am pleased to announce the addition of six Florida properties on the National Register of Historic Places,” said Secretary of State Ken Detzner. “These newly listed sites stretch from Pensacola to Miami, and represent homes, entertainment venues, and commerce and tourist sites that reflect the geographic and cultural diversity of our state.”

The Marzoni House, in Pensacola, Escambia County, is an exceptional example of Queen Anne Style architecture. The three-story home with an octagonal tower was built in 1890, and by 1900 had doubled in size to include a new two-story porch. The interior finishes and ornamental wood work feature fluted door and window trim with rosette blocks at the corners, decorative wood wall and door panels, wide chair rails and picture rails, and a beaded screen between the foyer and parlor. The home is currently a bed and breakfast.

The Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park, in St. Augustine, St. John’s County, is a historic tourist destination developed by Walter B. Fraser in the 1930s. The park was founded on the history of the 1513 landing of Don Juan Ponce de Leon and his legendary search for eternal youth. A well whose water is said to reflect this story has been enclosed by the Spring House and attracts numerous visitors. The development of the site is closely associated with the history of the tourism industry in St. Augustine, and it is still open as a tourist attraction today.

The Sydonie Mansion in Zellwood, Orange County, is an outstanding example of Mediterranean Revival style architecture. This three story mansion was constructed in 1904 as a winter home for James H. Laughlin, Jr., and his wife Sydney Ford (Page) Laughlin for whom the house was named. Laughlin’s father, James H. Laughlin, Sr., was a wealthy banker, manufacturer, philanthropist, and steel executive in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Sydonie Mansion was designed by Grosvenor Atterbury (1869-1956), a well-known American architect and urban planner, and architect Edgar Vigners Seeler (1867-1929). The design of the house was said to have been inspired by the Alhambra Castle in Spain. The property included sculpted gardens with rare plants from around the world, as well as citrus groves, a dairy farm, a power plant and a bowling alley. The home has been lovingly restored and is now open for weddings and events.

The Scott Commercial Building in Sarasota, Sarasota County, is a modern style building constructed in 1960 by William Rupp. The Scott Building is representative of the Sarasota School of Architecture, a regional movement of mid-century modern architecture that developed on South Florida’s gulf through the work of a group of skilled designers. A one-story rectangular building with stucco exterior, large picture windows, flat roof, and large extending concrete rafter beams, the building footprint covers 10,066 square feet. The Scott Building has been fully restored by a partnership including Sarasota County, University of Florida School of Architecture, and the Center for Architecture Sarasota.

The West Palm Beach Fishing Club in West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, is historically significant for its association with tourism development and promoting fishing. The Palm Beach Fishing Club was founded in 1934, and the clubhouse, built in 1940, is still used for this purpose today. The club continues to play a role in conserving aquatic populations through cooperative game fish tagging, catch & release of all billfish, deploying an artificial reef off the coast of Florida and sponsoring educational programs for adults, children and students on resource conservation and angling techniques.

The Ace Theatre in Miami, Miami-Dade County, was built c.1930 and is historically significant for its association with the social, cultural and economic development of the African-American section of Coconut Grove and Miami. Built during America’s Jim Crow era, the theater provided entertainment for black communities throughout Miami-Dade County. The Ace is one of the last remaining theaters built, owned and/or operated by Wometco Enterprises (formerly the Wolfson-Meyer Theatre Company) that has not been repurposed. Future plans include restoration of the theatre as a multi-use entertainment facility.

For more information about the National Register of Historic Places program administered by the National Park Service, visit nps.gov/nr.

# # #

About The National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is a list maintained by the National Park Service which includes historical or archaeological properties including buildings, structures, sites, objects, and districts, that are considered worthy of preservation because of their local, statewide and/or national significance. Nominations for properties in Florida are submitted to the National Park Service through the Florida Department of State’s Division of Historical Resources. Florida has over 1,700 listings on the National Register, including 292 historical districts and 172 archaeological sites.  There are more than 50,000 sites contributing to the National Register in Florida. For more information, visit flheritage.com/preservation/national-register.

About The Bureau of Historic Preservation

The Florida Department of State’s Bureau of Historic Preservation (BHP) conducts historic preservation programs aimed at identifying, evaluating, preserving and interpreting the historic and cultural resources of the state. The Bureau manages the Florida Main Street Program, and under federal and state laws, oversees the National Register of Historic Places program for Florida, maintains an inventory of the state's historical resources in the Florida Master Site File, assists applicants in federal tax benefit and local government ad valorem tax relief programs for historic buildings, and reviews the impact that development projects may have on significant historic resources. For more information, visit flheritage.com/preservation.