Ormond Memorial Art Museum and Gardens

History

Originally painted red*, the two-story board-and-batten Emmons Cottage was built in 1885, of a native Florida pine called 'Fat Lighter Pine', which is resistant to termite damage. For its last 40 years, the cottage sat empty on 12 chalky Florida-brick piers at 150 North Beach Street, Ormond Beach, according to Ann Burt, Museum Director. When Museum Board Member Sang Roberson, a local noted potter, heard the house was to be demolished, an emergency meeting of the Museum's Board of Directors was called, and Ms. Roberson donated funds for salvage rights to the cottage.

The initial monies for the home were raised within the vary narrow window afforded by the salvage rights contract, and on a Monday in May, 1998, the 10,000-pound Emmons Cottage was loaded onto a flatbed truck for the short move to its present location at the south end of The Garden. The move took less than 30 minutes, but required the services of workers from the city, cable, telephone and power companies to raise wires above the house as it was transported by Youngblood and Sons of Sanford, Florida. The move cost $8,000.

An additional $10,000 was raised for the refurbishment of the house. Now painted white*, the house of Folk Victorian architecture, comprises 994 square feet with two rooms downstairs and two small bedrooms upstairs. The porch, which had been removed as part of the moving process has been restored, and a new five-crimp aluminum roof installed. The original windows have been restored and are graced by flower boxes overflowing with foliage plants and flowers. The inside has been repainted and period furniture helps recreate the charm of this piece of Florida's history.

Heat, a ceiling fan and a window air-conditioning unit, although not vintage, help make the Cottage more amenable for its intended use as a learning center for gardening arts such as potting plants, drying flowers and creating butterfly gardens. The Garden Club of The Halifax Country has donated many hours and funds toward the restoration of The Emmons Cottage.

*In 2006 the Emmons Cottage was again refurbished.  The exterior is now a soft blue-gray,  Interior improvements included white paint for the bead-board walls and updated electrical and security systems.  A deck was added to the rear corner of the Cottage, increasing space for classes and other outdoor activities.  A view of the deck can be found on Sandy's Garden webpage.

2006 Updates to the Cottage

In the summer of 2006 the Cottage received a new coat of paint. *The cottage has evolved through red, white and now blue exterior colors.	A view of the entrance. Note the clean, white walls and the salmon-color door. These upgrades were completed during the summer of 2006.	Sunlight bathes the Cottage's kitchen. Nineteenth century furniture reproductions give the kitchen a homey feel.

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Tours

Tour the Emmons Cottage Monday through Friday during regular Museum hours by contacting a Museum staff member.

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Contributors

Information for this history was taken from Garden Club of America Bulletin, Volume 88, Number 4, February, 2000, and The Daytona Beach News-Journal, Laura Stewart reporting.

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This web page was updated on 10-Jan-2008 12:51 PM -0600