- April 25, 2024
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Brian Hunter, president and broker at Clare Hunter Realty, said the property is unusual not just because of its historic value, but it's size — it spans 3.2 acres. Courtesy photo
The home was built in 1910 and has six bedrooms and five baths. Courtesy photo
The pool is one of the many additions made over the years. Courtesy photo
The home also boasts original wood floors. Courtesy phoot
The home spans 5,589 square feet. Courtesy photo
The two-story home still showcases details of its 1910 charm. Courtesy photo
Modern appliances and comforts were added by its current owners. Courtesy photo
There were once orange groves on the beachside.
The 1910 home located on 3.2 acres of land at 639 and 659 John Anderson Drive is part of that story.
In 1887, Ormond Beach pioneer Joseph Price bought a large plot of land from one of the city's first settlers, John Andrew Bostrom. He was seeking to plant oranges after the city won gold and silver medals in the South Florida Fair, held in Orlando in February of that year. The land was cleared in 1889, and for almost a decade, an orange grove and a small one-bedroom cottage occupied the land.
But after two frosts — one in 1898 and another in 1906 — Price, who built the Ormond Hotel, abandoned his orange grove business venture and decided to build a house, which he later gifted to Dr. Charles Garth and his wife Clara " to care and tend to the growing population on the peninsula," according to a press release.
The two-story home, which now spans 5,589 square feet and has six bedrooms and five baths, is now on the market, listed at $1.45 million.
"It is very unusual to find that type of acreage becoming available in the John Anderson area," said Brian Hunter, president and broker at Claire Hunter Realty. "Most of the time, it's much smaller acreage, so that in itself is unique, and to add to its uniqueness, it's also a home that offers a lot of history and character as well."
This isn't the first historic home Hunter has had the opportunity to list. As a native of Ormond Beach, he said he enjoys marketing and selling these homes because they have stories to tell. Unlike developer-built homes, the character within the home's walls makes one feel like they're stepping back in time.
"We love to be able to convey those stories over to prospective buyers and to help our sellers find someone who's going to love the home just as much as they have," Hunter said.
The one-bedroom cottage, built in 1889, is still standing in the northeast corner of the property. Over the years, a carriage house was built in what is currently the
drive-through garage, and a large kitchen was added. In addition, the home features original wood floors, vintage light fixtures, a handful of fireplaces, a pool, a mother-in-law suite and a 250-year-old Oak tree. The home's current owners, Kevin and Jean Bergfield, have invested over $200,000 since purchasing the home in 2020 to upgrade the home with new plumbing, electrical, appliances, and water heaters. A new roof was installed in 2019.
Though the real estate market in the state is very competitive for buyers currently, with low inventory driving up home prices, historic homes tend to cater to a smaller pool of buyers who are actively looking for properties with historical value, said Hunter, and in that pool, the home has been generating good interest.
"It's a spectacular property," he said. "... When I'm waiting for prospective buyers to show up for showings, I find myself just getting lost out there in the garden, enjoying the day and taking it in — thinking about 100 years ago, there were people out here on the orange grove."
