Another question from the Museum—Why do the Mason’s have the Donnelly Home instead of the city of Mt. Dora?

 

I am gonna do two subjects this week—first that little museum where you’re welcome to come and ask questions

 

an then a look at the house which is right along the route we’re taking anyway.

 

 

 

At one time citrus was the major industry in the area, with a great deal shipped from Mount Dora

 

 

 

 

If you start where you left off on last week’s tour and continue down 5th You’ll come to a one way alley—something that many people who transverse it seem to think is just an option not a strict directional imperative.

 

 

Mount Dora History Museum

http://mountdorahistorymuseum.com/

(formerly the Royellou Museum)

450 Royellou Lane,

Mount Dora, Florida.

MUSEUM HOURS

Tuesday through Sunday

1:00 to 4:00 pm

 If you turn around and look directly out from this building’s front door you will see the back of houses on Donnelly street.  In February 1922 there was a major fire on Donnelly on that block (between 4th & 5th street).  Reports say 3 or 4 buildings were burned including the city hall.  I tend to think the fact that an unattended electric iron was blamed more the blame on a new fangled gadget than on the real cause–but again (and probably like the source of the cause) I am just guessing.  This did however highlight the fact that the town had limited fire fighting service.

 

 

This building went up in 1923 in answer to the need on land which was deeded by J.P. Donnelly to the City of Mt. Dora:  “on a piece of property on which should be constructed a suitable building to house and care for firefighting apparatus…”   And Mt. Dora’s Volunteer Fire Department manned it.  Their first fire engine was a two wheeled affair using a hose and Volunteer man power to move as well as operate it.  Later more mobile engines were added including a type 75 American La France in 1926, which reportedly also resulted in an enlargement to the building.  This building also held the jail and police department as well as the fire department (1923-1941)  When the Fire and Police department left the jail remained until 1969, when they began to be gradually transferred to the county jail in Tavares.  The original small cells still remain in the building, but the larger two prisoner cells which were built after it ceased to be a jail have all been removed.  It is noted that the history museum does document that one prisoner escaped by digging out thru the back wall of the cell section,  

Eventually the Historical society bought the building and now exhibits items and activities in Mount Dora from the 1880’s to the 1930’s and includes exhibits on the old post office, fire fighting, agriculture,  domestic and kitchen–including a nice collection of pieces of the area.  Also items on Donnelly and his wife, the Lake Side Inn and it’s most famous visitors,  the three jail cells.  A great collection of cap guns, hunting and fishing in the area and of course other hotels, the railroad and my favorite the movie that painted the town pink.  —a lot of stuff in a small space makes the visit well worth the time and usually your hostess at the museum can answer your questions and some even give tours.   All that for only $2 for adults   $1 students and children under 6 free.

 

 

 

 

• Alexander Street
• Baker Street
• Clayton Street
• Donnelly Street south of 11th Avenue
• First Avenue through 10th Avenue, inclusive, west of Highland Street
• Grandview Street
• Helen Street
• Highland Street lying between 11th Avenue and First Avenue
• McDonald Street
• Tremain Street

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh by the way it comes as no surprise that the previous name of the street was Jailhouse Lane.  The building next door (to the right in the picture) to the museum (and at the time of this writing is not occupied—though rumors abound.) was originally used as the Rehbaum Hardware Warehouse.  The Rehbaum Hardware (on the corner of 4th St and Donnelly–now the site of Pigletts Pantry) was bought by Ace Hardware in 1994.  Several generations of the Rehbaum family who had  operated it since they bought it from its founder J.P. Donnelly, one of Mount Dora’s founding fathers, whose name graced the street where the hardware store stood.

 

 

 

Tremain opened the first orange-packing house in 1891, although surrounding groves were destroyed by the great freezes of 1894 and ‘95. Also during the 1890s, fertilizer factories were established as well as a cannery.

Mount Dora’s Rich History

 

 

 

 

So the house that was in question—as you can see from the previous two (actually 3 with the Hardware we also mentioned–(Alfred Rehbaum, Sr, who was 20 years old at the time. was hired by J.P. Donnelly, one of the town’s founding fathers, to manage Donnelly’s hardware store in 1915)  you note a recurring theme:  J.P. Donnelly.

 

This is I am sure the most famous structure in the town of Mt. Dora:  the J.P. Donnelly House that sits on Donnelly Street, across from Donnelly Park,    Donnelly built the residence for his bride Annie Stone in 1893.  The architect’s name was George Franklin Barber. He specialized in residential designs.  The house has been described as classic Queen Anne House but has also been referred to as “Steamboat Gothic” as well — I personally feel that it is a bit of both but then I’m not an expert on the subject

 

 

in 1875 Wm and Annie Stone arrived in Mt. Dora and homesteaded 160 acres of what is now the downtown.  He abandoned her and she was granted the property (since he “abandoned” her in the “wilderness”) when she divorced him.   Her father also homesteaded here and he is remember by McDonald Street which was named for him.    Annie had one daughter Nellie (and 3 grandchildren).  In 1879 Donnelly arrived from Pittsburg and homestead near Stone’s property.  He also resided in her boarding house and they were married in 1881,which gave them over 300 acres, and by 1893 Donnelly, who had achieved success in real estate and citrus)  personally built the house which still stands on Mt. Dora’s main street.  Annie passed on in 1908, the couple had no children.  JP went on to become the town’s first mayor in 1910 and in 1924 sold the land across from his house to be made into a park named after his late wife.  He passed on in 1930.  After his death the property was purchased by D.F. Gorham another prominent resident.  He died during the depression and it  was when a purchased by the Masons (https://www.mountdorabuzz.com/who-knew/house-holds-key-to-mount-doras-past).

 

 

 

 

The town of Mount Dora began in 1874 when the area was settled by David Simpson, his wife, and two children. In 1880, Ross C. Tremain became the town’s first postmaster, and later a major real estate developer for the area.  A post office called Mount Dora has been in operation since 1883

wikipedia

 

 

 

 

The house became the property and home of F. & A.M. Lodge and Eastern Star (The Masonic Temple Lodge #238) in 1935.  (The Masons were chartered in the city in 1917).  (http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1993-11-19/news/9311190439_1_donnelly-house-masonic-lodge-mount-dora) 

 

 

So the Masons bought it in 1935—which definitely would not be a time the town would have purchase it given the economy and plus this was not a period where towns bought historical homes–in fact a lot of these homes even later were not obtained by cities unless they were donated by someone…..so hopefully that explains it.  Read this about how a couple of other homes were restored:  https://www.mountdorabuzz.com/who-knew/category/all

 

 

Friends of The Donnelly House,

a non-profit group, was later formed.

Their goal is to raise money for the deferred and continual maintenance of the historic home.  

Donations can be made by contacting Friendsofthedonnellyhouse@gmail.com

 

 

That’s a picture of J.P. Donnelly on the left of the fire place.

 

 

 

The railroad came to town in 1887, and it immediately sparked the economy. Many northern tourists discovered Mount Dora, Florida and it became a popular winter retreat for hunting, fishing and boating. 

Florida Backroad Travel