AMELIA ISLAND MUSEUM OF HISTORY 2021 Holiday Home Tour by Dickie Anderson

AMELIA ISLAND MUSEUM OF HISTORY 2021 Holiday Home Tour

BY DICKIE ANDERSON • PHOTOS BY CHRISTY LELAIT

Kick-off your holiday season with the 15th annual Amelia Island Museum of History Holiday Home Tour returning to downtown Fernandina Beach on December 4 & 5.

Celebrating the holidays on Amelia Island traditionally kicks off with the Museum of History’s Holiday Home Tour. This year’s selection offers historic homes, a cottage, and a condominium located in the downtown Historic District. The homes are decorated for the holidays by local florists and interior designers. Docents in each house share the history of the home, highlight the architectural elements, and guide visitors through the decorated homes. Tour tickets for all four houses can be purchased or tickets can be bought individually.

Jim and Lynn Scroggin were both raised in Florida, and they enjoyed part of their honeymoon on Amelia Island. They have moved from Roswell, Georgia, and are Floridians again. They looked for over two years for the house they eventually bought in the Historic District. The house had many things that they liked, including double-galleried wrap-around porches, 12-foot ceilings, heart of pine floors, unique character, and proximity to the downtown. The house has gone through a major renovation, including the replacement of the two distinctive galleried porches.

The house was built in built circa 1903 by George A. Latham, whose family had connections to the island lighthouse for three generations. Lighthouse doorstops can be spotted throughout the house. It has 2,080 square feet of living space. Several different owners lived in the home before George Washington Boring purchased the house in 1921. It would stay in his family for 46 years.

Like many older homes in the Historic District, at one point in its history it operated as a boarding house with separate stairs climbing to the second floor. Typical of houses of its period, the house has a series of small rooms, each with its own purpose. Of special interest is the home’s renovated kitchen.

Decor includes paintings, prints, and photographs from regional artists. A treasured possession is a piece of driftwood the Scroggins call “Angel Wings.” It was found on a beach on the Gulf of Mexico at a pivotal time in Jeff’s young adulthood.

Decorator – Lori Ford

315 CEDAR STREET The Schultz Home

Called “The Captain’s Rest,” the location for this home was chosen for its proximity to downtown and the Amelia River. Chris and Debbie Schultz first visited the island on vacations and weekend getaways. When retirement came, they knew it would be on Amelia Island. The couple built a home that would have plenty of room to host family and friends. Each guest room is a suite with its own bath. The clean lines of the architecture of the home fit into neatly into its Historic District neighborhood.

Self-described “foodies,” the couple love to entertain and take advantage of the many tempting restaurants within walking distance. The first floor of the home is designed for entertaining, with its stained concrete floors, wine cove, and a unique oyster-shaped sink. Capitalizing on the proximity to the Intracoastal Waterway, they added a third-floor “observation lounge” complete with a coffee bar and balcony.

Decorator- Sharon Haffey

318 SOUTH 6TH STREET The Gallardo House

This single-story cottage was built in 1948, and then rebuilt in 2004. The owner, Lea Gallardo, first found Fernandina Beach in 1996 while attending a family reunion in Amelia Island Plantation. She looked forward to eventually settling on the island.

Buying her house in 1997, Lea describes the original house as a 30-by-30 foot box, basic and livable. The key feature was a large backyard, which did not back up to another house. Things were so basic that the water heater was on the back porch and the washing machine was in the garage. John Cotner did a redesign and an addition to the house, which was completed in 2004. The renovation retained the original charming flavor of the exterior while modernizing and enlarging the inside. The house is open and airy and filled with light, but it’s also very private. One of the highlights of this home are the gardens, which include tropical plants, two cactus gardens, and a small pond with a shade garden. In early 2020, a small greenhouse was completed, which houses orchids and begonias and a variety of ongoing experiments.

Gallardo describes the things in her house as each having a special meaning to her. The biggest piece of art is a work by Connie Slack, an artist at the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, Virginia, and the smallest pieces come from street vendors in Mexico, Cuba, Hawaii, and other places she has traveled. Purchases from past Shrimp Festivals are also treasured.

Why a yellow door? The owner shared that when moving from Washington, D.C. to Florida, she knew a yellow door meant Florida. Twenty-three years later, she still loves her yellow door!

Decorator - Diane La Patra, Amelia’s Treasures

John and Andrea Mateer are both artists and avid art collectors. Their home is decorated with a vast collection of art representing all art forms, including animation. Their collections include prints by Andy Warhol, Peter Max, and Joan Miro. Local artists are also featured, including William Maurer, James Draper, Serey Andree, Susie Sax, Sandra Baker Hinton, William Mauer, Pam Bennett, and Joe Winston. This not-to-be-missed townhome is located next to City Hall and showcases one of the newest additions to the vibrant Historic District.

In contrast to the traditional historic homes usually offered on the museum’s annual Holiday Home Tour, those touring the Mateer home will see a well-planned home with all the modern amenities. The townhouse has 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, and is a little over 3,247 square feet. A special feature is the rooftop terrace with views of the Historic District and Amelia River.

The Mateer’s own art can be found throughout the house. John made the pendant lamps hanging over the kitchen island. As much a museum as home, the Mateer home is a unique stop on this year’s Holiday Home Tour.

Decorator - Amber Marvin, Island Flower & Garden

HOLIDAY HOME TOUR TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED ONLINE

To minimize touchpoints and monitor capacity in each of the homes, all visitors must purchase tickets online. Tickets for each house are for sale by entry time and are $7 per house. You can tour one house or all four. The tour is scheduled for Friday, December 3 and Saturday, December 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The museum will not be providing shuttle service between houses this year, so be sure to keep travel time between houses in mind when booking multiple houses. Masks are not required. CDC guidelines will be followed.

Tour instructions will be posted on the Museum website at www.ameliamuseum.org or call the Holiday Home Tour Line at (904) 254-0240.

RAFFLE

The traditional raffle will include a variety of prizes such as a golf outing, original oil paintings, jewelry, Christmas wreaths, gift cards, and a toffee gift basket.

Tickets can be purchased at the Scroggin house, 123 South 6th Street. You do not need to tour the house to purchase raffle tickets. One ticket $5, three tickets $7, or five tickets for $10.

Great Homes & Churches of Amelia Island, Dickie Anderson’s new book profiling the island’s historic homes and churches, will be available for sale benefiting the Amelia Island Museum of History.