1311 Truman Avenue, Key West

Some Key West homes are historic because they are old. 1311 Truman Avenue is historic because of who built it, who gathered within its walls, and who saved it. Its front door came from the Old Southernmost House. Past it, Dade County pine flows through every room, chandeliers light high ceilings on both floors, and the original staircase still rises where it has stood for more than a century. A second staircase toward the rear, also original to the house, recalls the scale on which it was built. Outside, sweeping double-story porches wrap the Victorian-influenced home, set on a third of an acre. The house was built at the turn of the twentieth century by Benjamin Douglas Trevor and his wife, Mary Fogarty Trevor. Mr. Trevor founded Key West's first Steam Laundry and in 1903 became Mayor of Key West. In the decades that followed, the house became home to the Key West Woman's Club and later served as a church. In 1975 two prominent local antique dealers purchased it and returned it to its original glory, and their work received the first award for an excellent restoration given by the Old Island Restoration Foundation. That restoration still defines the house. The original windows remain, along with the moldings and trim, and verandas open to the grounds from both floors. A large covered porch offers room for both dining and living, with views over the refinished pool and the guest cottage. Over the past decade, the current owners have carried that stewardship forward. A magnificent tropical garden and a stunning pool now grace the 14,490-square-foot lot. Every bathroom has been updated and finished in a fine selection of marble, granite, and quartz, and the kitchen and appliances have been updated, bringing modern comfort to a house whose history remains its defining feature. Built by a mayor, gathered in by the Woman's Club, and saved by the restoration that set the standard for Old Town, 1311 Truman Avenue is ready for the next chapter of its story.