Burroughs Home

Burroughs Home

Burroughs Home

View of Burroughs Home

Burroughs Home Back Yard

Front Staircase

View from Front Room

Back Staircase

Burroughs Home view from back yard

Back Yard Grotto Burroughs Home

Fountain Back Yard

The history of the Burroughs Home located at 2505 First Street in Fort Myers begins in 1899. John T. Murphy, a Monana cattleman, visited Fort Myers for his business. He liked the area. He purchased 450 feet of waterfront property on the Caloosahatchee River.

In 1901, Murphy contracted to build a 2 and one half story home on the site. The style was Georgian Colonial Revival Style. The architect was George Barber. He was a kit and catalogue house architect. The house was delivered in 137 crates for installation.

The house has 11 foot ceilings, pine floors, oak fire places, and a winding grand staircase. It featured indoor plumbing and electricity. The second floor has four bedrooms, and two full baths. The third floor has three bedroom and one large bathroom.

The garden has a fountain, a grotto, a gazebo, tennis courts, and reflecting pool.

     Mr. Murphy died in 1914.  His wife Cora never returned to Florida.  She sold the house and property for one dollar to a banker Walter Langford.  He turned the property over and sold it to Howard Cole of New York.  He purchased it for his fiance.  Apparently, she was less than enthused with the house.  The property was then sold to Nelson and Adeline Burroughs in 1918.  The Burroughs both died in 1932.  Their two daughters both lived in the house.  Jettie died in 1972; and Mona in 1978.  As a term of her will, Mona left the property to the City of Fort Myers.  It was to be used as a park, library of a museum.

     The property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. It is currently under the management of Uncommon Friends Foundation.  The goals of this organization is character education, business ethics, and historic preservation.

     In 2015, the tennis courts were bulldozed.   On this site was built Gayle McBride Pavillion.  This was to be used for private and public events as a fundraiser.