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James D. and Alice Butler House facts for kids

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James D. and Alice Butler House
Butler-house.jpg
James D. and Alice Butler House is located in Florida
James D. and Alice Butler House
Location in Florida
James D. and Alice Butler House is located in the United States
James D. and Alice Butler House
Location in the United States
Location Deerfield Beach, Florida
NRHP reference No. 95000916
Quick facts for kids
Significant dates
Added to NRHP 28 July 1995

The Butler House is a special old home in Deerfield Beach, Florida. It's now a historic house museum, which means you can visit it! You can find it at 380 East Hillsboro Boulevard. On July 28, 1995, it became a part of the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. This list includes important historic places across the country.

Deerfield Beach FL Butler House sign03
A sign welcoming visitors to the historic Butler House.

The Butler House Story

Building a Dream Home

The Butler House was built in a beautiful style called Mediterranean Revival. This style often uses features like red tile roofs and stucco walls. It was the home of James D. and Alice Wood Butler. They were important early settlers and leaders in Deerfield Beach.

Alice Butler found the plans for their new house in a popular magazine. It was the Ladies' Home Journal from September 1923. The house was built on almost four city lots. It cost about $10,000 to build. This was a lot of money back then!

The house was built by Gulfstream Lumber Company. They were from Delray. It was built on the same spot where the Butlers had bought a home in 1912. That first home cost them only $300.

What the House is Made Of

The Butler House is very strong. Its main structure is made of hollow clay tiles. The inside walls are made with plaster over wooden strips. The roof has classic Spanish terracotta tiles. These tiles give the house its special look.

In 1974, the home was named a Florida Historic Site. This means it's an important place in Florida's history. In 1977, the Butler family gave the house and its land to the Deerfield Beach Historical Society. This society now runs the house as a museum.

Visiting the Butler House

Inside the Museum

Today, the Butler House has been fully restored. Many of the original items are still inside. For example, the wicker furniture bought by the Butlers in 1923 is there. It cost $500 back then! You can also see hats from the "flapper" era. There's even a special bathtub with "lion's paw" feet.

One interesting story is about the dining room table. The original table was used to protect a window during a big hurricane in 1928. Because of this, it had to be replaced later.

Events and Activities

The Butler House is open to the public every month. It's a great way to learn about life in the past. The property also has a very old Banyan tree. This tree is over one hundred years old! The Deerfield Beach Historical Society often holds events under this huge tree.

The society uses the property for many things. It's a museum, an event space, and also where their main office is located.

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