James D. and Alice Butler House facts for kids
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James D. and Alice Butler House
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 Location in Florida
Location in the United States
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| Location | Deerfield Beach, Florida |
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| NRHP reference No. | 95000916 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| 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.
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.
