Lawrence Brown House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Lawrence Brown House
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 Location in Florida
Location in the United States
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| Location | Bartow, Florida  United States |
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| Architect | Lawrence Brown |
| MPS | Bartow MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 00001594 |
| Added to NRHP | January 4, 2001 |
The Lawrence Brown House, also known as the L.B. Brown House, is a special home in Bartow, Florida. It was built by Lawrence Bernard Brown, a very successful businessman, community leader, and skilled carpenter. This house is important because it might be the only home still standing in Florida that was built by someone who was formerly enslaved. It shows how one person can overcome many challenges.
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Discovering the Builder
For many years, until 1989, the house was known as the "Thomas House." People thought it belonged to the Thomas family. It was only after Lavina Thomas, the last resident, passed away that the true builder was found.
The Mystery Solved
In the early 1990s, a group of people in Bartow started to restore old homes. Clifton Lewis, who led the Corporation Of Neighborhood Improvement, was helping with this project. When Robert Brown, L.B. Brown's son, visited his childhood home, he simply mentioned that his father had built it. This was a big discovery!
From that moment on, the house became known as the L.B. Brown Home. The street where it stands was even officially renamed from 2nd Avenue to L.B. Brown Avenue.
A Historic Landmark
The L.B. Brown House is recognized as a very important historical place. On January 4, 2001, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a special list kept by the National Park Service that helps protect important buildings across the United States. The house was finished in 1892.
Honoring L.B. Brown
Every year, the town of Bartow holds the L.B. Brown Festival. This event usually happens in mid-February. It celebrates L.B. Brown's amazing life and all the things he achieved for his community.
The L.B. Brown House will also be represented at the new National Museum of African American History and Culture. There will be a special stone with L.B. Brown's name on it at the museum. This shows how important his story and his home are to American history.
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