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Source: Ellen Puerzer.
Entered: February, 2017.
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The history of Gadsden County, Florida's octagonal-shaped Malachi Martin House is intertwined into the history of Florida's first penitentiary. Martin was born in Ireland about 1823 and was a merchant in New York City at the beginning of the Civil War. He was an officer in the Union Army, serving in New Orleans, Louisiana and Key West, Florida. Following the war, the State of Florida began using the old arsenal property at Chattahoochee, Gadsden County, for a state penitentiary. Malachi Martin, one of Florida's leading carpetbaggers during Reconstruction, was made the warden of the prison. The state prison in Chattahoochee came to an abrupt end in 1877 after Martin was found using inmate labor for personal gain. A new state prison was built about this same time in northeast Florida.
Martin had 200 acres of land five miles east of Chattahoochee in the present day Old Mt. Pleasant community. In about 1870, with the use of prison labor, he built an octagon-shaped house, which he named The Hermitage, and a vineyard and winery. Much of his wine was shipped to New York.
In 1872, Martin was elected to the Florida House of Representatives and was Speaker of the House in 1874.
Malachi Martin continued to live at The Hermitage and died there on August 29, 1884. He is buried on Long Island, New York.
In the 1970s, the house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The octagonal-shaped house stood for over 100 years and was torn down by its owner sometime in the 1980's.
For further information, see: Career of a "Carpetbagger": Malachi Martin in Florida by Mildred L. Fryman; The Florida Historical Quarterly, Vol. 56, No. 3 (Jan. 1978); Published by: Florida Historical Society.
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1922 |
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1922 |
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1917 |
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From the grandaughter of Albert and Katherine Goss
"It was built by Walter Bull who was mayor. In 1911, Albert Goss and wife Katherine Hefferin came to Dunedin and later bought this house. Mr. Goss repaired watches and clocks in his home. Helene Goss who lived behind the octagon, taught violin and piano for over 50 years in Dunedin.
My grandparents had three children, Katherine (who married Pete Brescia), Walter Goss, and Maybeth (my mother) who married Charles Hazlehurst.
It was quite a wonderful house and when my grandfather died, there was even an original Edison light bulb which still worked in the upstairs hall! I remember well, as a young girl climbing the tree which stood in the front yard which was so much fun. I believe the gentleman who currently lives in the house has done some upgrading and I saw it about five years ago from the outside and he did a remarkable job. I feel sure that my grandparents would both be pleased with the remodeling, especially the air conditioning and the remodeled kitchen."
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1917 |
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1974 |
1974 |
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Maybe 1950s photo. |
June, 2004 |
1893 |
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1910 |
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1264 Circle Drive. Built in 1885 (Walton County) Called "the Octagon House", it was built in 1885 and used originally as the Chautauqua Building Arts And Craft Shop. (This society began in New York and an octagon house was on their property as well.) It became a child care facitility for the parents visiting Chautaugua . It was sold in In 1910 to Wallace Bruce. He converted it to his residence and lived here until his death in 1914.
The one story home has a board And batten exterior. The 8 sided roof extends over the porch which extends across 3 front sides. and is adorned with iron grillwork. The roof has an eyebrow window and a porte cochere extends off the right side.
Today the home features tongue and groove walls and ceilings, heart pine floors and claw foot tub. It has been updated to have 3 baths.
Wallace Bruce (who modified the building for his residence.) was a scholar, author, poet and lecturer. He was appointed by President Benjamin Harrison to serve as U.S. Consul to Edinborough, Scotland, where the family lived from 1889 to 1893. . . . Upon his return Wallace Bruce lectured throughout the country.” He was president of the Florida Chautauqua from 1893 until his death in 1914. He resided in the Chautauqua Hotel while the Octagon House was being readied for him.
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