This 19th-century Eastlake-style refuge in Palatka, Florida, was the favorite summer house of Pennsylvania banking mogul James Ross Mellon and has since been left to the elements. Take a tour of this creepy winter hideaway to learn about its rich history and the priceless antiquities hidden behind its crumbling walls…
Banking Dynasty
James Ross Mellon was born in 1846 into the prestigious Mellon family, the son of Mellon patriarch Judge Thomas Mellon, who created the Mellon Bank in 1869. James followed his father into banking and rose to prominence as a businessman and philanthropist in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. By the early nineteenth century, the Mellon family had established themselves as one of the wealthiest dynasties in the United States.
Winter Retreat
Mellon’s wife, heiress Rachel Larimer Mellon, couldn’t stand the severely cold Pennsylvania winters, so the family began traveling to the Florida vacation town of Palatka in 1883, together with their three children. They had this beautiful Eastlake-style clapboard house constructed in 1910 for their Sunshine State vacations.
Family Haunt
For decades, the house functioned as the family’s winter hideaway, as recently photographed by urban explorer Leland Kent for Abandoned Southeast. Mellon continued to visit the property after his wife died in 1919 until his death in 1934. It was owned by the Mellons until the late 1930s.
Wrack and ruin
The house has moved through several owners since then, although it hasn’t been formally occupied in years. From the exterior, it’s evident that the old vacation house has seen better days, judging by the overgrown foliage and neglected tiled pathway. Still, the clapboard exterior looks to be in decent condition.
Faded grandeur
While the entry hall shows traces of damp and disintegrating painting, it’s easy to envision how grand this room must have been in its prime. James and Rachel were extremely involved in the local community in Palatka and gave a significant amount of money to the city throughout the years.
Dilapidated decor
The once-grand parlour is also in disrepair, with flaking plasterwork and garbage on the floor. A few mattresses litter the floor, implying that squatters are living on the premises. The Mellons once entertained many renowned faces, most notably Billy Sunday, a former National League baseball star who subsequently became a preacher.
Ornate instrument
An magnificent grand piano, a legacy from a more opulent era, takes pride of place in this ground-floor drawing room. The magnificent instrument was created by ancient Boston piano makers Vose & Sons, which was founded in the East Coast city in 1851.
Hidden treasure
It’s unclear if the piano is in good operating order, but there’s no denying the instrument’s great value. In fact, similar repaired models now sell for tens of thousands of dollars. It’s hard to believe that the previous owners let it to deteriorate.
Domestic details
Several evidence of domesticity remain, most notably this nicotine-stained calendar from 1970, which indicates when the property was last formally occupied. The Cardui Calendar and Weather Chart was a Southern institution for well over a century, published annually from 1891 until 2013.
Period features
While the surrounding walls need substantial work, the home’s wooden staircase is in remarkably good shape, a monument to the workmanship. In reality, a thorough sanding and polishing is probably all that’s needed to bring it back to its former glory. We can almost picture the Mellons’ three children, William, Lucille, and Alexander, giggling as they slide down the banister.
Renovation required
Going upstairs, the excellent hardwood flooring on the landing has escaped reasonably unharmed, with just a little work necessary to whip it back into shape. Nevertheless, the magnitude of the damage to the walls becomes all too clear on the first floor, with peeling wallpaper showing cracking plaster and, more concerningly, the home’s exposed timber framework.
Structural attention
The ceiling and cornices are also in disrepair, necessitating a total makeover as well as some major structural maintenance. From here, this dilapidated house appears to be the farthest thing from a majestic vacation retreat of a corporate titan. Nonetheless, in the late nineteenth century, James Mellon’s economic operations grew from strength to strength. Following in his father’s footsteps, he established the City Deposit Bank, eventually becoming its president in 1898.
Bygone days
This upper bedroom still bears traces of the home’s previous life. Numerous old radios, a little child’s piano, and framed artwork surround the fireplace, which has a beautiful wooden surround and a well-used brick hearth.
Vintage furnishings
While the wallpaper is peeling and dirt litters the hardwood floor, this room has a certain beauty. We’re really intrigued by the light green velvet chair; reupholstered, it’d be a stunning addition to a modern living area.
Retro nostalgia
The music was clearly liked by the most recent past occupants. This sideboard has an antique phonograph and a collection of vinyl records, including a commemorative album of jazz musician Hal Kemp’s eight most popular tracks. Kemp died in a vehicle accident in 1940, at the age of 36.
Patriotic tableau
Personal moments can be discovered somewhere above. This collection of vintage tennis rackets is still in its square presses, which were used to keep the rackets in shape. They’re leaning against an ancient trunk, which is surrounded by antique maps, a US flag, and dusty books.
Original details
The historical details in this bedroom are in remarkably good condition, from the wooden fire surround to the cornices, picture rail, and skirting boards. We may see glimpses of the Mellons’ wealthy lives via the magnificent woodwork. James went on to assist his family fund the Ligonier Valley Railroad, which opened in 1877 and connected the Pennsylvania cities of Latrobe and Ligonier.
Dark and dingy
The master bathroom, which was formerly a huge, beautiful area adjacent to James and Rachel’s room, needs a thorough remodel and a few fresh coats of paint. In keeping with the home’s historic heritage, we’d like to see a new period-style clawfoot bathtub built in here, along with crisp white clapboarding to brighten up this dismal interior.
Neglected spaces
This smaller bedroom, maybe belonging to one of the Mellon children, appears to be moist – expected considering the humid Florida environment. The striped wallpaper is flaking off the walls, but the woodwork looks to be rather intact.
Recent revamp
The fixtures and fittings in this little bathroom appear to have been upgraded in the late twentieth century since they are much more contemporary than those in the master bathroom. This room might be altered with pretty little effort.
Promising property
This upper room, with its exposed ceiling and bent woodwork, will require a lot more repair. Still, this wonderful history property would make a gratifying fixer-upper job for an enterprising owner – from an exquisite family home to a nice bed and breakfast or perhaps a local museum, there’s lots of promise here. Unfortunately, the property is being left to rot, unoccupied and unmaintained.
A lasting legacy
While their Palatka home is now abandoned, the Mellons’ influence and legacy are still felt in northern Florida. Perhaps, their cherished vacation house will be taken in hand and fresh life will be infused into its decaying hallways in the future.