Historic Florida Moore Hotel: Then and Now
Moore Hotel & Boarding House | Alachua County, FL | c. 1890s
As early as 1840, a small community had begun to form around a grist mill. Settlers came from the North, railroad tracks were laid and by 1881, a new town was incorporated.
The following year, W.S. Moore purchased this building and opened a hotel that catered to wealthy Northern hunters and fishermen who were attracted to the plentiful game found in the area. Moore provided dogs, wagons, supplies and guided groups through hunts himself. His wife Virginia ‘Jenny’ ran the day-to-day operations of the hotel and prepared food for guests. Moore’s Hotel offered the first bathtubs with running water pumped by a windmill, then heated.
An ad for the hotel calls it ‘The Sportsman’s Home’ and rooms were just $2/day. Today, the property is still owned by members of the Moore Family.
Assuming this is lived in presently due to a/c u it in upper room window. The building itself looks pristine.
If you look closely…. The ruins of the house next door look like they’re still there! And if you compare between both of the old photos it looks like it had been remodeled in between the time that both of the old photos had been taken. And now when you look at the present day photo you can see a structure all overgrown in the area where that house is. Pretty crazy how you can look at the then and now photos and see just how much has changed. It’s pretty cool Kelly!….. Keep up the good work!!
Great