The city of Winter Park prides itself in its history. Many of its homes are timepieces over a century old.

Now one of the city’s oldest homes is ready to show residents that good things comes to those who wait.

Sitting along the shores of Lake Osceola, The Capen house is a 130-year-old piece of history that’s ready to open its doors to guests in a new location.

In 2013, the original property on Interlachen Avenue was purchased and the owner just wanted the land. Residents didn’t want the house to be torn down so the fundraising began.

In a matter of weeks more than $500,000 in private donations was raised - and the house was saved.

“There were times when we thought, ‘Oh my God are we ever going to get through this?’ and yet something wonderful would happen that allowed for the next step and the next step,” said Debbie Komanski, executive director of the Polasek Museum, which shares the property with The Capen House.

Prior to the move, the house was cut in half and the two pieces were loaded onto separate barges and floated across the lake to its current location.

Putting the home back together was like a massive puzzle.

“Everything [was] numbered. Where they took out wood, pieces of the flooring and anything else, label where it had to go back,” said Komanski.

The result is the recently-restored 4,000-square-foot home. It's sparsely furnished, allowing for it to be rented out for weddings and social events.

Several touches of its former owners still exist, proving what was once old can be new again – without losing the charm.

“The City of Winter Park is just better off because we’ve been able to save this beautiful home and at the same time make it available to so many people,” said Winter Park Vice Mayor Sarah Sprinkel.

Those with the Polasek Museum hoped the house would be completed last year, but knew when it came to the finished product, the last thing they wanted to cut were corners.

“For us to have moved the house and gotten it back up and running – we moved it in December of 2013 and we’re open in less than two years. So we’re very proud of that,” said Komanski.

  • Capen House “Open House”
    Sunday, Oct. 11
    633 Osceola Ave.
    Winter Park, FL 32789
  • 1 P.M. – 4 P.M.
  • Admission: FREE
  • Parking: $5