This was the home of John W. McGaughey, a native of Georgia. He owned Eva Lumber Company, which specialized in producing cypress shingles until they fell out of fashion in the 1920s. He then invested in citrus groves. McGaughey contracted Daniel Clouser to build the house for him in 1914. There is also a garage on the property that was built in 1917. John and Eva McGaughey had three children.
In the 1920s, it was home to J. E. Walker, founder and president of the Longwood State Bank. Walker was also the mayor of Longwood in the 1920s, but died during his term in December 1930.
It served as a residence until the mid-1990s when it was converted to be used as office space. Today it hosts the offices of the Seminole County Bar Association and Legal Aid Society, Inc.
The house used to sit on what was called East Lake Avenue and then CR 427. The county road used to come up Freeman Street (where today it dead ends just before getting to 427) before cutting suddenly to the right at a 90 degree angle on to Palmetto Avenue. After the county road was re-routed to a gradual curve there instead, this section of road was renamed Freeman Street in honor of the Freeman family that lived in this home.
Editor’s Note. Conflict needs resolved:
- CC Jackson or CC Jacobson: Walking Tour brochure says “in 1930, the house was purchased by C. C. Jackson, whose descendants lived in the residence until the mid-1990’s” (however, it maybe confusing this house with 288 Freeman). The Historic Trail by Steve Rajtar instead says it was purchased by “CC Jacobson” (although I can find no record of this person elsewhere).
- Rajtar also is the one who mentions the Freeman family living there… does that indicate the Freemans were descendents of CC Jackson/Jacobson?
