Baker House
The Baker House was built by Senator David H. Baker around 1890, in the community of Orange Home. The home consists of a two story main house with porches on both floors and a separate two story kitchen house. Much of the main house is still original, from its beautiful wood floors, to the stained glass window on the second floor landing; it is a beautiful landmark in Sumter County. The house was donated to the City of Wildwood in September 2012. The City along with a team of volunteers through generous donations have been working on the restoration of the house.
History
Senator David Hume Baker (1841-1917) moved to Orange Home, Florida from Muhlenberg County, Kentucky where he was a State Senator he then moved to Florida and served on the Florida Senate. He served in the Civil War as a First Lieutenant in the 12th Kentucky Calvary (Union). He married Mary Hannah Matthis (1844–1932) they had one son David Mathias Baker (1871-1917). Senator David H Baker and wife Mary are both buried in Arlington Cemetery.
Senator Baker moved his family here during the Orange Fever Period; ironically he chose this area to settle in to raise oranges. The Great Freeze that killed the Citrus Industry in 1894 and 1895 wiped out most of the surrounding groves; at that point Senator Baker purchased the surrounding acreage. With this purchase it brought his land size to 1200 acres, after his death the family kept 400 acres, while selling off or donating the rest.
While the main house was being built, the family lived in a small house, just to the west of the big house. The house took a few years to complete and we believe it was completed around 1890. As was the custom in those days, the kitchen was built separate from the main house. This was done in case there was a fire in the kitchen; the main house would not be lost. The two buildings were connected by a covered walkway. The main house has 3 rooms on the bottom floor, a parlor, living room and library, upstairs has 4 bedrooms and a bath. It has a large open attic; there is a ladder that led up to a cupola that was removed at some point. The fireplace located in the living room was and still is the main source of heat in the house; the location of the windows in the house, allow for a cross breeze that kept the house cool. The kitchen house has 3 rooms downstairs; the kitchen, dining room, bathroom and 3 pantries, upstairs are two bedrooms.
The craftsmanship can be seen throughout the house from the original wood floors, the original sash windows, the ornate and detailed door hinges and the hand carved stair railing. You can still find the original plaster walls in the parlor and library.
A focal point of the main house is the stained glass window. Much of the glass is original and depicts the four seasons in varying hues – red for fall, violet for winter, green for spring and amber for summer. The clear and blue are replacements, as some of the colors were no longer available.
Few changes have been made over the years, the upstairs bathroom was added in the 1920’s, in the 1950’s the family enclosed the area between the two houses to create a family room and the downstairs bathroom was added around the same time.
The Baker House has stood for over 130 years old and has seen the world around it change. It has been home to six generations of Bakers and a mainstay in the community. It is a true testament to the craftsmanship of days gone by, to the love and care of many family members and a piece of the City of Wildwood History.
Volunteer Opportunities
We are looking for volunteers to assist with a variety of tasks in an effort to help restore the Baker House to hostess special events and work as docents for our public and private tours. Extra hands are always needed during our Christmas tours. If interested please contact the Parks & Recreation administrative offices (352) 461-0134.
