The Vista Main House (Caretaker's House)
Edward C. Roe writes in “A Brief History of Vista” that the Main House was originally designed for a caretaker and was a remodeling of one of the old houses at Vista: The idea was formulated to build a camp at Vista and rebuild one of the old buildings as a caretaker’s house. This construction was done by Mason Davis, superintendant at the Cummer limerock mines at Kendrick. The orignal camp building consisted of a living room-dining room, kitchen with wood cook stove, two bedrooms with joint bathroom with large shower, and front and back porches. Thus was used by J. T. (Bill) McKinstry, who was the land and timber manager living at Lacoochee, and by his crews of timber cruisers and surveyors.
The Main House is a one-story, wood frame, vernacular style building located in the central portion of the Vista site. It was constructed c. 1936-1939, with additions for the back porch and the dining room made c. 1940. A bathroom was added to the west side during the 1960s. In plan, the building forms an irregular cruciform. It is clad with wood channel drop siding with corner boards.. The primary entrance to the house is a historic partially glazed and paneled wood door with flat board trim.
The rear (south) façade of the building of the building primarily consists of an enclosed porch addition made c. 1940 which rests on concrete block piers and is capped by a hip roof with exposed rafter tails. A ribbon of sliding aluminum windows installed ca. 1950s-1960s wraps the upper portion of the porch, The cement walkway approaching the back porch is inscribed “W. H. Leggett and Son, July 15, 1951.” Mr. Leggett was the caretaker at Vista during this time.
The east façade is marked by a projecting dining room wing which is an early (c. 1940) addition.
The rear (south) façade of the building of the building primarily consists of an enclosed porch addition made c. 1940 which rests on concrete block piers and is capped by a hip roof with exposed rafter tails. A ribbon of sliding aluminum windows installed ca. 1950s-1960s wraps the upper portion of the porch, The cement walkway approaching the back porch is inscribed “W. H. Leggett and Son, July 15, 1951.” Mr. Leggett was the caretaker at Vista during this time.
The east façade is marked by a projecting dining room wing which is an early (c. 1940) addition.
INTERIOR
With the exception of the dining room, the interior of the Main House generally features painted wood floors and beadboard walls with a painted beadboard wainscot. The ceilings are also beadboard. All doorways feature paneled wood doors and flat board trim. The furnishings are rustic and the rooms are decorated with memorabilia related to the site. This includes items such as historic photos and maps, as well as items such as fishing rods, duck decoys, and mounted taxidermy.
With the exception of the dining room, the interior of the Main House generally features painted wood floors and beadboard walls with a painted beadboard wainscot. The ceilings are also beadboard. All doorways feature paneled wood doors and flat board trim. The furnishings are rustic and the rooms are decorated with memorabilia related to the site. This includes items such as historic photos and maps, as well as items such as fishing rods, duck decoys, and mounted taxidermy.
DINING ROOM
The dining room features a painted wood floor and walls clad with vertical pecky cypress boards. The ceiling likewise features pecky cypress boards and is configured as an open gable with pecky cypress cross beams. Two ceiling fans/light fixtures are attached to the beams. The southwest corner of the room adjacent to the kitchen features a built-in pecky cypress cabinet with two pairs of paneled wood doors. A small niche is located in the wall above the cabinet.
The east end of the room features a five-panel wood door with flat board trim which accesses an entry portico. Adjacent to the door is an ornate cast iron heater on a metal pedestal. The stove is labeled “Indiana Stove Works Evansville No. 524.” The stove's exhaust does not penetrate the exterior wall so the stove appears to have been decorative.
A large wooden table constructed of heart cypress occupies the center of the room and is flanked by wooden tables. The room is decorated with memorabilia, including a mounted tarpon above the door to the kitchen. Historic photos indicate the tarpon was installed prior to the 1950s.
The dining room features a painted wood floor and walls clad with vertical pecky cypress boards. The ceiling likewise features pecky cypress boards and is configured as an open gable with pecky cypress cross beams. Two ceiling fans/light fixtures are attached to the beams. The southwest corner of the room adjacent to the kitchen features a built-in pecky cypress cabinet with two pairs of paneled wood doors. A small niche is located in the wall above the cabinet.
The east end of the room features a five-panel wood door with flat board trim which accesses an entry portico. Adjacent to the door is an ornate cast iron heater on a metal pedestal. The stove is labeled “Indiana Stove Works Evansville No. 524.” The stove's exhaust does not penetrate the exterior wall so the stove appears to have been decorative.
A large wooden table constructed of heart cypress occupies the center of the room and is flanked by wooden tables. The room is decorated with memorabilia, including a mounted tarpon above the door to the kitchen. Historic photos indicate the tarpon was installed prior to the 1950s.
MASTER BEDROOM
The Master Bedroom is located at the northwest corner of the Main House. Historically, this appears to have been the bedroom used by Edward C. Roe, as a safe labeled with his name is located along the south wall of the room.
The Master Bedroom is located at the northwest corner of the Main House. Historically, this appears to have been the bedroom used by Edward C. Roe, as a safe labeled with his name is located along the south wall of the room.
Caretakers
William Henry Leggett, a native of Appling, GA. On the 1940 census he was living at Vista with his wife Eula, his daughter and 3 sons. He gave his occupation as carpenter living at Vista. He was there until at least 1951 because his name is inscribed in both concrete walkways.
Charles C. Hudson who stated his occupation as caretaker of Vista on the 1940 census.
J.T. (Bill) McKinstry was land and timber manager living at Lacoochee. He was not a caretaker but he and his crew stayed at Vista frequently when working in the area and also during the hunting and fishing parties.
Robert Alton Marsh was a logging supervisor for Cummer Sons Cypress out of Chiefland and lived at Vista as caretaker until his death in 1993. At some point, probaby in the 1970's, caretakers no longer lived in the Main house and instead had mobile homes at the back of the property.
Charles Miller and his wife lived in a double-wide mobile home at the back of the property until 2020.
William Henry Leggett, a native of Appling, GA. On the 1940 census he was living at Vista with his wife Eula, his daughter and 3 sons. He gave his occupation as carpenter living at Vista. He was there until at least 1951 because his name is inscribed in both concrete walkways.
Charles C. Hudson who stated his occupation as caretaker of Vista on the 1940 census.
J.T. (Bill) McKinstry was land and timber manager living at Lacoochee. He was not a caretaker but he and his crew stayed at Vista frequently when working in the area and also during the hunting and fishing parties.
Robert Alton Marsh was a logging supervisor for Cummer Sons Cypress out of Chiefland and lived at Vista as caretaker until his death in 1993. At some point, probaby in the 1970's, caretakers no longer lived in the Main house and instead had mobile homes at the back of the property.
Charles Miller and his wife lived in a double-wide mobile home at the back of the property until 2020.
