Schultz Home

The Schultz Home was one of the oldest residential structures built in Winter Park. It was originally built in 1884 for Dr. J.R. Tantum and was located on several acres fronting Lake Osceola at the corner of New England and Interlachen Avenues. (Today, 2003, 315 East New England Avenue, where the Langford Apartments are located).

Dr. Tantum lost his health while practicing holistic medicine in Wilmington, Delaware. He spent a winter at the Rogers House, pronounced the town "healthful" and bought 3 acres at the corner of Interlachen and New England Avenues from The Winter Park Company. Dr. Tantum planted a citrus grove, put in a well and a windmill so that his home would have running water. He contracted to have his home built facing New England Avenue at the cost of $5,000. In 1887, Dr. Tantum died and the home was sold to William Shultz, Jr.

In 1890, William Schultz, Jr. and his wife Josephine purchased the house and made plans to remodel and enlarge the residence. In the summer of 1891 they sold their Philadelphia home and moved into their newly remodeled home on Lake Osceola.

The following excerpt is taken from a document entitled The Schultz Family: “When the work was completed the distinguishing feature was the third floor cupola, from which there was a birds-eye view of all of Lake Osceola. The first and second floor “bow” windows faced New England Avenue, the front entrance of the house. The interesting design of the railings on the veranda which went all around the first floor added architectural interest. The interiors had majestic coffered ceilings in the spacious rooms downstairs with pairs of marble columns on either side of the wide openings between rooms. The master bedroom upstairs was the same size as the living room with fireplace; several of the other five bedrooms also had fireplaces to relieve the early morning chill.”

“The massive Victorian furnishings included the Orchestrelle, an elaborate player piano, which had pipes and played individual instrumental tones. The Orchestrelle's inlaid cabinet was about eight feet long and required a full wall space. There was a cabinet where rolls of music including opera and other classical pieces were stored.”

William Schultz, Jr. died in 1907 and in 1912 the Schultz house was sold to J.R. List, a local banker. During the depression, Mrs. List or "Aunt Hat", as she was called by Rollins College co-eds, operated the house as an exclusive tea room. Mrs. List became a sponsor to one of Rollins' first sororities and it was said that as each member married, "Aunt Hat" would loan the bride her famous sapphire and diamond ring to wear as "something borrowed."

In 1945 the house was purchased by Herbert Halverstadt and Robert Langford, Sr.(the father of Robert Langford of The Langford Hotel fame) and moved to a new location on the same lot. The house was remodeled, with the assistance of Architect James Gamble Rogers, and converted into six apartments. The renovation consisted of removing the fireplace in the living room, the ceiling beams were covered up, and some of the porches and the cupola were removed.

In 1952 the house was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. James Crum who, in 1954, added “fancy” iron work to the house and it became known as “Lacy Shadows.” The Crums came to Winter Park from Michigan, where Mr. Crum had been a vegetable farmer. They spent much of the next 25 years adding things and making improvements to the apartments. The Crums rented the apartments but never to "tenants," they called them "guests." The "guests" weren't transient either. One "guest" stayed for 22 years!

In 1977 William A. Selley, a salesman with the Winter Park Land Company, purchased the house. There were two stipulations to the purchase of "Lacy Shadows," one was that the Crums would be allowed to live out their days in the home and the second was no "absentee landlord." A few days after Mr. Selley became the owner of the home, workmen were remodeling the front ground floor apartment for Mr. Selley, his wife and daughter. The Crums actually remained at "Lacy Shadows" for only three more years and then moved to Winter Park Towers. Mr. Crum died September 8, 1995 at the age of 98 and Mrs. Crum died January 29, 1997 at the age of 95.

In 1997 Denarich Construction purchased the house. “Lacy Shadows” was demolished and the Versailles, a five-story, seven-unit condominium was constructed.

This article was written by former archivist, Barbara White, MLIS.