749 Hollingsworth Road - Built 1924

A Century of History: The Story of 749 Hollingsworth Road!

Not only is this home the recipient of a City of Lakeland Beautification Award from 1924, but it also holds the distinction of being the Biltmore-Cumberland Historic District’s very first Century Home! On a crisp day in September 2024, current owners Glenn and Sharon Steffy were officially presented with the eight-pound bronze marker, a testament to the home's enduring legacy.

The Steffys' journey with their home's past began when they purchased it 28 years ago. The prior owner had meticulously compiled an inch-thick archive of its history, and they have been its dedicated stewards ever since. This remarkable collection traces the home's history back to 1925, but one artifact in particular tells an even earlier story: a Florida Gas Company “Unsafe Tag” dated November 15, 1924. This crucial document proves that the home was still under construction at the time, and it confirms the home's 1924 beginnings.

The first owners, James W. and Carrie McClain, moved in sometime in 1925, appearing in the 1926 city directory. James was a real estate professional, riding the wave of Lakeland's 1920s boom. After just two years, they sold the home to an even more interesting set of owners: Richard E. and Madeline Fitzgerald. Richard was the office manager for the William P. McDonald Construction Company—the same company that developed the Biltmore Subdivision and whose founder, Mr. McDonald, owned the Clayton residence himself until the 1940s!

A Home for Many Chapters

While the initial history of this home has been shared before, we're now digging deeper into its subsequent occupants to bring its full story to light. The following fifteen years saw a series of fascinating, short-term residents, reflecting the transient nature of a growing city:

1931: Grady & Fannie Zellner, with Grady serving as President of Zellner Chemical & Supply Co.

1934: George J. Bickerstaff, an Agency Supervisor for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad.

1938: Fred & Ann Stivender, with Fred as Superintendent for H. A. Shaver Inc., a fruit packing company.

1940: Edward & Carolyn Kasemeier, who appear to have moved here for retirement. Edward, a former auditor for The Ohio Electric Railway Company, rented the home for just $40 a month on his railroad pension.

1942: Allen & Muri Adams, our third railroad family, with Allen working as a foreman for the Atlantic Coast Line.

1945: T. Sterling & Frances Price, another couple who appear to have been retired.

These eight owners and occupants account for the first twenty years of the home's history.

For the next thirteen years, the home was a haven for the family of Dr. Everett S. & Cathrine M. King. Dr. King, a physician with a downtown office, raised his four children—Joan, Charlie, Cherrie, and Rhoda—in the home. The twins, Charlie and Cherrie, even attended Lakeland High School! Dr. King moved from the home in 1959 but remained in Lakeland for another forty years.

Decades of Continuity

The years 1960-1964 belonged to the Kenneth & Nora Kimball family. Ken, with his blue eyes and blonde hair, and Nora, with her brown hair and matching blue eyes, were high school sweethearts from Lake Wales. Ken, who had managed his family’s fruit stands and a tourist camp, came to Lakeland to take a management position as a Produce Supervisor for Publix, a role he held for all the years they lived in this home.

Then, in 1964, the home’s longest-term residents moved in: Rudolph & Miriam Heller Jr.! This pair of high school sweethearts remained here for an incredible thirty-three years. Rudolph, a slight man at 5'7" and 130 pounds, had a storied career. He flew Douglas C-47s in Europe during WWII and went on to become a Major in the Air Force Reserves. After earning his business degree, he moved to Lakeland to work at Auto Owners Insurance, rising to the position of claims manager. The Hellers raised their three children—Jeanie, Rudolph III, and Ann—in this home. Ann and her brother Rudy even swam on the Lakeland High School swim team together in the late 1970s!

Miriam passed away in 1997, and Rudolph, after decades of cherished memories, decided the time was right for the home to welcome a new family. He passed along the meticulous history archive he had assembled to the new owners. And that's where the Steffys come in.

Glenn and Sharon Steffy have been the proud owners for the last twenty-eight years, raising their own family and grandchildren within its walls. Glenn, a retired Battalion Chief for the Lakeland Fire Department, and his family, together with the Hellers, account for sixty-one years of this home's rich history.