1038 Biltmore Place - Built 1925

Uncovering Lakeland's Hidden Histories: The Story of 1038 Biltmore Place!

Did you know some of Lakeland's most iconic homes hold fascinating stories within their walls? We love digging into the past, and today we're thrilled to share a glimpse into another century-old home in our historic district: 1038 Biltmore Place!

From Rhode Island to Florida's Citrus Groves

Our story begins in Westerly, Rhode Island, with Charles Maxon Jr., born in 1888. By 1900, he was a student living at home with his lumber contractor father, his mother, his brother Harry, his paternal grandmother Ann, and his aunt Abby. A decade later, at 22, Charles was still at home and single, while his older brother Harry had married in 1918.

Then, a pivotal moment in 1916. The Orlando Evening Star reported that Providence, Rhode Island, lawyer Sumner G. Rand, along with associates including H. Howard Babcock, purchased over 100 acres in Orange County, Florida, for a large-scale citrus grove development. While Charles wasn't mentioned, his 1917 draft registration suddenly places him in Orlando! At 29, slender with blue eyes and brown hair, he was working as a manager at the Rabama Fruit Company — Rand's fruit company. By the 1920 census, Charles, still single, was living with the widowed Rand, both listed as "General Foreman" and Charles noted as Rand's "partner." Though we may never know the precise connection between Westerly and Providence (there being 44 miles between these cities), it's clear Charles became a Floridian in late 1916 or early 1917, quickly rising through the ranks.

A New Chapter in Lakeland: The Maxon-Hunt Tire Company

In April 1921, Coris Shands of Gainesville gave birth to her son, Harry Shands. Soon after, Charles decided to leave citrus farming behind. In 1922, he moved to Lakeland with Coris and Harry, and it was around this time that Charles and Coris married, as indicated by their presence together in the 1923 city directory. Using his middle name Clarence professionally (to avoid confusion with his business partner, also named Charles), he formed the Maxon-Hunt Tire Company.

Initially, Clarence and Coris lived at 515 E. Orange Avenue (today's Parkview Cottages, south of Lake Mirror), with their shop located at 303 S. Florida Avenue (the southwest corner of Lemon & S. Florida). For the next three years, they moved frequently — first to 830 S. Johnson, then 709 S. Park Hill. Finally, in late 1925, they settled into their new, permanent home in the recently developed Biltmore Park addition: 1038 Biltmore Place.

Entrepreneurship and the Roaring Twenties

The year 1925 was also significant professionally for Clarence. He left the tire business and launched his own auto dealership, the Maxon Motor Company, at the same 303 S. Florida Avenue address, suggesting his former partner Charles Hunt had departed. The success of the motor company likely enabled them to purchase their beautiful new home. Can you imagine a new Graham-Paige 8 parked in this driveway!

Maxon Motor Company remained in business through 1930, representing brands like Graham-Paige, known for their "6s" and "8s" — essentially extended cabs with extra rows of seating, similar to the Pierce-Arrow Nick Burns used to shuttle potential buyers from Tampa to Biltmore Park. However, sales declined significantly during the Great Depression and Florida’s land bust. Many new dealerships didn't survive or were acquired by larger brands. As demand for these vehicles dwindled in the 1930s, Clarence transitioned his business again, converting it into a Dunlop Tire & Rubber Company shop, where he served as manager. The family eventually sold their home and began renting. By the 1940s, Clarence had fully exited the auto industry, spending the remainder of his career as a salesman for furniture and department stores.

The Maxon Family Legacy

Coris passed away in January 1966, and Clarence followed three weeks later. They raised three children:

• Harry Shands (born 1921, from a previous marriage), who married Jean Braes in 1947.

• JoAnn Maxson (born 1925), who married Horace Harrison in 1947. Their children were Joan and Wescott Harrison. (JoAnn's children attended school in Auburndale in the 1950s.)

• Harry Maxson (born 1936), who married Margaret Campbell in 1957. (attending Lakeland High School in 1957). Their children were Jenny, Lisa, Kim, Jeff, and Chris Maxson. (Readers may remember this Harry Maxson, who passed in 2018, or his children who attended high school in Winter Park in the late 1970s and 80s.)

For five dynamic years, from 1925 to 1930, this family called the beautiful two-story home at 1038 Biltmore Place their own. It's quite possible that some of their great-grandchildren are still living in Central Florida, if not right here in Lakeland today!

As for Clarence's later career, the site of his tire shop and auto dealership eventually became a Mid-Florida Credit Union. And while more research would be needed to confirm, it's intriguing to consider that in the 1940s, when Clarence worked as a furniture salesman, he might even have been employed by the now-iconic Traders Furniture store. Given how connected everything seems to be in Lakeland's history, it certainly remains a captivating possibility!