There are new owners of The Higgins House, a “Country Victorian” bed-and-breakfast in the historic center of one of my favorite little Florida towns, Sanford.
Walter and Roberta Padgett, who restored and revived the century-old two-story across the street from Centennial Park, sold their creation last year to Ronald and Phyllis Lloyd, who made their own improvements and alterations to the house which was built in 1894 for a superintendent of the railroad, James Cochran Riggins.
The Lloyds redid the dining room, removing the lace curtains and brightening up the colors with lots of yellow; they removed the herb garden to make more space for garden parties, wedding receptions and other special events. And in the kitchen, Phyllis started doing her own special magic with egg casseroles, fresh muffins and something as sinfully tempting as caramelized French toast. Tea and her homemade cookies are available throughout the day.
She also caters other meals, designed by her or guests and served in the dining room or garden, and schedules tea times, preparing soups, quiche and special desserts. The complimentary breakfasts for guests are served whenever desired between 7 and 9 a.m. and guests staying more than a few nights can consult with Phyllis about what to order so they aren’t served the same waker-uppers every morning.
There are three rooms for guests, two with single beds and one with twins, each with private baths and antique furnishings. The Victorian Country Room has a cedar coiling and old-fashioned stenciling; the Wicker Room is loyal to its name and the Queen Anne Room, in the back of the house, looks out over the garden. In the front, there’s an inviting little second-floor porch facing the park and Holy Cross Episcopal Church, oldest in town. From your perch on the porch you can plan your walking tours of the town, which repeatedly defines its charm. Use the map available in the inn or at the Chamber of Commerce or Information Center on First Street. There are no fewer than 484 houses between Third and 13th streets and Laurel and Sanford avenues on the National Register of Historic Places, along with a couple dozen downtown buildings.
The antique shops in town are also on First Street, and nearby are the three history museums that tell the story, graphically and dramatically, of the town and its founding by Connecticut native Henry Shelton Sanford, President Lincoln’s first foreign service appointee, who was far-sighted enough to purchase a 23-square-mile Spanish land grant. One of the museums has an exact duplicate of his Danbury, Conn., library. His orange grove, Bellair, outside of town, pioneered numerous varieties of citrus, and Sanford was instrumental in developing the industry. He promoted his town as a future New York, with a harbor on the St. Johns River, “The Nile of America,” because Florida’s river, like Egypt’s, flows south to north.
On the corner of First and South Park Avenue is the original home of Rollins College, founded in April 1885 and the oldest institution of higher learning in the state, now gracing Winter Park. Not far distant is today’s harbor, home of the Rivership Romance, which offers lunch and dinner cruises on the river. (For reservations and information, call 800-423-7401.)
Sanford should be familiar to Wendy’s fans: Two years ago, the burger bunch selected the town to feature old-fashioned hamburgers in its nationwide advertising campaign. The town is the Florida terminus for the Amtrak Auto Train, the only train in the country (and the longest train) that allows passengers to take their vehicles along.
The Higgins House provides a perfect farewell to Florida — or greeting — when using that unique train, but I’m not sure how many bikers have taken advantage of it. Why have a Harley if you’re not going to ride it?
You can ask innkeeper Ronald Lloyd the question; he’s got a “Hawg” and he encourages other real and wannabe bikers to stay at the inn. But don’t think of the inn’s brand of bikers as the “Wild Bunch.” One weekend, a preacher, a policeman and a business executive all rode their bikes into town to stay at the inn.
THE HIGGINS HOUSE
Getting there: The inn is on the corner of Oak Avenue and Fifth Street across from Centennial Park.
Rates: The two single rooms are $105; the double $125 year-round, including full breakfasts. Nonsmoking inside and out, but there is a small area on the back of the property for smokers. Children welcome, but only older than 10. There’s a wonderful variety of special packages, including an interactive murder mystery.
Information: The Higgins House, 420 S. Oak Ave., Sanford, FL 32771; phone: 800-584-0014; fax: 407-324-5060.
-ROBERT TOLF
