VERO BEACH — The Hallstrom House, one of the great historical treasures on the Treasure Coast, is now open to visitors on a regular schedule. Volunteer docents will offer tours of the house to visitors on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 1 to 4 pm. The two-story brick Florida Vernacular-style house is owned by the Indian River County Historical Society. It was built by Axel Hallstrom, pioneer horticulturalist, businessman and civic leader, in 1918. The family lived in the home until 1999, when Axel’s daughter, Ruth, bequeathed it to the Historical Society.
The house contains the original furnishings and personal belongings of the family, along with a rich treasure trove of papers and photographs documenting more than 100 years of the history of the family and the farmstead. The 80 acres surrounding the house are managed by Indian River County as a conservation area. The Historical Society has plans to restore the five-acre plot on which the house stands to honor Axel Hallstrom’s achievement as an experimental horticulturalist.
The Hallstrom House is located at 1723 South Old Dixie Highway, one mile south of Oslo Road, in Vero Beach. Visitor tours are available during open hours. Suggested donation is $5 per person. Group tours of the Hallstrom House can also be scheduled.
For more information or to schedule a group tour, call the Historical Society at 772/778-3435 or email indianriverhisto@bellsouth.net.
