Ruth Stanbridge and Mark Holt. PHOTO BY JOSHUA KODIS

The elegant Victorian-style Hallstrom House and its Farmstead, where pineapples once reigned supreme, was the setting for another festive Pineapple Party to benefit the Indian River County Historical Society, which lovingly maintains the historic property.

After Axel Hallstrom purchased acreage for the plantation in 1908, he built the impressive home, where his daughter Ruth resided her entire life. A charter member of the Historical Society, she willed the home and its contents, along with five acres and outbuildings, to it upon her death in 1999. The society continues to maintain and steward the property as a living museum of local history.

The afternoon’s activities included pineapple carvings and planting demonstrations, along with tastings of the juicy fruit. There were also tours of the meticulously maintained home, live music, raffle items, BBQ meals and a smoothie truck.

And little ones were kept enthralled by assorted animals from LaPorte Farms’ Petting Zoo, with Moondance, the kissing llama, a particular favorite.

“We think this is probably going to be our best Pineapple Party ever,” said Mark Holt, Historical Society board president.

“We have Ruth Hallstrom’s car here again this year, her white Corvette, and several other antique automobiles from the Indian River region of the American Auto Club. A great group of guys, they always support us by bringing their cars. And because Ruth was such an avid hot rod, she loved antique cars and she loved her Corvette, I think it kind of honors her by having those cars here.”

County Historian Ruth Stanbridge said they plan to turn the home’s carriage house into a tearoom but as the property is on the National Register of Historic Places, it must be done correctly.

“We won’t be tearing out anything. We’ll just be cleaning it all up and making sure the roof and everything is stable. We’ll put all the tools back, but we’ll probably have to find a few old farmers to tell us what these tools are.”

They currently host tea parties in the house, but because of limited space she said they sell out very quickly.

“So there’s a need to do this, and we look forward to doing it, but of course it costs money to do,” said Stanbridge.

She spoke of the series of mini documentaries they have on the IRCHS website about the history of the area and points of interest, including the newest one, “The War Years,” for which they collaborated with Tony Young to interview World War II veterans and some families of WWII veterans.

“They’re all in their 90s, and that’s why we wanted to do it now. It’s really interesting,” said Stanbridge, recalling one man who told her about being 17, landing in Normandy, fighting with Patton in Germany, and ending the war in Czechoslovakia.

“I mean it was just like yesterday. I thought what a wonderful story; it’s things that people need to hear,” said Stanbridge.

The Hallstrom House is open for docent-led tours Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., with the last tours beginning at 3 p.m. The house will be closed Dec. 24 and will reopen Jan. 3.

For more information, visit IRCHistorical.org.

Photos by Joshua Kodis