Florida: The Pritchard House
In Titusville, Florida, the members of Lovie Pritchard #561 are helping preserve one of the community’s most distinctive historic landmarks—the Pritchard House, a beautifully detailed Queen Anne residence at 424 South Washington Avenue.
Built in 1891 by Captain James Pritchard, the two-story wood-frame home reflects the prosperity and ambitions of one of Titusville’s prominent early families. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990 and is owned by the Brevard County Board of County Commissioners and operated by the North Brevard Heritage Foundation.
Captain Pritchard, born in New York City in 1836, came to Florida with his wife, Mary Haley Boye, and their three children in 1876. The family settled in an area then known as Pritchard’s Landing, where Captain Pritchard initially grew sugarcane and citrus before becoming active in real estate and business. In 1888, he organized the Indian River State Bank and became its president. He also owned the James Pritchard and Son Hardware Store and was involved in Titusville’s first generating plant.
In 1891, Pritchard hired contractor Pleasant J. Hall, who had also built St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church, to construct the family home. Built of heart pine, the house featured the elaborate architectural details popular in the Queen Anne style, including decorative woodwork, fish-scale shingles, a conical tower and a two-story wraparound porch. Three brick chimneys and four fireplaces with original tiled hearths add to its character.
The house originally was home to Captain Pritchard, Mary, his mother-in-law Frances Delespine Boye, and their children Boud and Kate. Later, Boud Pritchard and his wife, Lola Pauline Smith—known as “Miss Lovie”—made the house their lifelong home. Their daughter, Mary, continued to live there until 2005, when the property was purchased by Brevard County.
That family connection gives special meaning to the work of Lovie Pritchard #561, whose members have made preservation of the house an important part of their Questers mission.
Chapter members have furnished one of the bedrooms, carefully recreating the atmosphere of the historic home. One member has devoted thousands of hours to researching the house, studying original paint colors, wallpaper, fixtures and other details to help ensure that its restoration and interpretation are historically accurate.
The chapter’s preservation efforts are continuing. Members are currently creating a memorial garden on the property, with plans for a bench, arbor and additional landscaping. The garden will provide a welcoming place for visitors while adding another meaningful layer to the story of the Pritchard family and the historic house they called home.