The house was built in 1895 by Joseph W. Russ, Jr. a prominent landowner and merchant, for him and his mother, who lived there with him only two years before her untimely death. However the home was owned and occupied by members of his family for exactly 100 years.
Around 1910, Mr. Russ's wife Bettie, made extensive changes to the front fa�ade with the addition of the rounded two-story porches, the Corinthian columns, and changes in the roof structure. Also a kitchen and porches were added to the rear of the house. In 1920 in expectation of a new baby, and area of the upstairs porch was enclosed with casement windows for the nursery. This sun-porch was removed during the Chamber renovation.
In 1995 the Chamber of Commerce received the first of two grants from the Florida Bureau of Historical Preservation to purchase the home from the family and begin its extensive restoration.
The property is on the National Register of Historic Places. The house is always open to the public during the Chamber's business hours.
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