About

The Guest House, a classic Georgian four-square, was built by Apalachicola builder, William Floyd in 1886 for Frank and Anthony Messina. Anthony and his wife, Catherine, raised 9 children here and the home remained in the family for 100 years. The classic floorplan features a wide center hall which allows access to all the rooms. The walls were originally plaster on cypress lath, fairly fancy for the time. The floors are heart pine. In 2000, the home was in total disrepair and neglected when the Tartts renovated it, restoring the wrap-around porches and adding the dormer and upstairs loft. Recent renovations have been an additional bathroom, floors, and roof to name a few. We have also had the privilege of hosting a one of the last surviving ancestors of the Messina family from New Orleans.

The Carriage House was originally a quaint cottage that stood on the corner of 4th St. and Ave C in the historic southside. In 2005, the Tartts preserved this charming cottage, moving it to its current site, upon new foundation 10 feet above ground, all the while duplicating the original porch and siding. The ground floor became an artist studio for Ouida Tartt, and today, provides an open and airy studio apartment for guests seeking a ground floor accommodation in an artful setting.