THE THURSBY HOUSE

By  Mike Miller October 21, 2025

The Thursby House is a two-story wooden structure at Blue Spring State Park in Orange City, Florida.

It was built in 1872 by Louis Thursby and served as a homestead and steamboat stop. The house overlooks the spring run that goes to the St. Johns River.

It is built on a Timucua shell midden. The home is restored, and you can see pioneer life through the original furnishings and exhibits. 

The Thursby House

Louis Thursby moved to the area with his family in 1856 and was one of its first European settlers. He bought 160 acres under the Armed Occupation Act.

He planted citrus trees and built a dock for steamboats. The house went up in 1872 using local pine.

Steamboats like Harta and Volusia stopped here in the early days. The family sold oranges and hosted travelers. In 1972 the state acquired the land, and the house opened for tours in 1973.

It joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. Restoration in 1985 preserved the widow’s walk and heart-pine floors. 

The Thursby House is at 2100 West French Avenue, Orange City, FL 32763, inside Blue Spring State Park.

From I-4, take Exit 114, go west on SR 472, left on US 17-92, right on French Avenue. The park opens daily at 8 AM and closes at sundown.

The house is open for self-guided tours when rangers are present, usually 9 AM to 4 PM. Walk the 0.3-mile boardwalk from the parking lot to reach it.

Call (386) 775-3663 for ranger availability. No pets are allowed inside the house. 

• The house sits on a 7,000-year-old Timucua shell midden that is 20 feet high.  

• Steamboats carried 300 passengers weekly to the Thursby dock in the 1880s.  

• A widow’s walk on the roof let the family spot boats two miles away.  

• Original citrus crates and a 1900 piano remain inside.  

• The family buried a pet alligator under the front steps in 1890. 

THURSBY HOUSE WEBPAGE

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