Florida Historical Markers Programs - Marker Detail

Description: Casa Feliz, or "Happy House,” was the signature work of Winter Park architect James Gamble Rogers II. In 1932, Massachusetts industrialist Robert Bruce Barbour commissioned Rogers to design a home on the shore of Lake Osceola with the promise, “Design it any way you like. If I don't like it, I'll sell it.” Rogers called the commission a “dream come true.” Built during the Great Depression at a cost of $28,000, the Barbour estate became Rogers' all-consuming project. He drafted plans on site, rolling up his sleeves to assist with carpentry and masonry. Barbour loved the Andalusian-style masonry farmhouse, which stood as a crown jewel in the "City of Homes" for the next 70 years. The property faced demolition in 2000, but the community rallied around the house. They raised more than $1.2 million to save and restore the building. The 750-ton structure was moved across Interlachen Avenue to its present location, requiring 20 pneumatically leveled dollies. With the aid of copies of Rogers' drawings and interior photographs taken in the 1930s, dozens of craftsmen and artisans restored the house to its original historic design. In 2008, the house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.