- February 11, 2025
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The MacDonald House, built in 1903 and home of the Ormond Beach Historical Society, still has a few secrets. The society only occupies part of the first floor, so much of the building has not been examined since it was restored by the city in 1997.
Bender and Associates Architects, of Key West, are currently going over every inch of the structure, preparing a report on its historical value and cost to refurbish.
It surprised some members of the society when the architects found a basement. The door is on an outside wall in an alcove on the east side of the building, where people seldom go.
“It was amazing to find,” said Bert Bender. “It was boarded shut, and most people don't typically open boarded doors. That usually doesn't stop us.”
Some maintenance workers for the city, which owns the building, were aware of the basement, but its purpose is a mystery,
Was it a cistern or a root cellar … or something else?
Bender said it’s possible that water was collected in a basement cistern and then pumped to a tank in the attic so the building could have running water. However, because the brick walls of the basement are covered with plaster, Bender does not think it was a cistern.
At a workshop on Jan. 23, Bender and Associates presented their findings so far on the house.
The basement has about eight feet of height from floor to ceiling and is about a quarter the size of the building. When found, it had about 18 inches of water, but it isn’t known if the water is from recent storms or if it leaches from the ground.
The Bender company has also found a hearth showing there once was a fireplace, but the building’s chimney is missing. Also, there’s evidence of a kitchen.
They have also detected that there was once a side entrance, with access to stairs, supporting its usage as a rooming house. The boarders could get to their rooms without going through the first floor.
