Inside-Outside House

The Inside-Outside House gets its name from its architectural build. The house is exposed on the outside, with panels put together in a shiplap pattern. While the inside of the house is finished with stucco over tongue and groove siding. The home is noted for its decorative finishes along the front porch, balcony, and roof area. Inside there is a tight wooden spiral staircase that leads up to the second floor. 

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The Inside-Outside House was built in 1873, originally located in Altamonte Springs on Boston Avenue, close to the old Altamonte Hotel and Lake Orienta. It was an early example of a prefabricated house in the United States. The house was transported to this area by steamship in Sanford and was moved by mule cart to Altamonte Springs. Due to its unique architecture, the house was disassembled but put together when transported here. It was owned by Captain W. Pierce, a retired ship captain. On the first floor was a cabinet shop, and the family lived upstairs. Later, Pierce became the president of the Orlando National Bank. 

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In 1973, the Longwood Historic Society acquired the house and raised money to move it from Altamonte to its current location on Church Avenue in Longwood. This building is very dear to Longwood as they saved it from its threatened demolition. Since then, the Longwood Historic Society does regular maintenances and now operates a gift shop for locals inside.