History

The Building

Many people comment on how well Browser's Bard was restored, assuming it was built in the 1800's. In reality it was built in 1981 by Betty Jo McLeod and Dorothy R. Pearson. Betty Jo designed the Barn and Dorothy designed the Tea Room.

The Barn was designed to fit in with the character of the old homes in Longwood's Historic District which was developed in the late Victorian Period (1875-1900).

The Tea Room was decorated as a late Victorian style room with chair rails, wall paper and a busy "look".

The paneling in the room is 100 year old heart of Florida Pine rescued from another old building that was demolished in another city. The windows (pressed glass) were also saved from another demolition.

The walls in the mall are red oak brought down from North Carolina. The stairs to the loft are white oak from North Carolina cut to specifications for steps and brought down by the ladies in a van. The large beams in the ceiling are pine cut in Narcoossee (South of Orlando).

The Barn is patterned after a traditional southern barn with the wide carriage way. What might have been stalls for animals are used for the Tea Room - kitchen on one side and for small shops on the opposite side. The loft is used for shops and office space.

The setting is natural with many large oaks, other native growth with some flowering plants put in. A natural ground parking lot adds to the feeling that the Barn belongs where it is.

In fact, we believe this land might have been used for a stock yard long ago because it was fenced in and there is no evidence of any other building having ever been there.

The Name

The name Browser's Barn was selected to project an invitation for people to relax and browse. The original Tea Room "Runcible Spoon" as a name came from Edward Lear's poem, "The Owl and the Pussy-Cat", written in 1888, in which he uses the term Runcible Spoon. It is defined in Webster's dictionary as a fork with 3 broad prongs, one of which is serrated and it is shaped like a spoon. We've never found one! The Magnolia Tea Room operated by Betty and Dan Fairbrother, serves soups, salads, sandwiches, desserts quiche, and other special dishes. They are open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM. High Tea is from 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM by reservation. The Magnolia Tea Room also features a Romantic Candlelight Dinner once each month. Several small businesses have started in Browser's Barn, grown and moved on to accommodations larger than we could provide. We have always had a mix of antiques, crafts and art.

Even though hours of operation of the shops vary from time to time, the Tea Room is open Tuesday through Saturday. Some shops are open on Mondays.

There are several other small shops in the Historic District and nearby. We all try to be supportive to each other.

The Historic District covers about an eight block area. There are constant efforts to maintain existing structures and new efforts to restore other buildings. A pleasant morning or afternoon may be spent browsing the old homes and shops of Historic Longwood. Lunch at the Magnolia Tea Room will fit right in.

Along with the old houses, Browser's Barn has become a landmark in this part of Longwood.

The Builders

Betty Jo McLeod and Dorothy Peason were both fifth generation Floridians.

While both were busy directing Social agencies, they began restoring the Clouser House at 211 W. Warren Ave. which they later used as an antique shop. While doing this, they became concerned when two early Florida houses in Altamonte Springs were going to be destroyed to make way for development on State Road 436.

They revived the Central Florida Society for Historic Preservation which was about ready to give up. They became active leaders in the group and Life Members. Miss McLeod especially played a major role in getting the Bradlee-McIntyre House and the Inside-Outside House saved and moved to Longwood. The Society borrowed money to move the Bradlee-McIntyre House. Miss Pearson paid the cost of moving the Inside-Outside House so both could be moved at the same time.

They allowed the Inside-Outside House to be placed at 141 W. Church Ave. which they owned with the hope that someone would buy the property and do restoration on the house. Miss McLeod wrote a grant request which was accepted and Federal funds were granted for restoration of Bradlee-McIntyre House.

However funds were not available for the Inside-Outside House and the Society did not have funds. Finally, after the house sat there for a year, the Society asked the ladies to take on restoration wit a long term lease so it could be used for business to keep it going. To do this the ladies had to let go of the Couser House to undertake the restoration for the Inside-Outside House at their own expense.

This house has always been used for small shops. Probably more people have seen this house than any other historic house in Central Florida.

In 1987 Central Florida Society for Historic Preservation was finally able to buy the property and now has responsibility for its continued maintenance.

After Miss McLeod's death in October of 1987, Miss Pearson stayed on at the Browser's Barn in the Antique Shop. She had operated the Tea Room for the first six years but leased it when Miss McLeod became ill in 1986.

In August of 1992 Miss Pearson decided to retire. She sold Browser's Barn to a licensed real estate broker, Brenda W. Tompkins. Brenda presently manages the property and enjoys being shopkeeper at the "Antique Attic" located in the "loft" at Browser's Barn.

150 West Jessup Avenue
Longwood, Florida
(407) 339-6762