Lynn Haven in Bay County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Lee J. Roberts House
1912
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 17, 2025
1. Lee J. Roberts House Marker
L.J. Roberts and his family arrived in Lynn Haven in 1912 after a long journey from Idaho. His first task was to open a business. He constructed and owned Roberts Hall at Florida Avenue and 9th Street. His wife and children were anxious for a home so he built this large house in late 1912. It was a large and commodious house for its era. Porches and overhangs helped keep the family cooler. However, in 1917, Mr. Roberts made the choice to return to Idaho and sold the house in 1917 to Miles Mack. In later years, a summer kitchen shed was moved to the 9th Street side but the exterior structure of the house remains relatively unchanged. It is not typical of most early homes in the area and is of a distinctive style.
Erected by Lynn Haven Heritage Committee.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1912.
Location. 30° 14.729′ N, 85° 38.777′ W. Marker is in Lynn Haven, Florida, in Bay County. It is on Michigan Avenue just north of East 9th Street, on the right when traveling north.
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Regionally, this marker is on the Florida Panhandle. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, and on the Gulf Coast. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Dr. Johnson N. McCartney House (within shouting distance of this marker); August Brestel Home (within shouting distance of this marker); Yutzy-Butchers House (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Pomeroy House (about 700 feet away); The Pontius House (about 700 feet away); Alonzo Ogdon House (approx. 0.2 miles away); G.K. & Eliza Greening House (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Castle House (approx. Ό mile away). Touch for a list and map
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 17, 2025
2. Lee J. Roberts House & Marker
Looking east from Michigan Avenue.
Also see . . .
1. A Century at 831 Florida Ave: The Story of Roberts Hall (Historic Roberts Hall).
Excerpt: Founded in 1912 by pioneer entrepreneur and Idaho transplant Leslie James Lee Jay Roberts, the hall originally served as a vibrant hub in Lynn Haven a meticulously planned city established a year earlier by Civil War veterans from the North. Roberts rented the ground floor to local businesses mercantiles, a restaurant and reserved the upstairs for dances, political rallies, fundraising dinners even impromptu school classes after the towns original elementary burned down.(Submitted on April 15, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)In 1922, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows purchased the building for $4,000, using the upstairs exclusively for lodge meetings. In 1941, Lithuanian immigrant John Zelm adorned the upstairs walls with stunning murals evoking Florida landscapes and scenes of the Holy Land. Legend has it that Hank Williams Sr. performed here in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Over time the building deteriorated and very nearly was condemned and destroyed. The Lynn Haven Heritage Society began to restore the Hall in May 2008.
2. Lynn Haven, Florida (Wikipedia).
Excerpt: Lynn Haven was founded in 1911 by Union veterans from the American Civil War. The town was named after W. H. Lynn, a primary stockholder of the St. Andrews Bay Development Company, the corporation that owned and developed the land on which Lynn Haven grew.(Submitted on April 15, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on April 15, 2026. It was originally submitted on April 14, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 25 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 15, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
