Hailey Heseltine
ECB Publishing, Inc.
Monticello calls itself home to hundreds of historic buildings dating from before the turn of the 20th century. Among those are both commercial and residential buildings—businesses and beloved homes meant to house families. One of the many historic houses Monticello has to offer is the Victorian Haile House, a cozy home saved from the brink of destruction decades ago.
The Haile House was originally built around 1893 on a parcel of land off of East Washington Street for a local resident Margaret Turnbull Haile and her husband, William Edward Haile. It was meant to serve as a wedding gift for Mrs. Haile from her father, Junius Turnbull, as the couple had just been newly married.
The Turnbulls were among the founding families of Monticello. Dr. Theodore Turnbull, Junius's father, was a well-known local medical doctor who revolutionized the treatment methods for malaria in the community. Dr. Turnbull also owned a plantation known as Sunset, which stood in the Drifton area for many years and was even on the National Register of Historic Places. It seemed to be a pattern, as his granddaughter's house would also join the register in the future!
Much of the two-story house, including the flooring, was built with heart pine. It was equipped with six fireplaces, detailed carpentry, a bay window, shutters, a mechanical doorbell and a wrap-around porch. The trim on the exterior of the house was particularly remarkable, with intricate patterns by the windows. For decades, it stood on a plot of land just across the street from The First Bank's present location,
The house passed through the hands of others after the Hailes, but it was abandoned and had fallen into disrepair in less than a century. Despite the house's architectural excellence—it had been placed on the National Register of Historic Places—it had no buyers. The situation seemed dire as the house only decayed further and the property was put up for sale around December 1987.
The land was indeed purchased the following year, but not by a homeowner—it was purchased by the Farmers and Merchants Bank, who hoped to build additional parking on the lot where the historic home stood. A Tallahassee Democrat article from May 1988 even addressed the home's dire situation with the headline of “Haile House's days may be numbered.”
Thankfully, the house's story had a happy ending. Not long after, the 2,400-square-foot home was purchased for just $11,000 dollars by Wendy Harley and Eric Crosier. It was promptly moved to its present-day location on East Palmer Mill Road and lovingly restored over the course of the following year, as they added all new roofing, electricity, plumbing, HVAC and other features, such as a refinished floor and fresh wallpaper.
Despite being brought back from the brink of destruction, and few original pieces of the house remaining, it maintains much of the character of its time period. It still boasts its original heart pine flooring, five out of six of its fireplaces, 10-foot-tall ceilings, some of the original windowpanes, red-and-green stained glass in the parlor window and a few other quirks. The parlor and dining room are separated by wooden double doors that are original to the house; they survived its decay, move and renovation. The kitchen and back porch were added on to the structure decades after it was originally built, and evidence remains—there is an original window on one of the interior walls of the living room!
The house is currently owned by the Repta family, who have lived in it for the past six years. Courtney and Ralph, as well as their daughter, Ginger, were previously from Naples, Fla. Courtney explains that they wanted to move to “get away from the hustle and bustle of the city,” and she happened upon the small yet charming town of Monticello while visiting a friend. She loved the little town, and they made the move not long after.
“I chose this house because it looks like a dollhouse. I think it's super cute,” Repta says.
The Reptas have made a few changes, such as the addition of a window seat to the bay window, and some minor renovations, but it keeps its charm nonetheless. The house suffered some damage in last year's Hurricane Idalia, as a tree fell on the kitchen area of the house, and repairs are still underway. Regardless, the Reptas are happy to call the historic Haile House home.
Perhaps compared to some other historic houses in Monticello, the Haile House's history may seem relatively humble. There are no lavish rumors or tales of whimsy attached to it. Even so, it is rightfully recognized as an important piece of local history. With its lovely architecture, element of local family history and dramatic flair of having been brought back from the brink, the Haile House is a sight to behold.