While doing research on old houses in Stuart, Florida, the other day, I ran across a vacation rental called the PEACE Cottage "in the heart of downtown Stuart" and built in 1925. Now to me the heart of downtown Stuart is the middle of the business district, but since this place is located just a three-block walk from there, I'll let it slide. I drove over, strolled past the place, and took the photograph on the left. This cottage has its own dock on Frazier Creek, but I decided not to head into the backyard to see it for myself. Everyone carries concealed weapons down here, so better safe than sorry. The interesting thing about this house is that one of Al Capone's girlfriends once lived there and would walk to the train station in her red high-heeled shoes to meet him whenever he was headed down to Miami from Chicago. Now that is a fun fact.
I took a walk all around the neighborhood and liked it a lot. There are a lot of really nice old cottages around, and the landscaping is quite impressive. And is the case for a lot of this area, there are also brand-new McMansions for the people who feel they need a larger, more modern residence, hopefully with as many bathrooms as people living there. I personally prefer the 1920s era places, such as the one in the photograph on the right.
I've always liked downtown Stuart, which has a lot of nice shops and restaurants and is located along the St. Lucie River. In fact, it was recently named the best coastal small town in America by USA Today, beating out Key West, Florida, no less. A panel of experts cited the St. Lucie River, Flagler and Shepard Parks, and the Stuart Heritage Museum as reasons for naming Stuart number one in the rankings. I myself have always stayed close to the river when walking around town, and so this was the first time I have explored this part of town, which is away from the St. Lucie River, but still very nice. But I do have to ask - did Al Capone actually spend time here? Inquiring minds want to know.
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