The remarkable history of the May Vinzant Perkins House and our unexpectedly short visit to the Lake City-Columbia County Historical Museum.
Some historic places welcome you with open doors, fascinating exhibits, and stories waiting around every corner.
Others greet you with an empty parking lot and a locked door.
Unfortunately, our visit to the Lake City-Columbia County Historical Museum in Lake City, Florida, fell into the second category.
On February 15, 2025, we arrived about half an hour after the museum was scheduled to open. There wasn’t a single car in the parking lot, the doors were locked, and nobody appeared to be home.
Well, that was disappointing.
But even though we couldn’t explore the museum’s exhibits, the beautiful old house standing before us had a remarkable story of its own.
And it’s a story that almost ended with demolition.
A Historic House in the Heart of Lake City
The Lake City-Columbia County Historical Museum occupies the May Vinzant Perkins House, a historic residence with roots stretching back into the 19th century.
The house didn’t take shape all at once.
Its oldest section, a single-story structure at the rear, is believed to predate the Civil War. The larger two-story residence developed over the following decades, eventually taking on the Italianate architectural features that distinguish it today.
In 1880, Civil War veteran John Vinzant Jr. purchased the property. During the early 1890s, the home gained its full second story and distinctive veranda.
With its tall windows, decorative woodwork, and expansive porches, the house reflects the architectural tastes of another era.
Standing outside, I couldn’t help admiring those details.
There’s something about old houses that makes me wonder about the lives that unfolded behind their walls. The ordinary conversations, family celebrations, difficult years, and countless moments that never made it into the history books.
And this particular house has witnessed plenty of history. The house is just one piece of the story of historic Lake City, Florida, a community whose past stretches from early settlement and the Civil War to the city we know today.
A County Whose Records Went Up in Flames
To understand why preserving historic buildings matters so much in Columbia County, we have to look at an unfortunate chapter in the county’s past.
During the 19th century, Columbia County suffered several devastating courthouse fires.
Fires in 1848, 1860, 1867, and 1874 destroyed valuable records, including documents that could have helped historians reconstruct the county’s earliest years.
Those losses left gaps in the historical record that can never be completely filled.
And that’s part of what makes surviving structures like the May Vinzant Perkins House so valuable.
A building can’t replace a missing courthouse record, but it can provide a tangible connection to the people and communities those records once documented.
Its architecture reveals how people built their homes. Its rooms reflect how families lived. And its continued existence offers a glimpse into a Lake City that has changed considerably over the generations.
Sometimes history survives not on paper, but in the buildings left standing.
The Vinzant Family and Their Place in Local History
The house takes its name from May Vinzant Perkins, but the family’s history in Columbia County reaches back through her father, John Vinzant Jr.
Vinzant served in the 1st Florida Cavalry during the Civil War.
In December 1864, he was severely wounded during fighting in Tennessee, ultimately losing his right leg. He also spent time as a prisoner of war before returning to Florida.
Despite those experiences, Vinzant went on to serve his community, including holding the position of Columbia County Clerk of Court.
The family home eventually became associated with his daughter, May Vinzant Perkins.
May was a local historian and author who helped preserve stories of the community around her.
She remained in the house until her death in 1981, at the remarkable age of 102.
By then, the home had witnessed generations of change.
But after May’s death, its future became increasingly uncertain.
A Historic Home on the Brink of Demolition
Old houses require maintenance, and historic homes can be especially challenging to preserve.
By the early 1980s, the May Vinzant Perkins House had deteriorated considerably.
Restoring it would require time, money, and a tremendous amount of effort.
Demolition was a real possibility.
And it’s easy to imagine how differently this story might have ended.
An aging building, expensive repairs, and a piece of property that could be cleared for something new.
It happens to historic structures all across the country.
But fortunately, there were people in Lake City who recognized that this house represented something worth saving.
The Community That Refused to Let History Disappear
In 1983, local preservation advocates came together to protect the May Vinzant Perkins House.
The Lake City-Columbia County Historic Preservation Board, the Blue-Grey Army, and other community supporters played important roles in the effort.
The Blue-Grey Army, established in 1979, was already involved in preserving and celebrating the area’s history, particularly through activities associated with the Olustee Battle Festival.
Saving the old Vinzant home offered another opportunity to protect a piece of Columbia County’s heritage.
With community support, volunteer labor, and preservation funding, restoration work began.
The goal wasn’t simply to repair an old house.
It was to transform the building into a place where the county’s history could be collected, preserved, and shared with future generations.
In 1989, the Lake City-Columbia County Historical Museum opened its doors.
A house that might have disappeared forever had been given a new purpose. That same appreciation for historic architecture can be found in the White Springs Historic District, where surviving buildings offer another glimpse into North Florida’s past.
And that’s a pretty remarkable second chapter for an old family home.
A Museum Filled With Columbia County History
Today, the May Vinzant Perkins House serves as a historical museum dedicated to preserving the stories of Lake City and Columbia County.
Its collections have included photographs, documents, family memorabilia, period furnishings, and artifacts representing different chapters of the area’s past.
The museum’s formal parlor reflects the character of the historic residence, while other exhibits explore subjects such as the Civil War, Native American history, and local families.
The museum has also offered genealogical research resources for visitors interested in exploring their family connections to the region.
I would have loved to see those collections.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t going to happen during our visit.
Our Visit: Nobody Home!
We visited the Columbia County Historical Museum on Saturday, February 15, 2025.
According to the schedule we had planned around, the museum should have already been open for approximately half an hour when we arrived.
But the parking lot was completely empty.
No cars.
No visitors.
And apparently, no museum staff.
We checked the entrance, but the doors were locked.
There was no indication that we would be getting inside that day.
Well, Murph certainly had other plans for this stop!
I always find these situations disappointing, especially when I’ve made a point of including a historic location on our itinerary.
But that’s part of traveling and exploring places that don’t always operate like major tourist attractions.
Sometimes the doors are open.
Sometimes they’re not.
And sometimes you just have to make the best of what you’ve got.
So we spent a little time photographing the exterior of the house.
I admired its architecture, the decorative balcony railings, and the details that give the building so much character.
Then, with our museum exploration officially canceled, we headed off toward our next destination.
Not exactly the visit I’d hoped for, but at least we got to see the house itself.
And after learning more about its history, I’m glad we stopped.
Why Historic Preservation Matters
One of the things I appreciate most about exploring historic places is discovering how close some of them came to disappearing.
Not every important piece of history is a battlefield, a grand monument, or the home of a nationally famous person.
Sometimes it’s an ordinary family residence.
A place where people lived, raised children, faced hardships, celebrated milestones, and contributed to the communities around them.
Those buildings are easy to overlook.
And once they’re gone, there’s no bringing them back. Not every community was fortunate enough to survive. At Suwannee River State Park, we explored the remnants and history of Columbus, a once-thriving settlement that eventually disappeared into the surrounding landscape.
The May Vinzant Perkins House reminds us that historic preservation often begins with a relatively small group of people who recognize the value of something others might dismiss.
Because of their efforts, this house continues to stand in downtown Lake City.
And even though we couldn’t explore its interior, I appreciate knowing that the building and its history were saved.
Planning Your Visit to the Lake City-Columbia County Historical Museum
Location: Lake City, Columbia County, Florida
Historic building: May Vinzant Perkins House
Museum: Lake City-Columbia County Historical Museum
Type of attraction: Historic house and local history museum
The museum occupies a restored 19th-century residence and preserves artifacts and historical materials associated with Lake City and Columbia County.
Because operating schedules may change, I strongly recommend contacting the museum directly to confirm its current hours before making a special trip.
Trust me on that one.
We learned the hard way!
If you’re interested in historic architecture, local history, or the preservation of Florida’s older buildings, this is a destination worth considering when exploring Lake City.
Final Thoughts: A Story Worth Saving
Our visit to the Lake City-Columbia County Historical Museum didn’t go according to plan.
We didn’t get to wander through the historic rooms, examine the artifacts, or learn about Columbia County from the museum’s exhibits.
Instead, we found a locked door and an empty parking lot.
But we also found a beautiful old house with a history stretching back more than a century.
A house that survived changing times, deterioration, and the threat of demolition because members of the community believed it was worth saving.
And sometimes, that’s enough to make a stop memorable.
I’d still love to return someday and see what’s waiting inside.
Until then, I’m grateful that this piece of Lake City’s history is still standing.
Because every place has a story. And this isn’t the only place in Columbia County where the past is still waiting to be discovered. At Falling Creek Church and Cemetery, another chapter of the area’s history survives through an old church, its cemetery, and the people who once called this region home.
And some of those stories are worth saving before they disappear forever.
Have you ever arrived at a historic destination only to discover it was unexpectedly closed? Share your experience in the comments below. I’d love to hear about it!
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