A. C. Freeman House
The A. C. Freeman House, also known as the Gilchrist House, is a historic home at 311 West Retta Esplanade in Punta Gorda, Florida. Built in 1903 for Augustus C. Freeman, a local businessman and early city official who served as mayor for several years, the house shows Queen Anne style architecture, which is rare in South Florida. Freeman bought the land in 1903 from Albert Gilchrist, who later became Governor of Florida. A local legend says the house belonged to Gilchrist, but records show it was built for Freeman.
Today, the house is owned by the City of Punta Gorda and leased to the Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce, and it is open to the public. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 7, 1987 (NRHP reference number 86003648).
The house was moved two blocks in 1985 during restoration, a move that did not disturb its historic character. It was moved again in 2005 to city property following Hurricane Charley.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 20:33 (CET).