Welcome to the Sweetwater Park, in downtown Gainesville, Florida. It is the place where the Downtown Historical District is located. The park is open daily from dawn to 11:30pm with a lighted area.
The limited parking area is available next to the Matheson History Museum building. There are also a few spaces toward the park, but look for the sign saying for Museum only. WARNING, DO NOT park in the spaces right behind the office building. The parking blocks do say RESERVED.
The museum is open Wednesday through Saturday from 11-4. It’s a wealth of historical information about the City of Gainesville and Alacuha County. The people there are excited to answer any question you would have about the area, even other historic towns in Alachua County.
They can tell you about the Civil War battle of Gainesville that started across the street and spread to the downtown area. But, you are here to see the Matheson House. Private tours of the house are free and can be set up at the museum, but to get this Virtual you don’t need to go inside.
I would encourage you to read the two-sided Historical Marker that is at the posted coordinates from the front of the house to get a more complete history of the family and the house. Plus, one of the answers is there.
The Matheson House
The Matheson House, one of the three oldest residences in Gainesville, was completed in 1867 by James Douglas Matheson, immigrant from South Carolina and a prominent merchant along with his wife Augusta Florida Steele Matheson, the daughter of Florida pioneer Augustus Steele, who founded Hillsborough County and Cedar Key.
The house was bequeathed to James’s son Chris, who served as the mayor of Gainesville from 1910 through 1917 as a state legislator and later became a Presbyterian minister. His wife, Sarah Hamilton Matheson, was the first female elder at First Presbyterian Church in Gainesville. Sarah helped form the Alachua County Historical Society and served as its president. She also co-founded the Matheson History Museum, which opened in 1994. Sarah deeded the Matheson House to the Alachua County Historical Society in 1977. The Society later merged with the museum.
The Matheson House is a blend of South Carolina plantation and classic revival raised cottage architecture and incorporates Gothic decorative elements in roof finials and an interior stairway. The gambrel roof and ceiling-to-ground porch columns are uncommon in Florida. Inside, period furniture and personal possessions are a testament to the Matheson family’s history and also reveal the early history of Gainesville.
Virtual Questions to send answers for credit:
- When facing the front of the house, there are two magnolia trees on the right. There is a plaque on the ground. Who is the Wonderful Friend, Volunteer, and Educator?
- There is a plaque next to the front door on the left. What U.S. Department gave the plaque?
- After reading the Historical plaque, send the number you get when you add all the numbers in the year the plaque was dedicated.
Virtual Rewards 4.0 - 2024-2025 This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between January 17, 2024 and January 17, 2025. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 4.0 on the Geocaching Blog.