This elegant and historic home

has been lovingly cared for by generations of Ocala families.

The phrase “they don’t make ‘em like they used to” could very aptly be applied to the gorgeous and historic home of the Creely family near downtown Ocala.
From the golden-hued heart pine flooring to the elegantly engraved metal door hinges and sculptured wooden fireplace mantels, to the ever-so-tall wall and window heights, this 1890s beauty is a testament to an age when quality craftsmanship was highly valued.
The home now serves as a multi-generational dwelling for Tim and Lydia Creely and their daughter Madison. Lydia says she spent hours and hours researching the property through extensive Marion County records maintained on microfilm.
“We had to go through hundreds and hundreds of films to find the original deed and it was called the Caldwell Addition. A builder bought the property in what looks to have been 1891 and built on it and then Annie Rebecca Wartmann bought it in 1895,” Lydia shares. “This was Margaret Byrd Wartmann’s mother. She bought it in 1895 but then she passed away a year later. My understanding is that Margaret lived here until she passed away in her 80s.”
According to findagrave.com, Margaret Byrd Wartmann was born in 1864 in Virginia. She died in 1950 and is buried in the Citra Cemetery.
Lydia’s research yielded information that the Wartmann family was connected to the Crosby family, which formed the Crosby-Wartmann Packing Company that offered Pineapple Oranges for sale. Some historical documents note that Citra was the “home of the Pineapple Orange,” a name coined in 1883 as the fruit had an aroma reminiscent of the smell of pineapple.
David Cook, a longtime editor with the Ocala Star-Banner and a writer of historical columns for the paper, wrote that, in 1900, the congregation of Ocala’s Methodist Church raised $1,500 to buy and install a pipe organ and that Miss Margaret Wartmann became the organist.
“Through the years, Wartmann became as much of an icon of the first half of 20th-century Ocala as the downtown church building itself,” he notes.
“At some point, we want to name the house after her, in her honor,” Lydia shares, adding that she spoke with one family member who says they called Margaret “Aunt Birdie.”
“I’ve also looked up some newspaper articles on her,” Lydia offers, “and it seems she was a very social woman because she was named in a lot of social affairs.”
As for the Creelys, Tim was born in Tallahassee and Lydia was born in New York. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard then earned a degree in hospitality from Florida State University. He worked for more than 20 years in The Villages, first starting restaurants and then serving as one of three directors of the golf division. He retired in 2019 and then opened an air conditioning company there. Lydia, who has worked as a traveling nurse, currently is a cardiac catheterization lab nurse with UF Health Spanish Plaines Hospital in The Villages. Madison recently started her own pet sitting business.
They all say that moving from a larger residence into this property has been a bit of a challenge, but a welcome one.
“We wanted to downsize and find something like this we could grow into and so we can travel,” Tim shares. “Ocala is a beautiful town, with a lot of historic neatness about it. We have several friends who have moved here as well, and we have been going to Church @ the Springs here for 20 years.”
When they started to renovate the home, which they purchased three years ago, Tim affirms that they wanted to maintain some of the historic aspects, such as the four fireplaces, which actually are coal-burning rather than geared for wood, as well as some of the beautifully toned woodwork. The process often involved stripping away multiple layers of paint to reveal the true beauty underneath. Even things like the door hinges had to be patiently divested of layers of paint. Some of the floorboards had to be replaced due to termite damage.
In one area, they moved a wall to open a space between the living area, which formerly was a bedroom, and the roomy and inviting kitchen. They turned another bedroom into a spacious bathroom. That component, Lydia shares with a laugh, is her favorite memory of the renovation.
“Everyone told me no, no, no, you can’t make this into a bathroom. I just kept asking until someone said yes,” she recalls. “I did have to have a designer help me because we had to leave the windows for the historic value. The designer also helped with other things, and she really brought it all to the next level.”
“All of the rooms are all a little quirky,” Tim notes with obvious glee.
The gallery kitchen in one apartment features an adorable Unique Appliances “Classic” retro refrigerator and a downsized range and dishwasher to fit the compact 592-square-foot space. Another unit, which offers 1,003 square feet of space for family guests and short-term rental clients, offers a pleasing retreat with two bedrooms, a spacious kitchen and laundry facilities.
The cabinets throughout the home are painted in Farrow and Ball’s shade of Inchyra Blue, and Sherman- Williams’ hues of Billiard Green and Rain. The tones are perfect companions for the surrounding elements of décor.
One of the more intriguing aspects of the home is the dramatic winding staircase one must ascend to reach the upper level, which Tim and Lydia say was part of the original design.
The wrap-around front porch invites people to linger there while surveying the surrounding blocks. Lydia says the landscaping is being done in stages and Tim adds that they did take care to incorporate compelling components even there, such as the brick pathways that feel like they are straight out of the 1900s.
“We absolutely love living downtown. We enjoy walking around the neighborhood and seeing all the different houses and going to the market on Saturday,” Lydia offers. “We like to socialize and there are all the great restaurants and shops. And, when family and friends come to town, we have lots of things to do.”
In glancing around her lovely and truly stately home, Lydia adds, “One of the reasons we wanted to shrink our lives is so we would be able to unplug very easily. We love to travel, so we want to be able to just go. And now we have that, and a very special place for our family.”