Thomas Center, Historic building in Gainesville, Florida, USA
The Thomas Center is a neoclassical building in Gainesville, Florida, originally built in 1910 as a private home and later converted to a hotel in 1928. Today it functions as a cultural venue with art exhibitions, period rooms decorated from the 1920s and 1930s, and spaces for events and conferences.
Built in 1910 for William Reuben Thomas, a local businessman who supported bringing the University of Florida to Gainesville, the building was sold by his family in 1968. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and purchased by the city in 1974 to become a public cultural center.
The Thomas Center shows how Gainesville grew in the early 1900s through the home of a prominent local family. Rooms decorated to look like they did in the 1920s and 1930s help visitors understand how people lived and worked during that time.
The Thomas Center is located near downtown and accessible to visitors with guided tours and self-guided exploration of the decorated rooms. The grounds around the building offer space to relax, and various events take place throughout the year including art exhibitions and seasonal activities.
The building was originally known as Sunkist Villa and later hosted famous guests like Helen Keller and Robert Frost when it operated as a hotel. The well-maintained grounds featured gardens and walking paths that were used for outdoor gatherings and Easter egg hunts.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
