Butler House

Built 1923, listed in the National Register of Historic Places 1995
380 E. Hillsboro Boulevard, Deerfield Beach

Photo captions:

Alice Butler and the Butlers with Friends in the Rear of the House
Images Courtesy of the Deerfield Beach Historical Society

Early Image of the Butler House
Image Courtesy of the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society

Butler House, East Elevation, in 2011
with Kester Cottage on Left in Rear
Image Courtesy of Broward County Libraries Division

This Mediterranean Revival style building was the home of Deerfield Beach pioneers and civic leaders, James D. and Alice Butler. The plans for the house were obtained from a popular ladies magazine, the September 1923 issue of the Ladies Home Journal. It cost $10,000 to build and it is situated on almost four city lots. The house is built of hollow clay tile, the interior walls are plaster on lath and the roof is made from Spanish terracotta tiles.

The Butlers were married in 1906 in Texas. They came to Deerfield Beach in 1910 on a visit and decided to stay, becoming two of Deerfield Beach’s most popular and public-spirited citizens. When Broward County was formed in 1915, Mr. Butler became a member of the first school board. Subsequently he served on the Broward County Board of County Commissioners and for four years on the Deerfield Beach City Commission. He died in 1965. Mrs. Butler was a founding member of the Deerfield Beach Woman’s Club and they both assisted in the establishment of the First Baptist Church of Deerfield.

Mrs. Butler bequeathed the property to the Deerfield Beach Historical Society in 1977. It is now the group’s headquarters and is operated as a museum. The historic Butler House has been completely restored. It contains many of the original furnishings with the exception of the dining room table that was replaced after the first one was used to board up the west dining room window during the 1928 hurricane. Furnishings include the wicker furniture purchased by the Butlers in 1923 for $500.

The museum is open for tours from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call 954-429-0378.