Historic McSwain home in Bonita Springs is being relocated

BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. (WINK)— A historic home that has stood in downtown Bonita Springs for more than 100 years is being relocated.

Built in 1915, the McSwain Home was one of the first built in Bonita Springs by the McSwain family when Old 41 was just a dirt road. The home has been restored, but the floors and windows remain original to the structure.

The downtown area has changed significantly over the last century. Chris Griffith, vice president of the Bonita Springs Historical Society, said it’s a big reason behind their decision to move the home.

"We're at a point right now where we're the only residential property in the middle of all the commercial," Griffith said. "So it's time for us to find a new location with a little more room around us to expand our programming so that we can bring a new life to this old home."

The historical society plans to physically lift the house and relocate it. The new location has not been announced yet, but Griffith said it will remain in the downtown area on property owned by the McSwain family's descendants.

The historical society needs approval from the city's planning and zoning board. The board will discuss relocating the McSwain Home at its meeting on Tuesday.