According to the 1880 United States Census, the population of Florida at the time was just over 269,000 people. Having only been made a state in 1845, Florida was still seen as a rugged frontier ready to be tamed by dauntless pioneers. Many of these pioneers came from the rural areas of nearby states like Georgia, where they were known for cracking their corn to make dietary staples like hush puppies, grits, and cornbread. Once in Florida, the term Cracker expanded to include the many cowboys and ranchers in the center of the state who cracked whips to drive their cattle.
The main obstacle standing in way of these Florida Crackers was the hostile environment itself. From deadly snakes and mosquitos to powerful storms and the ever-present effects of heat and humidity, these early settlers endured it all. These challenging circumstances led to the creation of a style of building construction that was perfectly suited to surviving in Florida’s hot and wet environments, yet still accessible to the rural working folk of central and north Florida – Cracker architecture. The Pacetti Hotel exemplifies many features of this historic Florida Cracker style.
1 Three underground cisterns collected rainwater via gutters and pipes. Though no longer used, they remain functional today.
2 The large front porch provides shade on the side of the house that receives the most direct sunlight.
3 The double front doors could be opened to allow cool ocean breezes into the front hallway, called a dogtrot, cooling down the adjacent rooms.
4 Local old-growth heart pine was used for most of the frames, sides, and floors. This type of wood is naturally resistant to both insects and rot, making it a good choice for harsh coastal climates.
5 Tall double-hung windows opened both at the bottom to allow cool air in, and at the top to allow warm air out. Windows on every exterior wall also create cross-breezes and increased ventilation.
6 Brick piers permitted air to flow under the building, cooling down the entire structure.
7 In addition to the main fireplace, three small wood stoves could be used to heat up individual rooms upstairs, venting out through thin metal chimneys towards the rear of the building.
Prior to the construction of the Pacetti Hotel in the 1880s, the Pacetti family lived in a small house located immediately next to it. It too exemplified the features of a typical Florida Cracker home, hence its nickname of the Pacettis’ Cracker Shack. This house was constructed just after the Civil War in the 1860s and was torn down some time around 1900. The Pacetti Hotel today remains one of the best-preserved Florida Cracker buildings in the entire state.
