ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – A St. Augustine couple restored a historic home once lived in by Harlem Renaissance author Zora Neale Hurston, transforming it into a museum and community center.
Lavardis and Dwala Anderson purchased the home on W. King St. in 2023 after it sat on the market and faced the threat of demolition. Hurston, best known for Their Eyes Were Watching God, stayed in the home during her time in St. Augustine and completed her autobiography, Dust Tracks on a Road, while living there.
“Zora Neale Hurston was more than an author; she was a pioneer,” Dwala Anderson said. “We wanted to make sure her history here in St. Augustine was preserved.”
The Andersons said the property needed extensive repairs when they bought it. After more than a year of work, the first floor has been renovated to serve as a museum and cultural hub.
It will highlight Hurston’s life and her ties to St. Augustine, while also hosting workshops through the couple’s nonprofit, Phoenix Rising Network Inc. The programs will cover topics such as homeownership, financial literacy, workforce training and mentorship for young people.
Artifacts already on display include Hurston’s marriage certificate, discovered by historian David Nolan at the St. Johns County Courthouse.
“It’s proof she spent a lot of time here in St. Augustine,” Lavardis Anderson said.
The second floor has been converted into four short-term rental suites, including a “Zora Suite.” The Andersons said revenue from the rentals will support the museum and outreach programs.
“I just really want everyone to embrace what we put together — the sacrifices it took to get here,” Lavardis Anderson said. “I want people to walk out saying, ‘They pulled off a miracle.’”
The couple is still raising money to complete the museum and officially open it to the public. Donations can be made through their nonprofit website here.