Home will move to Crane Point Museum with help from a large donation from Sun Communities, Inc.

Sun Communities, a fully integrated real estate investment trust that owns and operates home communities and RV resorts, helped to save and relocate a historic home in the Florida Keys.

The wood-frame home is located on their property at the Ocean Breeze RV Park and Marina in Marathon, which is undergoing a massive renovation after being badly damaged by Hurricane Irma. Based on photographic evidence, the home has been in the area since at least the 1950’s, but experts say it might have been there even longer. It was the only wood frame home on the property.

Sun Communities contractors realized the historical significance and contacted the Crane Point Museum for guidance. Crane Point Museum, Nature Center and Historic Site is a non-profit natural history museum and nature center located in the City of Marathon on Key Vaca. Created in 1976, the Florida Keys Land & Sea Trust purchased the land and saved the area from being developed into private homes and shopping malls.

“Preserving the rich history of Marathon is so important to us,” said James Hoekstra, Senior Vice President of Sun Communities. “It is amazing to think of all the different people who may have lived in this home throughout the past 70 years. Now it will continue to bring joy for years to come, along with other historic treasures found at Crane Point.”

Crane Point is located about three miles away from Ocean Breeze. The home was moved overnight to avoid any traffic issues. Moving the home was expensive, with Crane Point taking care of a large portion of that amount. Sun Communities also donated money to help with the cost. The facility plans to use the home as housing for Crane Point staff and will further seek its registration as a historic structure.

“These historical homes are quite rare in Marathon,” said George Garrett, Crane Point Board Chairman. “We only know of a few that still exist that are not commercial buildings. It is an important part of our history and one we are happy to preserve and keep here at the museum.”

About Sun Communities, Inc.

Sun Communities, Inc. is a fully integrated real estate investment trust, which together with its affiliates and predecessors, has been in the business of acquiring, operating, developing and expanding manufactured home and RV communities since 1975. The company owns and operates over 300 communities and RV resorts located in 29 states throughout the US and Ontario, Canada. Sun Communities has twice been honored by the Manufactured Housing Institute as winner of the “Community Operator of the Year” award.