The Oldest Building In New Port Richey Is Not What You Think, And It's History Is Longer Than US 19

Do you know which building in our beautiful little town of New Port Richey (who is turning 100 this year, by the way!) is the oldest? The answer will surprise you. Here's a hint: It's on the northeast corner of Florida Avenue and Main Street, New Port Richey. It's been a grocery market, post office, dance hall, multiple hotels, multiple restaurants, a dentist office, a woodworking shop, a power company, and much more. Another hint: in 1923, the building proudly displayed the very first electric sign in NPR!

Emil Nyman in front of his grocery store in the Havens BuildingPhoto byWest Pasco Museum

It should be mentioned that there has been some debate in recent years regarding whether the Swafford Building/Chasco Inn was really an extensive renovation of the original Havens Building or if it was entirely demolished to make way for it. In this sense, the Swafford Building—if it is a redesign of the original Havens Building—is New Port Richey's oldest existing commercial building. However, given its numerous renovations, its exact age remains uncertain.

Long before the city of New Port Richey was actually a thing, this place was among the earliest commercial structures built here. Officially constructed between 1915 and 1916, Horace H. Havens reportedly acquired the building's initial ownership in 1914. That's ten years before we were even a city! Known at the time as the Havens Building, it was one of the very few structures in downtown, so most would refer to the area of Main Street where it stood as "Havens Block."

The Havens Building about 1916Photo byWest Pasco Museum

Mr. Havens was a skilled violinist who frequently gave concerts at gatherings and meals. In addition to being a passionate fisherman in our gulf, he taught dance at the Civic Club in Enchantment Park (Sims Park).

There have always been a variety of enterprises in the Havens Building. George Wanner's Cash Market grocery business was one of the first. After the post office relocated to the other side of the Havens Building, the market took up residence on its east side. The market changed its name to "The Standard Grocery" in 1923. On the front of the building, the grocery store displayed the very first electric sign in New Port Richey!

Horace Havens and his wife lived in one of the apartments on the Havens Building's upper floor. The second floor of Hotel Rialto was at capacity in 1923. Dr. L. Martin temporarily ran his dental practice out of Suite 10 at the hotel above the post office.

Mort Swafford, a Chicago real estate entrepreneur, moved here and purchased the building from Horace Havens towards the end of August 1925. According to Mr. Swafford, the building would undergo a variety of renovations and additions in order to outfit the upstairs as a first-rate hotel. He wanted a $3,000 extension added to the back of the building, but he ran into trouble with the city and fire code. They tried to revoke his permit, but he refused to stop construction.

Swafford Building under construction, getting it's iconic archesPhoto byWest Pasco Museum

The newly constructed and finished back addition of the structure, now known as the Swafford Building, was to house the post office in October 1925. At this time, they initiated major renovations on the building's front, which they successfully completed. The Old Grove Company took over the post office's previous location in front of the building. Additionally, the Gulf Utilities Company moved in at the same time. The Gulf Utilities Company provided the city of New Port Richey with electricity, while the Old Grove Company marketed real estate in its Old Grove neighborhood. Shortly after the completion of the "New Swafford Building", the Fenton Electric Shop commenced operations.

Are you still with me?

The second level now served as the Harmony Hotel, but Mort Swafford had a different plan. In 1927, he decided to lease the upper rooms to companies for use as offices. The E. A. Miller Insurance Agency was the first. Then came the Chamber of Commerce.

Chamber of Commerce photoPhoto byWest Pasco Historical Society

In January 1928, Register's Cash Grocery moved into the building. Previously known as Maloney's, it occupied a roadside stand two blocks east of Main Street. In 1929, they painted the Swafford Building white with blue trim to match the Independent Grocer's Association's color scheme.

Just-A-Mere Inn motel was next in line, and Mrs. J. Breslin leased the building and started making renovations for an office on the ground floor, a new dining room, and more guest rooms upstairs.

In February 1930, the Just-A-Mere Inn opened for business. Since she worked at the Manor Inn, the town knew Mrs. Breslin's cooking magic. When she was cooking, the dining room was always full. Unfortunately, however, the snowbirds leaving for the summer put a huge dent in the business, and the inn closed after only one more year.

Mrs. Mozelle Priest of Jacksonville, Florida, who owned the Bradshaw Hotel in Cross City in September 1931, was next in line. She renovated the building once again and turned it into the "Chasco Inn," a motel. She claimed that mailman Lloyd DeVries' Chasco Fiesta legend served as the inspiration for the name.

On Tuesday, October 20, the new Chasco Inn had its grand opening, complete with an orchestra-accompanied special dinner. The inn was very successful, and Mrs. Priest left in 1934 and relocated to Bradenton.

Chasco Inn sometime early 1940'sPhoto byWest Pasco Historical Society

At some point in the late 1930s, Mort Swafford sold the structure, now known as the "Chasco Inn Building," to Thomas Coburn after it had been vacant for some time. Later that year, the recently reopened Chasco Inn was once again bustling with guests.

In 1943, Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Mitchell bought the Chasco Inn. When Mrs. Mitchell fell ill in November of 1946, they decided it would be best to close the business. Michael Fame bought the building and, you guessed it, renovated it again!

Dr. and Mrs. Louis J. Colman of Tampa once again purchased the building at the end of 1948. Yes, Dr. Colman renovated the building again. He wanted to finish it by Christmas that year so that it could accommodate late-arriving guests to Florida. Dr. Colman was a plastic surgeon who owned his own hospital in Paris.

In October 1949, Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Franklin, lifelong Tampa residents, purchased the Chasco Inn from Dr. and Mrs. Louis J. Colman. He wanted to make a hotel or resort for the blind and visually impaired. Unfortunately, this didn't work out.

Chasco Inn building, around 1949Photo byFivay

The 1970s saw the end of hotel operations at the Chasco Inn Building. In 1975, William Weiskopf passed away. Margaret Weiskopf owned the building until 1994, when she transferred ownership rights to her son, William J. Weiskopf Jr. Mrs. Weiskopf and her husband owned and ran Weiskopf's Camera Shop & Studio, Weiskopf Travel Agency, and the Chasco Inn, according to her obituary when she passed away in 2001. The present owners of the property are Eric and Beth Fregger, who purchased it from William Weiskopf Jr. in 2004.

Chasco building, 1988Photo byNew Port Richey Art Guild

There are still little hints and whispers of all the people who have passed through it's doors and those who have added to the building itself. The Chasco Inn building's staircase balustrades and pine wood floors are still present. I understand your curiosity about the building's potential for haunting.

You bet.

Do you have any memories of this building and its long-standing, ever-changing presence in our community? Let me know in the comments below!

Chasco Inn 2024Photo byGoogle Maps

Attributions:

History of the Chasco Inn Building, New Port Richey, Florida. (n.d.). https://www.fivay.org/chasco_inn.html

Havens-Swafford-Chasco Inn Building - West Pasco Historical Society. (2024, May 18). West Pasco Historical Society. https://westpascomuseum.org/pascohistory/historicalinformation/structures/havens-swafford-chasco-inn-building/

West Pasco Historical Society. (n.d.). https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=838519661647570&set=pcb.838520148314188

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