Step Inside The Time-Capsule Property Where The Founders Of Lynyrd Skynyrd Once Lived
In Jacksonville, Florida, the historical home where musicians Donnie, Ronnie, and Johnny Van Zant grew up is currently on the market for $629,000, per The Florida Times-Union. Johnny and Ronnie of Lynyrd Skynyrd fame and Donnie, founder of .38 Special, learned how to sing and play drums in the home. While living on the property, the eldest Van Zant brother formed Lynyrd Skynyrd, recruiting other young men from the neighborhood in the 1960s. The Southern rock band quickly rose to fame in the '70s, but tragically, in 1977, a plane crash took the lives of several members and injured others. This accident caused the Skynyrd band to take a decade-long hiatus until 1987 when Johnny Van Zant stepped into his brother's shoes as lead vocalist for the group.
In 2015, the famous home went on sale for just $67,500. It was purchased by Blue Horizon Property Solutions of Jacksonville Beach and is now run by Todd Smith, who worked with the state of Florida to set up a marker that memorializes the historic site calling it The Van Zant House in 2018. Today, tours and stays at the property are available to fans of Lynyrd Skynyrd who want to see where the rock band got its start. For as little as $120 per night, you can stay at The Van Zant House, which has been meticulously restored to reflect the 1970s living in Shantytown, via The Van Zant House.
The famous home welcomes drivebys
Fans of Lynyrd Skynyrd constantly drive past the old house, going around the block to catch glimpses of its gray, white, and red exterior. According to The Florida Times-Union, Todd Smith tries to welcome onlookers as much as possible, but sometimes, all they see is the long black wrought iron fence. The metal wall, which Smith invested in, along with more concrete and security cameras, wraps around the large property that hosts some small older homes built by the Van Zant family and other newer construction.
The home doesn't look like much from the outside. It features some tall trees in the front, shading the grassy lawn, and a small covered porch with some area to sit, as seen on the listing by Realtor. Cedar River and the old Speedway Park where the Van Zant boys were known to hang out are very close to the lot. It's also only a short distance from Lem Merrett Park and Criswell Park.
Lynyrd Skynyrd memorabilia galore
The three-bedroom house gave shelter to the three Van Zant brothers and their sisters and parents. All three rooms use tiled flooring and vintage furniture; two of the rooms feature queen-sized beds, while another has wooden bunk beds. Each bedroom includes some cool nostalgic memorabilia such as posters, vintage televisions, and even a gold record, as seen on Realtor.
Outside the bedrooms is the living room, which is straight from the '60s and '70s. A large brick fireplace takes up much of one wall, and above it hangs an adorable welcome sign. According to The Florida Times-Union, just to the left of the fireplace is a green rotary phone installed by the host, along with a large wooden console stereo that includes an eight-track player. Atop the stereo, the rental owners provide several playable Lynyrd Skynyrd tapes to transport guests back in time.
Beautifully maintained and restored amenities
The kitchen is one of the most carefully maintained rooms on the property. It uses original cabinetry and wood paneling that YouTuber Gene Odom pointed out in a video where he toured the historic home, per Daze with Jordan the Lion. This large kitchen is highlighted by many brown painted cabinets, a dated oven, and wooden and brick walls. It opens with French doors into another room that functions as a game room with a restored 1938 Brunswick pool table, The Van Zant House describes.
Guests will also find a Mississippi Kid mounted cue rack and more Lynyrd Skynyrd posters in this room. Odom mentions that the area was an addition created later by Lacy Van Zant. Before, it functioned as a cart port that the boys would play on top of. Sometimes the game room is also converted into a dining room with a vintage '70s-style circular dining table, as seen in the listing photos on Realtor. The ceiling is made from acoustic tile that makes relistening to the band's best tracks so much sweeter.