The Gardner House was the second home built on this property for Frank C. Gardner (1868-1963) and June Gardner (1871-1960). Their first house, a modest home built in 1911, was moved to Pomelo St. The arbor on the sidewalk was originally made of wood. Frank and June Gardner lived in this home from 1913 until their deaths in the 1960s, and the house remained in the family until 1997. The City of Lake Alfred purchased the property in 2017. In 1909, Frank Gardner and three associates established the Florida Fruitlands Company, a land development company. Gardner was its first president and the only original investor to remain with the company until it was sold in 1941. The company's success led to the formation of the Lake Alfred Citrus Growers Association and contributed to population growth and the formation of the city, which was incorporated as the City of Lake Alfred in 1915. June Gardner, an avid reader and book collector, freely lent her books to adults and children, making her home the city's first unofficial library. She also helped establish the Lake Alfred Women's Club in the 1910s and served as its first president.