Last Updated on March 4, 2024
The Pippi Longstocking House in Fernandina Beach brings back many fond memories, especially if you were a kid (or a parent of a kid) in the late 1980s/early 1990s.
The production company of The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking selected this historic area of Florida as the location for the delightful film.
Filmed in Northeast Florida
The film is based on the children’s classic book series about a young, adventurous girl named Pippi Longstocking.
The Pippi Longstocking house and other exterior shots for the film were all shot in Northeast Florida. The next time your travels bring you to Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, it’s worth a detour.
The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking was filmed in the quaint “Old Town” neighborhood in Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island and at Soundstages in Jacksonville, Florida.
The film premiered on March 8, 1988, in Tokyo, before it was released on July 29, 1988, in the United States.
It also hit the big screen on September 9, 1988, in Sweden as Pippi Långstrump.
Exact Location of Pippi’s House
The exact street location of Pippi Longstocking’s house (affectionately known as Villa Villekulla) is 212 Estrada Street, Fernandina Beach, FL.
The historic house is directly across the street from Fernandina Plaza Historic State Park. This guarantees that the Pippi Longstocking house will always have an unobstructed water view.
TIP: It’s also a great spot to watch the sunset.
History of the House
Many people also refer to the house as the Captain’s House. Capt. James Bell, a river captain, built the house around 1877.
In 1901, according to information provided by the Amelia Island History Museum, Robert Downes bought the house and finished a couple of rooms inside.
The house remained in the Downes family until the death of the captain’s grandson in 1959.
The Amelia Island History Museum shared that the house’s style combines Victorian and Italianate.
Did you know this house has “a wider variety of gingerbread motifs” than any other in Fernandina Beach?
Some motifs include sunbursts, fish scales, clovers, brackets, globes, scallops, circles, diamonds, and Maltese crosses.
New Owners
We did a quick drive-by visit to the house in December 2021 and can tell the new owners have done wonders to it. Many of the original architectural details remain intact, including stained glass.
On March 2, 2019, the three-bedroom/three-bathroom, 2224-square-foot historic house hit the market for $750,000.
On September 8, 2019, the price was listed at $675,000. Although it needed a little TLC, it was an excellent investment for the right buyer. It sold on 2/20/20 for $640,000. You can check out all the details on Zillow.
We did a quick drive-by visit to the house in December 2022 and can tell the new owners have done wonders to it.
Downtown Fernandina Beach
If you’re looking for other fun things to do on Amelia Island, don’t miss this article: 7 Top Things To Do on Amelia Island.
While in the downtown Fernandina Beach area, be sure to check out the Villa Villekulla Toy Store.
Here are several other articles you may find interesting:
- Our Top 7 Authentic Things to Do in Jacksonville
- Our Favorite Places to Horse Around in Florida
- 6 Must-Have Apps for Exploring Florida
- Our Favorite Must-Have Travel Accessories for Any Road Trip
- Film Festivals in Florida Celebrate Indie Movies
- An Authentic Florida Favorite: Singleton’s Seafood Shack
- Top 5 Things to Do in Downtown Jacksonville
- 8 Best Places to Fish in Jacksonville
I visited here in June 2022, did the 8 Flags tour and Historic Homes tour, great place. I love every minute in this area.
How cool, Cyndee! I totally agree with you about loving every minute of the Fernandina Beach area.