The Casements
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The Casements and Casements Annex
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| Location | Ormond Beach, Florida |
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| Coordinates | 29°17′21″N 81°2′45″W / 29.28917°N 81.04583°WCoordinates: 29°17′21″N 81°2′45″W / 29.28917°N 81.04583°W |
| Built | 1910 |
| Architectural style | Shingle Style |
| MPS | Historic Winter Residences of Ormond Beach, 1878-1925 MPS |
| NRHP Reference # |
72001536 (The Casements) 88001720 (Casements Annex) |
| Added to NRHP | June 30, 1972 (The Casements) October 6, 1988 (Casements Annex) |
The Casements is a mansion in Ormond Beach, Florida, U.S., famous for being the winter residence of American oil magnate John D. Rockefeller. It is currently owned by the city of Ormond Beach and is used as a cultural center and park. It is located on a barrier island within the city limits, overlooking the Halifax River, which is now part of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway.
The mansion was built in 1910 for the Rev. Harwood Huntington of New Haven, Connecticut. It was named for the many casement windows incorporated into the design of the building, which helped keep the interior cool in spite of Florida's subtropical climate.
Its most famous resident, John D. Rockefeller, purchased the home as his winter residence in 1918. Rockefeller was seventy-eight years old when he moved into the Casements. He became known in the area for his elaborate Christmas parties, his love of golf, and for handing out dimes to his neighbors or visitors. During a golf game with Harvey Firestone, the tire magnate made such a good shot that Rockefeller decided he deserved a dime and handed one to his somewhat embarrassed guest.
Over the years, Rockefeller was visited at The Casements by such luminaries as Edward, Prince of Wales, Henry Ford, and Will Rogers, who once quipped, "I’m glad you won (at golf) today, Mr. Rockefeller. The last time you lost, the price of gasoline went up!"
Guests at The Casements received a poem along with their new dime. This poem is believed to have been written by Rockefeller:
I was early taught to work as well as play; My life has been one long, happy holiday—Full of work and full of play—I dropped the worry on the way, And God was good to me every day.
It was in this home that Rockefeller eventually died in his sleep on the morning of May 23, 1937. The Rockefeller family sold The Casements in 1939.
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