The beloved summer home of Pennsylvania banking mogul James Ross Mellon, this 19th-century Eastlake-style retreat in Palatka, Florida, was vacated years ago and has since been left to the elements. Take a tour around this eerie winter retreat and discover its fascinating history and the costly antiques hiding inside its decaying walls...

Born into the illustrious Mellon family in 1846, James Ross Mellon was the son of Mellon patriarch Judge Thomas Mellon, who founded the Mellon Bank in 1869. Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, James followed his father into banking and became a notable businessman and philanthropist. By the early 19th century, the Mellon family was regarded as one of the richest dynasties in the United States.

Mellon's wife, heiress Rachel Larimer Mellon, couldn't bear the bitterly cold Pennsylvania winters, so together with their three children, the family began travelling to the resort town of Palatka in Florida from 1883. For their holidays in the Sunshine State, they had this charming Eastlake-style clapboard house built, pictured here in 1910.

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Recently captured by urban explorer Leland Kent for Abandoned Southeast, the house served as the family's winter escape for decades. Following his wife's death in 1919, Mellon continued to visit the property until his passing in 1934. It remained in the Mellon family until the late 1930s.

Since then, the house has passed through various owners, but hasn't been lived in officially for years. Observing the property from the outside, it's clear to see that the former holiday home has seen better days, judging by the overgrown greenery and neglected tiled pathway. Still, the clapboard exterior appears to be in fairly good shape.

While the entrance hall features signs of damp and crumbling paintwork, it's not hard to imagine how imposing this space must have been back in its heyday. No doubt the scene of countless society soirees, James and Rachel were heavily involved in the local community in Palatka and donated plenty of money to the city over the years.

With flaking plasterwork and debris scattered on the floor, the once-grand parlour is now dilapidated too. A couple of mattresses litter the floor, which may indicate that squatters are staying in the property. One upon a time, the Mellons hosted many a famous face here, most notably Billy Sunday, a former National League baseball player, later turned evangelist.

A relic of more prosperous days, an ornate grand piano has pride of place in this ground-floor drawing room. The exquisite instrument is the handiwork of venerable Boston piano manufacturers Vose & Sons, which was established in the East Coast city way back in 1851.

Whether the piano is in decent working order is anyone's guess, but there's no doubting the instrument's immense value. In fact, similar restored versions sell for tens of the thousands these days. It really does beggar belief that the former owners left it here to rot.

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Some signs of domesticity still linger, most notably this nicotine-stained calendar dating from 1970, providing a clue as to when the house was last officially occupied. Something of a Southern institution for well over a century, the Cardui Calendar and Weather Chart was produced annually from 1891 to 2013.

While the surrounding walls require extensive renovation, the home's wooden staircase is in surprisingly good condition, a testament to its craftsmanship. In fact, a good sanding and polish are probably all that's required to restore it to its former glory. We can just imagine the Mellon's three children, William, Lucille and Alexander, gleefully sliding down the banister.

Moving upstairs, the landing's fine hardwood flooring has survived relatively unscathed, with just a little attention required to whip it into shape. However, on the first floor, the extent of the damage to the walls becomes all too apparent, with the peeling wallpaper revealing crumbling plaster and worryingly, the home's exposed wooden framework.

The ceiling and cornices are in a concerning state too, requiring a complete overhaul and some serious structural attention. From here, this crumbling home seems the furthest thing from the regal summer residence of a business giant. However, back in the late 19th century, James Mellon's business ventures continued to go from strength to strength. Following in the family trade, he founded the City Deposit Bank, becoming its president in 1898.

Signs of the home's former life are still visible in this upstairs bedroom. Several vintage radios, as well as a miniature child's piano and some framed artwork, surround the fireplace, which features a fine wooden surround and a well-used brick hearth.

While the wallpaper here is peeling away and debris litters the hardwood floor, there's still a certain charm about this space. We're particularly curious about that light green velvet chair – reupholstered, it'd make a beautiful addition to a contemporary living room.

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The most recent former residents certainly enjoyed their music. An old gramophone rests on this sideboard, along with a number of vinyl records, including a memorial album of jazz artist Hal Kemp's eight most popular recordings. Kemp died in a car crash in 1940 aged just 36.

More personal momentoes are found elsewhere upstairs. This assortment of antique tennis rackets remain in their square presses which were used to prevent the rackets from losing their shape. They're leant against an old trunk, which is surrounded by a couple of vintage maps, a US flag and some dusty books.

In this bedroom, period features from the wooden fire surround to the cornices, picture rail and skirting boards are in surprisingly good shape. From the exquisite woodwork, we can glimpse something of the prosperous lives the Mellons lived. As president of the City Deposit Bank, James went on to help his family finance the Ligonier Valley Railroad which opened in 1877, connecting the Pennsylvania communities of Latrobe and Ligonier.

Once a grand, luxurious space adjoining James and Rachel's room, the master bathroom requires a complete overhaul and a few fresh layers of paint. We'd love to see a new period-style clawfoot bathtub installed in here, in keeping with the home's historic roots, along with crisp white clapboarding to brighten up this dingy space.

Perhaps belonging to one of the Mellon children, this smaller bedroom looks to be suffering from damp – unsurprising given the humid Florida climate. The striped wallpaper is peeling away from the walls, though surprisingly, the woodwork appears to be relatively intact.

This compact bathroom appears to have been updated during the late 20th century – the fixtures and fittings are a lot more modern than those in the master bathroom. With a little effort, this space could be transformed with relatively little effort.

With its exposed ceiling and warped woodwork, this upstairs room will require a whole lot more work, however. Nevertheless, this charming heritage house would make a rewarding fixer-upper project for an ambitious owner – from an incredible family home, to a quaint bed and breakfast or even a local museum, there's plenty of potential here. Sadly though, the property is being left to languish, vacant and unkept.

While their Palatka house may stand forlorn and neglected, the influence and legacy of the Mellons is still felt in northern Florida. Hopefully in the future, their beloved summer home will be taken in hand and new life will be breathed into its crumbling corridors.

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