Axel Hallstrom had only a 6th grade education. He moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota from Sweden in 1898. When his wife, Emily, became ill, her doctor recommended a warm climate and they moved to Florida.
In 1904, Axel bought land in the Viking settlement near Indrio Road in St. Lucie County for a pineapple plantation. Unfortunately, Emily died a few years later, leaving Axel with their four-year-old daughter, Ruth.
He sold the property in St. Lucie County and moved to the Norwegian community of Oslo in what is now Indian River County and planted 100,000 pineapple plants on 40-acres.
The lure of citrus and fierce competition from Cuban pineapple farmers diverted his interest to plant citrus groves. And, he invested in banks. In 1914, he purchased stock in the St. Lucie County Bank. He later served on the bank's board and then as its president.
He began construction on his two-story brick home in 1915. The home was completed it in 1923.
His daughter Ruth Hallstrom lived in the home until her death in 1999. She bequeathed the historic home to the Indian River County Historical Society. Since that time, the Historical Society has preserved and cared for the home and grounds and its collections.
The property is a living museum which documents and demonstrates a bygone way of life in southern Indian River County. The collections include artifacts, photographs, documents, furniture and other memorabilia.
In June 2002, the Hallstrom Farmstead was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
