Former Bobby Bowden Home Sold To Florida State Alum

From national championships to Heisman winners, All-Americans, and NFL Draft picks, Bobby Bowden built a legacy at Florida State that reshaped Tallahassee and left a lasting imprint on college football. Over more than three decades on the sidelines, Bowden turned the Seminoles into a national powerhouse while establishing a culture that continues to provide a standard today.

The late legend's Killearn Estates home, along with a near-historic collection of memorabilia, recently went up for auction, with the keys to the four-bedroom, 3.5-bath property ultimately remaining in the Florida State family.

Florida State Alumnus Purchases Bowden Home

KELLY JORDAN/The Times-Union--010110--Legendary Florida State University football coach Bobby Bowden looks up at the replay screen during his final game against West Virginia at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium for the Gator Bowl Friday January 1, 2010.(The Florida Times-Union, Kelly Jordan) | Kelly Jordan/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

The 4,639-square-foot home, situated on a half-acre lot along the Killearn Golf Club, sold to Reagan Hobbs, a 1995 Florida State graduate. The final bid came in at $737,000 (with %10 going to the Auction House).

For Hobbs, the appeal wasn’t the size or the property value, but the historical significance ofBobby Bowden’s legacy and the mark he left on the community. Hobbs, a local real estate agent, said he hopes to keep the home in the family. The Bowden family lived in the residence for 45 years.

"I really wanted to keep it in the family, the FSU family,” Hobbs told WTXL. “My family believes in Garnet and Gold, so I just had this weird premonition it could be someone from another state or a rival team buying the house, and I wanted to, you know, secure it.”

While the home carried deep personal significance, it wasn’t the only piece of Bowden’s legacy that drew attention at auction.

Historic Bowden Items Headline Auction Alongside Home

BOB SELF/The Times-Union-12/31/09--Florida State head football coach Bobby Bowden waves to fans along the parade route Thursday afternoon. Thursday afternoon the city of Jacksonville hosted the Winn-Dixie Hometown Gator Bowl Parade with Florida State head football coach Bobby Bowden serving as the Grand Marshal. The parade route was filled with Florida State University and West Virginia fans here for Friday's bowl match up. (The Florida Times-Union, Bob Self) Met 02gatorbowlparad | Bob Self/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Even in auction, Bowden’s legacy continues to resonate across the Florida State community. As the bidding wound down last Wednesday, more than 1,500 historic items were sold alongside the home. Bowden’s engraved 1993 Orange Bowl ring fetched $20,000, while his 1995 ACC championship ring brought in $15,250.

Collections of his handwritten notes and personal philosophies totaled more than $9,500. His home office desk sold for $16,000, the 2001 FedEx Orange Bowl ring surpassed $10,000, and the 1993 Sears Crystal National Championship Trophy brought $14,000.

Other notable items, including crystal trophies, a 389-win commemorative ring, books from his personal library, and a Bear Bryant Award, further highlighted the depth of Bowden’s storied career.

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