THE AVONDALE HISTORIC DISTRICT

The Avondale area was originally part of a 350 acre Spanish land grant obtained by Robert Hutcheson, a loyal Spanish subject, in 1818. After Hutcheson died, his widow, Elizabeth, sold the grant to Dr. Whipple Aldrich in 1830. In 1836 the entire tract was acquired by William McKay who named it "Magnolia Plantation." The plantation, which was worked by a group of fifty slaves, produced sea island cotton. In 1850 Elias G. Jaudon purchased the plantation and, over the next twenty years, increased its size to over one thousand acres. After Jaudon's death in 1871, the plantation was divided into five large tracts and divided among his heirs.

During the late nineteenth century, particularly in the early 1880s, the city of Jacksonville began to expand beyond the limits of the original town plat. New subdivisions, such as Springfield north of downtown, Riverside to the southwest, East Jacksonville, Fairfield and Oakland to the east, and La Villa to the west, were laid out and began to develop on a significant scale. By 1887 development was sufficient to warrant the incorporation of Springfield, La Villa, East Jacksonville, and Riverside as far as King Street into the city proper.

Attempts were also made to extend development beyond Riverside into what today is the Avondale Subdivision. In 1884, after several transfers of ownership, lots two and three of the Jaudon Estate were purchased by James R. Challen and William Harkisheimer. Challen and Harkisheimer were northern businessmen, who came to Florida following the Civil War. They headed a group of seventeen investors who sought to develop the Jaudon lots. At the time the Jaudon lots were purchased the investors were known as the Edgewood Group but changed their name to the Edgewood Company in 1888. The subdivision they laid out, like the company, was known as Edgewood. Edgewood was intended to be an independent town laid out on the edge of Jacksonville with stores, schools, churches and the other components of a selfcontained municipality. By 1917, however, only about twenty scattered buildings were located there.

Although Edgewood failed to develop as planned, the same could not be said for other contemporary subdivisions nearer downtown Jacksonville. A major factor in the development of the city was the great fire of 1901. The fire consumed 466 acres, including 146 city blocks and 2,368 buildings; left 9,000 people homeless; and killed 7. It served as a catalyst for the development of the city as an unprecedented building boom followed in its wake. Development of the Springfield and Riverside neighborhood intensified.  Furthermore, as was true in Chicago after the fire of 1871, many developers, architects and builders came to Jacksonville, attracted by the great demand for their services.

Telfair Stockton was among most important real estate developers in Jacksonville during the early twentieth century. Born in Quincy, Florida in1860, Stockton became Jacksonville's most significant real estate developer during the first several decades of the twentieth century. He was a prominent member of the local Democratic party and served in both the state senate and house of representatives. He also chaired the Jacksonville Board of Public Works from 1897 to 1899, during which time the city inaugurated its park system. Stockton's first experience with residential real estate was in Springfield, where he took over operations of the struggling New Springfield Company and was able to sell all of its holdings within three years. In 1906 he entered the construction business and began erecting substantial private residences. Five years later, he led the movement for the incorporation of the Jacksonville Real Estate Exchange and was elected its first president.

In 1920 Stockton organized the Avondale Company and purchased a 220 acre portion of the old Edgewood Subdivision from the Robinson Improvement Company along with other available lots in the area. Stockton envisioned Avondale as a state of the art suburban development. The plan of subdivision was unique to Jacksonville at the time it was laid out. Within a national context it was part of the Garden City and City Beautiful movements and shared characteristics with a number of contemporary suburban developments then spreading throughout the country.

Following the acquisition of land, the Avondale Company hired William Pitkin, a landscape architect from Cleveland, Ohio to design a more pleasing plan than that established by the rigid grid of the old Edgewood subdivision. Pitkin's design called for the innovative use of curvilinear and diagonal streets along with ample green spaces and generous building lots. It provided such amenities as paved street, sidewalks, and water and sewer services and offered property owners the free services of a landscape architect and shrubs and trees for planting. In addition the developers controlled the density of development, setback of houses, and minimum cost for buildings through restrictive covenants in the deeds.

The Avondale Subdivision was opened at propitious time, for Jacksonville, along with most other Florida communities, was on the verge of an unprecedented period of growth known as the "Great Florida Land Boom." The boom had its genesis along the south Atlantic coast, particularly in Miami, Coral Gables, and Palm Beach where developers established exclusive neighborhoods for the wealthy, for whom fashionable architects, like the transplanted Californian Addison Mizner, designed Mediterranean style palaces for affluent patrons. Jacksonville became the primary point of entry for visitors to Florida. In early 1925 some 2025 trains were arriving at the city each day. The Chamber of Commerce reported that during the spring season that year over 150,000 automobiles had passed over the St. Johns River Bridge. In July alone, building permits issued totaled $1,177,383, ranking Jacksonville sixth in the state in new construction behind the major cities in the southern part of the state.

Avondale, arguably the most exclusive subdivision in Jacksonville before the land boom, caught the attention of wealthy city natives and visiting tourists. Large new homes were constructed at a rapid pace and by the end of the land boom in 1927, nearly all of the most desirous building lots had been developed.

THE WEST AVONDALE HISTORIC DISTRICT

The area in which the West Avondale Historic District is located was originally part of a 350 acre Spanish land grant obtained by Robert Hutcheson, a loyal Spanish subject, in 1818. After Hutcheson died, his widow, Elizabeth, sold the grant to Dr. Whipple Aldrich in 1830. In 1836 the entire tract was acquired by William McKay who named it "Magnolia Plantation. The plantation, which was worked by a group of fifty slaves, produced sea island cotton. In 1850 Elias G. Jaudon purchased the plantation and, over the next twenty years, increased its size to over one thousand acres. After Jaudon's death in 1871, the plantation was divided into five large tracts and divided among his heirs. The western two tracts included the area of the present West Avondale Historic District.

The City of Jacksonville's long history of expansion through annexation began in 1887 when the suburbs of Springfield to the north of the city, La Villa to the west, Oakland, Fairfield and East Jacksonville to the east, and Riverside as far as King Street on the southwest were incorporated into the city proper. After the annexation, Riverside, which until that time was a small community of scattered dwellings, experienced its first significant period of development. The extension of city services and construction of a street railway connecting the area with the downtown commercial sector sparked a building boom. Within two years the population of Riverside had grown to over 2,500. The pace of development in Riverside accelerated dramatically after a devastating fire swept through downtown Jacksonville in 1901. The fire ravaged all or part of 146 blocks and consumed 2,368 buildings. During the rebuilding period, which became known as the "Jacksonville Renaissance'', the downtown area was reserved for commercial, governmental, and industrial development. Most of the approximately 9,000 people who were left homeless by the blaze relocated to the surrounding suburbs. Riverside became the area of choice for many of the city's most prominent businessmen, who constructed palatial residences along the river front. Interior streets were soon lined with dwellings that reflected a remarkable diversity of architectural designs.

While Riverside grew rapidly during the period between the Great Fire and World War 1, the adjacent land that made up the old Jaudon estate was largely ignored. The first attempt to develop the area was made in 1884 by the Edgewood Group, an association of seventeen investors headed by local businessmen James R. Challen, John Talbott, and William Harkisheimer. The Edgewood Subdivision was intended to be an independent town with stores, schools, churches and the other components of a self-contained municipality. The expected rush for building lots, however, never materialized due, in large part, to the availability of land in the more conveniently located Riverside neighborhood. By 1917 only about twenty scattered buildings had been constructed in Edgewood.

After the turn-of-the-century, a number of other subdivisions were platted to the west of Edgewood. The first and largest was Riverside Heights, which is located between present-day Dancy Street and Van Wert Avenue and extended from the river to Park Street. The subdivision was platted by the A.J. Hedrick's American Suburban Corporation. Other developments followed, creating the basic street pattern that exists today. Among them were St. Johns Heights, platted in 1908; Stockton Place, platted by William Montgomery Stockton in 1912; Arden, platted in 1913 by the West-Raley-Hamby Company, which also developed Fishweir Park; Montgomery Place, platted by Stockton in 1914; and Ingleside Heights, platted in 1914 by A.S. Hubbard and W.A. McDuff. Like Edgewood, however, those developments met with little initial success in attracting homebuilders.

Development in Jacksonville's residential neighborhoods slowed considerably during the years of the United States' involvement in World War 1. In the early 1920s, however, the city, along with most other Florida communities, was on the verge of an unprecedented period of growth known as the "Great Florida Land Boom." The boom had its genesis along the south Atlantic coast, particularly in Miami, Coral Gables, and Palm Beach. Developers there established exclusive neighborhoods for the wealthy, for whom fashionable architects, like transplanted Californian Addison Mizner, designed Mediterranean Revival style palaces. Many real estate promoters, however, were eager to cater to a new, less affluent class of visitors, many of whom were taking their first long vacations made possible by labor reforms that led to higher wages and more vacation time. Enticed by stories of quick fortunes to be made through land speculation, they came from all over the country by train or automobile to cash in on the boom.

By the end of World war I, prime building lots in Jacksonville's established residential neighborhoods, particularly those of Riverside and Springfield, had become scarce. As the boom was taking form, new developments on the outskirts of the city were opened at a furious pace to meet the increased demand for housing. The opening of the St. Johns River Bridge in 1921 made settlement on the south side of the St. Johns River viable, and led to the establishment of a number of exclusive residential developments, including San Marco and San Jose Estates. The most important real estate development, however, was Avondale, which was platted over the skeleton left by the old Edgewood Subdivision. The work of Telfair Stockton, Jacksonville's leading real estate developer during the first three decades of the twentieth century, Avondale was the first development in the city to incorporate the tenets of the City Beautiful Movement. Stockton organized the Avondale Company in 1920 after purchasing a 220 acre portion of the old Edgewood Subdivision from the Robinson Improvement Company. The company hired William Pitkin, a landscape architect from Cleveland, Ohio, to lay out what Stockton hoped would be a state-of-the-art suburban development. Pitkin's plan called for the replacement of Edgewood's rectilinear street pattern with a variety of curved and diagonal avenues designed to provide dramatic building sites. In addition, the plan called for a system of sixteen small parks and provided such amenities as paved streets, sidewalks, and water and sewer services.

Land use was also controlled by the developers, who set strict rules on the density of development and building setback through restrictive covenants. Mixed uses, particularly in nearby Riverside, were criticized and the exclusive nature of Avondale emphasized in newspaper advertisements and other promotional literature. Stockton organized the Better Homes Construction Company to construct a number of model homes in the development. Spanish and Italian styled residences with tile roofs supplied from Stockton's factories were among the first models. Others included Colonial Revival, Tudor, and Bungalow. The planned, model homes set the precedent for the architectural designs that followed as the development grew.

Avondale caught the attention of wealthy city natives and visiting tourists. Large new homes were constructed at a rapid pace and soon all of the most desirous building lots had been developed. Prominent local businessmen and newly arrived winter residents who came to the city during the land boom began looking to the relatively undeveloped area to the southwest for choice lots. They found them in a narrow band of land between the St. Johns River and St. Johns Avenue. By the mid 1920s West Avondale was experiencing a surge in development that almost equaled that of the Avondale Subdivision. Mediterranean, Colonial, and Tudor Revival style mansions were designed by Jacksonville's most prominent architects, including the firms of Marsh & Saxelbye, Mark & Sheftall, Klutho, Cole & Cates, and Bernard W. Close, along the prestigious Richmond Street corridor, which contained large lots with frontage on the river. A small group of restaurants and retail clothing, grocery, and hardware stores, emerged along St. Johns Avenue and gave Avondale its own convenient commercial district.

While development in the West Avondale area continued at a brisk pace through the fall of 1927, there were signs as early as 1925 that the land bubble that sustained the boom was beginning to deflate. In the fall of that year, the Florida East Coast Railway, its yards overloaded and rail lines clogged with building materials, halted freight shipments to South Florida, ultimately creating a serious shortage that drove up the price of home construction. Over-speculation in real estate was rampant throughout the state. Many investors were "caught short," holding properties that were heavily mortgaged and finding themselves with little cash to pay large balloon payments. Northern newspapers ran articles about corrupt realtors who sold swamp land to unsuspecting investors and warned their subscribers not to be taken in by the promise of easy fortunes through Florida real estate. The final blow came to the boom occurred in September 1926, when a devastating hurricane swept across the southern portion of the state, causing hundreds of deaths and millions of dollars in damage. Tourism, which had fueled the land boom, slowed to trickle and development came to a virtual halt.

Fewer tourists entered Jacksonville during the spring of 1927 than any year since World War 1. Construction activity, which reached its boomtime apogee in 1926, fell off dramatically. The following year permits totaled only $7,905,762, down from $13,051,074 the previous year, marking the continuation of a downward spiral that lasted until 1931 when the low figure of $1,728,200 was recorded. In addition, whereas the building permit figures of 1926 and 1927 were primarily for new construction, those issued in the latter years were primarily for alterations and additions to existing buildings.

Florida's financial misfortunes after the collapse of the boom were further exacerbated by the effects of the national Great Depression. As a result of the economic instability of the times, few new buildings were added to the West Avondale area during the first half of the 1930s. Construction in the city resumed, though at a much more controlled pace, in the latter half of the 1930s. The number of building permits issued by the city climbed steadily each year before 1941 and, after another downturn due to the United States' entrance into World War ll, picked up dramatically after 1945. Hordes of returning servicemen and workers at the various military installations in and around Jacksonville sought affordable housing in the established neighborhoods of the city. Many purchased lots that had not yet been developed and constructed new homes. A number of these immediate post-war homes can be seen in the West Avondale area sandwiched between houses that date from the 1920s or 1930s.

3. It is identified with a person or persons who significantly contributed to the development of the City, state or nation.

It is the opinion of the Planning and Development Department that the Riverside-Avondale Historic District is identified with a person or persons who significantly contributed to the development of the City, state or nation. Being a fashionable residential area during Jacksonville's greatest period of economic growth, the Riverside and Avondale area has been associated with numerous individuals that made significant contributions to the growth and development of the City. Many of the individuals from the Riverside and Avondale area played a significant role in the commercial, professional, and political history of Jacksonville. For example as stated below, many of Jacksonville's most successful early architects resided in the Riverside and Avondale area including Roy A. Benjamin, Ransom Buffalow, Arthur Burton Gilkes, Mellen C. Greeley, J.H.W. Hawkins, George Olaf Holmes, Jefferson D. Powell, Harold F. Saxelbye, Leeroy Sheftall, and James R. Walsh. A sampling of some of the other noteworthy individuals associated with the Riverside and Avondale area during a productive or significant period in their lives include the following:


Thomas Telfair Stockton (1860 - 1932) and James Roosevelt Stockton (Died 1969)

Telfair Stockton was among most important real estate developers in Jacksonville during the early twentieth century. Born in Quincy, Florida in 1860, Stockton became Jacksonville's most significant real estate developer during the first several decades of the twentieth century. He was a prominent member of the local Democratic party and served in both the state senate and house of representatives. He also chaired the Jacksonville Board of Public Works from 1897 to 1899, during which time the city inaugurated its park system. Stockton's first experience with residential real estate was in Springfield, where he took over operations of the struggling New Springfield Company and was able to sell all of its holdings within three years. In 1906 he entered the construction business and began erecting substantial private residences. Five years later, he led the movement for the incorporation of the Jacksonville Real Estate Exchange and was elected its first president. As his real estate and construction business grew, Stockton became involved in numerous financial interest including the Gamble-Stockton Company, the Columbus, Georgia Brick and Tile Company, the
Telfair Stockton Company, and the Avondale Company, as well as serving as a director of the Florida National Bank. Using his successful Avondale Subdivision as a model, Telfair Stockton's Avondale Company platted the San Marco Subdivision immediately to the north of the old "Villa Alexandria" property in the summer of 1925. In 1922, Telfair Stockton had a Mediterranean Revival Style residence constructed at 1878 Avondale Circle where he resided until his death in 1932.

Also, in 1922, Telfair Stockton's son, James Roosevelt. Stockton, moved into the adjacent residence at 1850 Avondale Circle. Later becoming President of the Telfair Stockton & Company, the Better Homes Company, and the Avondale Company, James R. Stockton was among the most important land developers and businessmen in Jacksonville during the period between 1920 and 1945. While working with his father, he served as vice president of Telfair Stockton and Company, developers of some of Jacksonville=s most exclusive historic subdivisions, including Avondale, New Springfield, San Marco, Ponte Vedra, Windsor Place, Villa Alexandria, Colonial Manor, Fairfax Manor, Brookwood Terrace, River Oaks, Oriental Gardens, and Beauclerc Bluff. After Telfair Stockton=s death in 1932, James assumed control of Telfair Stockton and Company and also served as president of Teleco Holding Company, Stockton Mortgage Company, The Avondale Company, The Bond Corporation, and the Better Homes Corporation. In 1946, Telfair Stockton and Company merged with that of Brown L. Whatley and Joseph W. Davin, two former Stockton Company salesmen, to form Stockton, Whatley & Davin, which for a period was Florida's largest real estate and mortgage banking firm.

Judge John Locke Doggett, Sr.

The house at 1548 Lancaster Terrace in Riverside was the residence of Judge John Locke Doggett, Sr. from the time it was constructed in 1918 until 1935. John Locke Doggett was named after his grandfather who moved to Jacksonville in 1822 from Massachusetts. The Doggett family owned much of the property in the east part of Downtown Jacksonville, and along with Isaiah D. Hart were instrumental in establishing the City of Jacksonville. The family also donated the property for the construction of the St. Johns Episcopal Church. John Locke Doggett's father, Judge Aristides Doggett, served as County Judge of Duval County, as well as Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners for Duval County. His wife, Ann T. Doggett, was one of the three founders of St. Luke's Hospital and the Daniel Memorial Orphanage.

Born in 1868, John Locke Doggett, Sr. graduated from the University of the South at Sewanee, Tennessee after attending the East Florida Seminary at Gainesville. In 1889, he was appointed Clerk of the Criminal Court for Duval County. After being admitted to the Florida Bar in 1894, John Locke Doggett, Sr. was appointed as Judge of the Criminal Court of Records for Duval County, the youngest presiding judge in the state at the time. After serving as a judge, John Locke Doggett, Sr. became a successful trial lawyer in the firm of Doggett, Christie, & Doggett. He also was attorney for several large corporations such as the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, the Jacksonville Traction Company (trolley system), and the New York Life Insurance Company. John Locke Doggett, Sr. was noted for being a strong advocate for constitutional education, and supported the mandatory teaching of the U.S. Constitution in high schools and colleges. In 1888 and 1889, Doggett served as Captain of the Jacksonville Light Infantry, and during World War I served as a Major of the Duval County Home Guards doing Civil Defense work. The residence at 1548 Lancaster Terrace is one of the few structures in Jacksonville with a long and direct association with Judge John Locke Doggett, Jr.

George Washington Simons, Jr. (1891 - 1977)

A resident of Avondale from 1924 until his death in 1977, George W. Simons Jr. is recognized as one of Florida's pioneer professional planners. Simons came to Jacksonville in 1916 to serve as a sanitary engineer for the State Board of Health, a position he held until 1925. After establishing his own planning and engineering firm, Simons was contracted to produce Jacksonville's first comprehensive plan and zoning code which was completed in 1929. Continuing his consulting work, Simons went on to write comprehensive plans for cities throughout the Southeast such as Tampa, Ft. Lauderdale, Pensacola, Orlando, Chattanooga, Wilmington, Mobile, Macon, Jackson, and Spartanburg. Over forty-six city plans completed during the 1940's, 50's and 60's have been attributed to Simons. He also provided planning and engineering services for the development of numerous subdivisions including Venetia (Jacksonville) and Woodlawn (St. Petersburg). During World War II, Simons served as coordinator for the Florida State War Production Board. Simons served as president of the Florida Planning and Zoning Association, as well as the Florida Engineering Society.

Governor John Wellborn Martin (1884 - 1958)

The twenty-fourth Governor of Florida (January 6, 1925 - January 8, 1929), John Wellborn Martin had a long association with the Riverside and Avondale area. A  native of Marion County, Martin passed the bar in 1914, and shortly thereafter opened a law office in Jacksonville. By 1917, John Martin was elected as the youngest mayor of Jacksonville at the age of 33. A pro-business, reform candidate, Martin defeated three-time mayor, J.E.T. Bowden. After three terms as mayor, Martin was elected governor in 1925. A progressive governor during the Great Florida Land Boom, Martin took a leadership role in the building of highways on a statewide basis, the financing of public schools by direct State appropriations, and the furnishing of free textbooks to all pupils in grades one to six. After being defeated for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate, as well as failing to win the nomination for Governor, Martin returned to Jacksonville where he became co-receiver and later trustee of the Florida East Coast railroad. During his time in Jacksonville, Governor Martin and his family resided in the Riverside and Avondale area, first at 2330 Park Street (1454 Park Street), 1702 Osceola Street, and finally 3664 Richmond Street until his death in 1958.

Arthur and Ninah Cummer

A native of Cadillac, Michigan, Arthur Gerrish Cummer was the son of Wellington Willson and Ada Gerrish Cummer. While attending the University of Michigan in the 1890's, Arthur G. Cummer met and married fellow student, Ninah May Holden. After their marriage, Arthur and Ninah Cummer moved to Jacksonville in the late 1890's to join the family's lumber business started by Wellingham W. Cummer in 1896. In addition to a large and modern saw mill located at Panama Park at the mouth of the Trout River, the Cummers also owned vast timber tracts in Baker, Alachua and Levy Counties, as well as a phosphate plant at Newberry, Florida. These various properties were connected by a one hundred mile long railroad line constructed by the Cummer family. Named the Jacksonville & Southwestern Railroad, this line later became part of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. Pine, cypress, and oak, as well as phosphate rock, was brought by train to Jacksonville where it was shipped from the Cummer docks. In addition to being one of the largest employers in Jacksonville during the early 1900's, the Cummer land holdings had increased to the point that the family was the largest private landowner in the state with over 500,000 acres. The extensive Cummer holdings which included the sawmill, a box factory, and wood processing plant, came under the management of brothers Arthur and Waldo with the death of their father, Wellington W. Cummer in 1909.

Arthur and Ninah Cummer joined the other members of the Cummer family residing in Riverside with the construction of their Tudor Revival Style house along fashionable Riverside Avenue in 1902. Arthur and Ninah Cummer became well known in their adopted city for their generosity and community spirit. Arthur Cummer, who died in 1943, was active in the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, as well as a director of the Children's Home Society of St. Luke's Hospital. Ninah Cummer was active in numerous causes and organizations including the Woman's Club of Jacksonville and the Federation of Garden Clubs. She played an active role in the establishment of Memorial Park in 1921. The most enduring bequest of Arthur G. and Ninah Cummer to the Jacksonville community was the establishment of the Cummer Art Museum and Gardens on the site of their residence. The Cummer Gallery of Art opened in 1961 and included the lush gardens along the river front developed over the years by Ninah Cummer.

4. It is identified as the work of a master builder, designer, or architect whose individual work has influenced the development of the City, state or nation.

It is the opinion of the Planning and Development Department that the Riverside - Avondale Historic District is identified with the work of a master builder, designer, or architect whose individual work has influenced the development of the City, state or nation. In the publication, Jacksonville's Architectural Heritage, Landmarks for the Future (1989), thirty-one architects were identified as being the most prominent in Jacksonville during the century following the Civil War. At least twenty-five of the thirty-one architects have been credited with designing one or more noteworthy building within the Riverside and Avondale area. These architects or skilled builder/designer include the following:

Roy A. Benjamin (1888 - 1963)

Moving from Ocala to Jacksonville in 1902, Roy A. Benjamin is credited with the design of many notable buildings, particularly theaters, in Jacksonville and throughout the southeast. In Jacksonville, Benjamin was the architect for the Imperial Theatre (demolished), the Palace Theatre (demolished), the Riverside Theatre, the San Marco Theatre, the Arcade Theater, as well as serving as associate architect for the Florida Theatre. Being one of Jacksonville's most prolific and talented architects, Benjamin designed many other significant buildings in Jacksonville. These landmarks include the Elks Club Building, Otis Elevator Building, Fire Station #4, Leon Cheek Residence at 2263 River Boulevard, San Juline Apartments at 1617 - 1637 Riverside Avenue, Memorial Park in association with the Olmsted Brothers, Fenimore Apartments at 2200 Riverside Avenue, Hartimore Apartments at 2970 Riverside Avenue, the Park Lane Apartments at 1846 Margaret Street, the Lauderdale and Avondale Apartments in Springfield, Scottish Rite Masonic Temple, and the Elephant House at the Jacksonville Zoo (demolished). Several of these buildings and Memorial Park were designed in association with other architects, particularly Mellen C. Greeley who was Benjamin's partner from 1919 to 1924. When he retired after World War II, Benjamin sold his practice to William D. Kemp, Franklin S. Bunch, and William K. Jackson. The firm continues today as KBJ Architects, Inc. Benjamin constructed his own home in the neighborhood at 2332 Riverside Avenue. Constructed in 1921, this house has since been demolished.

Ransom Buffalow (1861 - 1922)

A native of North Carolina, Ransom Buffalow designed his first house at the age of thirty-four in Graham, Virginia. After working in Seattle, Denver and Knoxville, Buffalow moved to Jacksonville in 1910, where he went into business as a contractor and designer. He is known for designing and constructing several houses in Riverside that shows the influence of the Prairie style including the William P. Baldwin residence at 1805 Copeland Street and the Turner Z. Cason residence at 2331 River Boulevard (demolished). Other noted residential designs by Ransom Buffalow include 2805 Riverside Avenue, 2981 Riverside Avenue, and the Buffalow residence at 3305 Riverside Avenue.

Wilbur Bacon Camp (1861-1918)

Although little is known of his architectural background, Wilbur Bacon Camp came to Jacksonville soon after the Great Fire of 1901. Some noted designs by Camp in Jacksonville include the old Duval High School (605 North Ocean Street ), Fire Station #2 (1344 North Main Street), and several fine Prairie-style residences in Riverside such as the Thurston Roberts Residence at 1804 Elizabeth Place and the residence at 2317 Oak Street.

Bernard W. Close (1889-1972)

Another prominent architect whose work is represented by buildings in the Riverside - Avondale Historic District is Bernard W. Close. After graduating from Cornell University, Close began his career in New York, and came to Jacksonville in 1925 at the height of the Florida Land Boom. He worked for a while in the office of Roy A. Benjamin before establishing his own practice. Close served as president of the Florida Association of Architects from 1930 to 1931. Mainly known for his residential work, Close's designs exhibit close attention to detail and fine sense of proportion. Three noted designs by Close in the Riverside - Avondale Historic District include the Leo Hughes Residence at 1854 Montgomery Place, the Richard Forester Residence at 1886 Montgomery Place, and Willow Branch Library at 2875 Park Street. Other excellent residential designs by Close in Jacksonville include the residences at 4321, 4346 and 4424 Kelnepa Drive in South Jacksonville, the International Style residence at 1961 River Boulevard in San Marco, and the  residence at 2400 Seminole Road in Atlantic Beach.

Henrietta Cuttino Dozier (1872 - 1947)

Born in Fernandina Beach, Henrietta C. Dozier graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1899 with an advanced degree in architecture. She was only one of three women from the class of 176. After working in Atlanta for thirteen years, Henrietta C. Dozier moved her practice to Jacksonville in 1914 where she became the City's first and foremost woman architect. In 1903, Henrietta C. Dozier designed the All Saints Episcopal Chapel in Atlanta. Her favorite commission, this small chapel was later damaged by fire and incorporated into a larger structure. While still in Atlanta, Henrietta C. Dozier was responsible for the design of the vestry rooms for Saint Philips Episcopal Church in 1914. It has been speculated that Dozier also designed the sanctuary of Saint Philips Episcopal Church which was constructed around 1903 at 801 North Pearl Street in Downtown Jacksonville. Some of the more noted buildings designed by Henrietta C. Dozier in Jacksonville include the Old Federal Reserve Bank Building (1923 - 1924 in association with Atlanta architect, A. Ten Eyck Brown), Lampru Court Apartments (1924), and residences at 1819 Goodwin Street, 2215 River Boulevard and 1814 Powell Place. Henrietta C. Dozier was a devout member of the Church of the Good Shepherd. The 1914 addition to Saint Philips Episcopal Church is her first documented commission in Jacksonville.

Arthur Burton Gilkes (? - 1911) and Rutledge Holmes (1866 - 1929)

New York native, Arthur Burton Gilkes established his architectural practice in Jacksonville in 1897. In addition to designing mansions for prominent families, Gilkes also designed several commercial buildings in the Downtown area such as the Brereton & Liggett Building at 15 - 17 West Forsyth Street (demolished). Gilkes designed and built his own residence in Riverside at 2160 Oak Street in 1903.

In partnership with Arthur B. Gilkes from 1906 and 1908, Rutledge Holmes came to Jacksonville shortly after the Great Fire of 1901 from Charleston, South Carolina. After 1908, Holmes practiced alone until 1924. Buildings in Jacksonville attributed to Rutledge Holmes include the Professional Building at 126 West Adams Street, the commercial building at 925 - 927 West Bay Street (demolished), and Annie Lytle Public School, 101 Peninsular Place (Gilmore Street). In addition to designing the residence of Colonel Raymond Cay which has since been demolished, Holmes also designed Colonel Cay's carriage house located at 1545 May Street in Riverside.

J.H.W. Hawkins (? - ca. 1920)

The Great Fire of 1901 also drew New York architect, J.H.W. Hawkins to Jacksonville where he was responsible for the design of numerous residences, commercial buildings and churches. He designed private homes for several noted Jacksonville citizens including Alexander Sabel, J.E. Cohen, Senator J.P. Taliaferro, W.S. Ware, and Samuel B. Hubbard. In Downtown Jacksonville, Hawkins designed the Herkimer Block (136 East Bay Street), the original section of the Guaranty Trust & Savings Bank (101 East Bay Street), Snyder Memorial Methodist Church (226 North Laura Street), and possibly the Young Men's Hebrew Association at 712 West Duval Street. In addition to designing his own residence in Riverside, Hawkins designed the Dutch Colonial Revival house at 1662 Stockton Street (A.V.S. Smith Residence), as well as the H.S. Griggs Residence at 2956 Riverside Avenue.

Mellen Clark Greeley (1880 - 1981)

Born and raised in the Riverside area and the son of Jacksonville Mayor, J.C. Greeley, Mellen C. Greeley learned the trade of architecture as an apprentice draftsman for J.H.W. Hawkins from 1901 to 1908. He was also in partnership with architect, Roy A. Benjamin for five years immediately following World War I. During his long career, Greeley designed numerous significant buildings in Jacksonville including Old Stanton High School, the Woman's Club of Jacksonville, the Fenimore and Hartmore Apartments (in association with Benjamin), Dr. Charles E. Terry Residence (2959 St. Johns Avenue), George Couper Gibbs Residence (2717 Riverside Avenue), the John L. Roe Residence (399 Beach Avenue in Atlantic Beach), the residence at 1816 Avondale Avenue, the residence at 1876 River Road, and served as associate architect for the Church of the Good Shepherd and the Ribault Club on Fort George Island. According to oral sources, Greeley was also the architect for the house at 2311 River Boulevard.


Henry John Klutho (1873 - 1964)

Henry J. Klutho was Jacksonville's most significant architect during theperiod between the Great Fire of 1901 and World War 1. He came to Jacksonville soon after the fire of 1901 and became Florida's foremost authority on the Prairie style. He designed many of Jacksonville's most prominent landmarks, including the Jacksonville Free Public Library at 101 EastAdams Street, the Dyal-Upchurch Building at 4 East Bay Street, and the St. James Building at 117 West Duval Street, all of which are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. During his later years he returned to more traditional styles, and in the 1920s, after some bad investments in Jacksonville's movie industry, formed the short-lived partnership with Fred S. Cates and Albert N. Cole. Klutho's influence on Jacksonville architecture during the early twentieth century was profound. Many of the architects who later gained prominence in the city got their start in Klutho's office. The extent and breadth of his works makes him one of Florida's most significant architects of the historic period. Buildings designed by Klutho in the Riverside-Avondale Historic District include the Napier Apartments, 1530-36 Riverside Avenue, the Nicholas Lau Residence, 2755 Riverside Avenue, the Kahler Apartments, 3225 St. Johns Avenue, the Stockton Broome Residence, 1845 Elizabeth Place, the David Saffy Residence, 3643 Hedrick Street, Drs Love & McGinnis Office and Residence, 2063 Oak Street, alterations to West Riverside Elementary School, 2801 Herschel Street, and the Alexander St.Clair-Abrams Residence, 1649 Osceola Street.

Victor Earl Mark (1876 - 1948) and Leeroy Sheftall (1887 - 1963)

Numerous landmark buildings in the Riverside-Avondale Historic District were produced by the noted Jacksonville architectural firm of Mark & Sheftall. Victor Earl Mark (1876-1948) moved to Jacksonville in 1901 and in 1907 began his architectural training in the offices of Henry John Klutho. In 1911, he joined in partnership with fellow architectural apprentice, Leeroy Sheftall. A native of Savannah, Georgia, Leeroy Sheftall (1887-1963) began working in Klutho's office in 1907. Mark & Sheftall had a very successful partnership that lasted twenty-two years, and were credited with the design of many noted buildings in Jacksonville, as well as over fifty schools around the State of Florida. Mark & Sheftall designed buildings in a variety of styles popular during the early twentieth century, ranging from the Prairie School and Bungalows to the Mediterranean and Tudor Revivals. Significant designs by Mark & Sheftall in Jacksonville include the Moulton & Kyle Funeral Home, 17 West Union Street (1914); the Masonic Temple, 410 Broad Street (1912-16); the Bryson Residence ("marble house"), 1704 Avondale Avenue (1927-28); Robert E. Lee Senior High School (with William B. Ittner of St. Louis), 1200 McDuff Avenue South (1926-27); Andrew Jackson Senior High School (with William B. Ittner of St. Louis), 3816 North Main Street (1926-27); the Delgado Building, 2544 Oak Street (1919); Riverside Presbyterian Church and Sunday School Building, 849 Park Street (1922 & 1927); Oxford Hall Apartments, 1020 Stockton Street (1929); South Jacksonville Grammar School, 1450 Flagler avenue (1917); South Jacksonville City Hall, 1468 Hendricks Avenue (1915); the Royal Court Apartments, 2969 Herschel Street (1926), and the B.F. Lee Theological Seminary (Edward Waters College), 1658 Kings Road (1925-27).

William Mulford Marsh (1889 - 1946) and Harold Frederick Saxelbye (1885 -1964)

A native of Jacksonville, William Mulford Marsh (1889 - 1946) began his architectural practice around 1912. Prior to joining in partnership with Harold Saxelbye in 1919, Marsh designed several Prairie style buildings in Jacksonville, the most noted being the house at 2254 Riverside Avenue and the Home Telephone Company Building at 2036 Forbes Street. Marsh also designed the apartments at 2119 River Boulevard, as well as duplicate apartments at 2126 St. Johns Avenue. Born in Hull, England, Harold Frederick Saxelbye (1885 - 1964) came to New York to practice architecture in 1904. In 1913 he moved to Jacksonville to design the Mason Hotel (Mayflower). After a brief association with architects Talley & Summer, Saxelbye entered a partnership with Marsh that lasted twenty-seven years. During that period between 1919 and 1946, Marsh & Saxelbye was the most prolific architectural firm in Jacksonville, especially during the Florida Land Boom of the 1920's. The firm is noted for many excellent commercial, institutional, and residential designs in Jacksonville and throughout the state. Many of the elaborate residential designs found in San Marco, San Jose Estates, Avondale and Ortega are attributed to Marsh & Saxelbye. Other noted commercial and institutional designs by Marsh & Saxelbye include the Levy Building, 135 West Adams Street (1927); Hildebrandt Building, 300 West Adams Street (1926-27); Taliaferro Memorial Building, 256 East Church Street (1923-24); Title & Trust Company of Florida, 200 East Forsyth Street (1928-29); Hamby Building, 325 West Forsyth Street (1925); Greenleaf & Crosby Building, 208 North Laura Street (1927); Western Union Telegraph Corporation Building, 333 North Laura Street (1930-31); Olmstead Motor Company Building, 802 North Laura Street (1927-28) (demolished); Old Jacksonville Police Headquarters, 711 North Liberty Street (1926); Groover-Stewart Drug Company Building, 25 North Market Street (1925); Buckman & Ulmer Building, 29-33 West Monroe Street (1925); South Atlantic Investment Building, 37-41 West Monroe Street (1925); U.S. Post Office & Courthouse, 311 West Monroe Street, in association with Paul P. Cret of Philadelphia and James D. Wetmore of Washington D.C. (1932-33); Crane Company Building, 1007 West Bay Street (1930) (demolished); and First Church of Christ Scientist, 1116 North Laura Street (1921). Buildings in the Riverside-Avondale Historic District attributed to Marsh and Saxelbye include the houses at 1807 Avondale Avenue, 1499 and 1729 Edgewood Avenue, 1807 Elizabeth Place, 1839 Montgomery Place, 2605 Park Street (Lane Drug Company), Haddon Hall at 3311 - 3319 Pine Street, and 3407 Pine Street.

Alfred E. McClure (1836 - ca. 1912), George Olaf Holmes (1862 - 1934) and Emil A. Ehmann (1880-1947)

After military service in the Civil War, A. E. McClure moved to Jacksonville in 1869. In 1873, he joined in partnership with Robert H. Ellis to form the successful firm of Ellis & McClure. In 1901, McClure went into partnership with George O. Holmes. A native of Duval County, George O. Holmes was in partnership with McClure until 1912. Noted designs by the partnership include the Holmes Block, 107-117 East Bay Street; old Central Fire Station, 39 East Adams Street; the Hutchinson/Suddath Building, 315-319 East Bay Street; the old Jacksonville Woman's Club, 16 East Duval Street (demolished); Corse Building, 426 West Forsyth Street; and the Charles C. Bettes residence, 3744 Ortega Boulevard.

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