QuoteJACKSONVILLE
The JEWEL of JACKSONVILLE
RIVERSIDE AVONDALE IS ONE OF THE CITY’S MOST BEAUTIFUL (AND LEAST-KNOWN) WATERFRONT NEIGHBORHOODS.
BY ALLISON WEISS ENTREKIN
On the banks of the St. Johns River, just five minutes from downtown Jacksonville, Florida, lies Riverside Avondale. Except for its residents, not too many people seem to know about this three-mile-long historic district. The exit signs on I-95 don’t mention it, and its name is missing from most tourist maps. But if you happen to stumble upon Riverside Avondale, you’ll wonder how a neighborhood so rich in history and architecture has managed to stay such a secret.
“A lot of people who live in Jacksonville don’t even know we’re here,†says Dr. Wayne Wood, who founded the area’s preservation society in 1974. “I guess we like it that way. To us, this is just home.â€
Indeed, walk along the rows of sprawling houses that crisscross the neighborhood, and you’ll see children playing in their yards, oblivious to the fact that their homes are among the rare examples of Prairie-style architecture found outside the Midwest. (Tell them the architects probably knew Henry John Klutho, who was often compared to Frank Lloyd Wright, and they’ll just stare at you blankly.)
Joggers pound their way down Riverside Avenue, seemingly nonplussed that the road they’re traveling was once known as the most elite in the city, perhaps even the state. And couples gather at Memorial Park to gaze at the river, appreciative of the fact that much of the neighborhood’s shoreline was spared from the shadows of high-rise condos.
Riverside Avondale is truly a hidden gem, a place that, once discovered, makes an indelible impression on its guests. It bears the glitter of an illustrious past and the pockmarks of some ill-conceived choices made along the way. Its pedigree is daunting, but its edges are rough enough to make it approachable. To begin to understand the eclectic neighborhood, one must go back to its birth, when a rich Yankee from Boston laid eyes on its shores.
When John Murray Forbes, a wealthy New England railroad magnate, purchased part of the area now known as Riverside Avondale, he took a chance on a rural wilderness of pine and oak. To his chagrin, the place didn’t change much until 1887, when Jacksonville extended its city limits to include Riverside and built a railway connecting the area to downtown.
The new artery between city and suburb infused life into Riverside, and, by the turn of the century, it was a bona fide upper-middle- class neighborhood.
Then, the fire. In 1901, it raged through Jacksonville, burning more than 90% of downtown in a single day. More than 10,000 people were left homeless, and suddenly the unharmed suburb of Riverside looked like the Promised Land. Jacksonville’s most prominent citizens moved there in droves, erecting elegant mansions flanked by spacious lawns. Architects from around the country descended on the scene of the construction boom, building homes in wildly divergent styles. Gothic Revival structures sat next to Queen Anne mansions, while bungalows mingled with the largest collection of Prairie-style homes outside the Midwest.
To this day, Riverside Avondale lays claim to the widest variety of architectural styles in Florida.
The grandest mansions of the day were clustered on Riverside Avenue, a street that became known around the state simply as “The Row.†So celebrated was The Row that, in 1920, several investors assembled a large tract of land south of Riverside, named it Avondale and marketed the subdivision as “Riverside’s Residential Ideal.†The capitalization on Riverside’s popularity was genius; more than half of Avondale’s lots were sold within two years, and the whole thing was sold out in eight.
By the late 1920s, the building boom began to fizzle, and in the 1950s, many residents followed the nationwide trend of migrating further from downtown.
City officials opened up the area for commercial development, and all but two of The Row’s fabled mansions were knocked down in favor of office complexes. Crime gnawed at the area, and for almost 20 years, it appeared Riverside Avondale had lost its luster for good.
But then, in the early 1970s, a group of concerned citizens banded together in the hopes of reclaiming their once-illustrious neighborhood. They formed a preservation society, applied for and received a historic-district designation, and started setting stringent rules for who could build what and how. Before long, they were one of the largest and most active community organizations in the South.
Today, Riverside Avondale is a thriving and multifaceted neighborhood. Large parks dot the landscape, huge oak trees canopy the streets, and time-tested homes enjoy sweeping views of the river. Three outdoor shopping districts give the neighborhood color, from the funky Five Points and the sophisticated Shoppes of Avondale to the eclectic Park & King. Although The Row is no longer one of Florida’s preeminent streets, the keepers of its two remaining mansions work tirelessly to ensure the structures look as magnificent as they did during their Golden Years. For even though Riverside Avondale is no longer famous, it is still a neighborhood with pride. It may be unknown to most, but to those who discover it, it is a secret worth telling.
>AirTran Airways provides daily, low-fare flights to Jacksonville. And you can get great deals on car rentals with AirTran Airways’ partner, Hertz. Visit www.airtran.com for more info.
Where to stay:
The inn at oak street
A quaint bed-and-breakfast located in a meticulously restored Frame Vernacular-style home.
www.innatoakstreet.com; 904-379-5525
Riverdale inn
A charming B&B set in one of The Row`s remaining mansions. Its architectural style is a blend of Shingle and Queen Anne.
www.riverdaleinn.com; 866-808-3400
Where to eat:
Biscottis
American fare and made-from-scratch desserts in a cozy building in the Shoppes of Avondale.
www.biscottis.net; 904-387-2060
Mossfire grill
Hip Southwestern eatery in Five Points; a local favorite.
www.mossfiregrill.com; 904-355-4434
Where to shop:
Croatia boutique
International furniture and ironworks in the Shoppes of Avondale.
www.croatiaboutique.com
Violet
Hip clothes and accessories in the Five Points shopping district.
904-355-4449
airtranmagazine.com/contents/2008/01/jacksonville/
Quote from: thelakelander on June 08, 2008, 10:25:11 PM
The exit signs on I-95 don’t mention it, and its name is missing from most tourist maps.
Seems like something you could say about alot of areas of town.
Quote from: copperfiend on June 08, 2008, 11:59:38 PM
Quote from: thelakelander on June 08, 2008, 10:25:11 PM
The exit signs on I-95 don’t mention it, and its name is missing from most tourist maps.
Seems like something you could say about alot of areas of town.
You would think the first exit after the Warren going north would mention it. I think the only Riverside exit sign is the one on I10 right before you get to 95. I don't think Springfield has an exit sign either. It just says "8th Street" I always wonder way there wasn't a Brown Historic Area sign like you see in other places in Florida. I wonder whats up with that.
There is a brown historic sign, when you exit 8th St for Springfield. It just isn't on the signs on the interstate. Jacksonville loves to keep its historic neighborhoods a secret. I don't know the reaason behind this. We should be celebrating it and showcasing them. No other city in the state can compare!
I never noticed that, but you all are right. If we can have a green exit sign for the Avenues Mall, we should be able to have brown historic district signs on the interstates for Riverside/Avondale and Springfield. There are also no signs for the Farmer's market, MOSH or Cummer Museum. We have so much to offer here, but our unique amenities are just not promoted as well as they could be.
Maybe the City should ask FDOT to add these places of interest to the directional signage. We are missing a a great opportunity with the I-10/I-95 Interchange!
Cheers to Airtran on a great article
There used to be MOSH signs around San Marco and the ramp off of I-95 N...I guess all the punk rock kids stole them to hang on their bedroom wall.
CROATIA boutique? The place that buys up cheap stuff at Shep's and other discount places and then marks it up like 500%? Wow, of all the places on that strip, I'd say that's the last one to visit.
Quote from: Eazy E on July 16, 2008, 01:18:10 PM
CROATIA boutique? The place that buys up cheap stuff at Shep's and other discount places and then marks it up like 500%? Wow, of all the places on that strip, I'd say that's the last one to visit.
Not sure about CROATIA but if you want a true "westside cultural experience" everyone should take a lap thru Sheps... :D
Shep's is a great place to check out on a boring Sunday afternoon. I'm laughing to myself just thinking about the people and things I've seen in that place.
Yes, I almost purchased a bottle of BROWN ORANGE JUICE at Sheps just to show people.
I usually have to blow my nose and shower immediately following a trip there.
But with the right attitude it can be a laugh... :)
If you guys think Shep's is bad, you really should take a stroll through the J&W Discount right by the corner of park and edgewood, behind Dave's Diner. Boy is that place "interesting".
Half of the store is comprised of obviously-stolen merchandise (like boxes of toiletries with the Hyatt logo on them, car stereos with the severed wires from the car still hanging off the back, iPods with other peoples' music on them, and on and on), and the other half is just a conglomeration of bizarre off the wall stuff. If Shirley Q. Liquor ever designed a department store, this would be it.
But you can find good deals there! We got a set of four $80 Vera Wang red-wine goblets for $5 apiece, and a bunch of other stuff over time. Definitely check it out, if for nothing else but the humor value.
Ive checked out J&W. Not much else to say......