Quote(https://photos.moderncities.com/Cities/Jacksonville/Neighborhoods/Ortega-April-2020/i-4HBLZP3/0/d1a37382/L/20200426_130304-L.jpg)
A virtual tour of a historic Jacksonville neighborhood added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004: Old Ortega Historic District
Read More: https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/neighborhoods-old-ortega-historic-district/
Cool tour.
Do you know the history of the old plantation house on Ortega Blvd, north of Bettes Park? I know there was a fire at the house about 10 years ago while it was being restored and they almost lost the house (I heard it was caused by a heat gun being used to strip wood).
Is there a house left? I'm under the impression that the actual plantation house was razed in the early 20th century.
This one:
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.2810815,-81.6995036,3a,74.9y,172.53h,94.16t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sYQLNQkio8oHlLLgIzvOyrQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192
That's the Charles Bettes house. Bettes built that house on the site of the old plantation house.
Ah....not the original plantation house. For some reason I thought it was the original house but apparently not!
Thanks for the piece on another great JAX neighborhood.
Thanks for the tour! Charles Bettes was my great great uncle by marriage! Been all through that big house and it's a beauty - recently redone after a fire nearly destroyed it. Charles Bettes was into plants and hybridized several - there is a "Bettes Camellia" and they are quite beautiful.
With all the mention of Ortega's "History", and pointing out in the article that there is even a "monument" (plaque) and several "Plantation" houses...Congratulations. You've just rung the dinner bell for Lenny and all the other haters of the south.
^Neither have anything to do with the confederate monument debate. While Jacksonville was built on the back of slavery and discrimination, I wouldn't worry about Curry removing the Ortega historical marker.