The history of a house: 55 Hubbard Street and the letter

[sheclown]

While working on this wonderful house for a client, a neighbor stopped me to share the story of a letter he found years ago while cleaning out a house -- the one mentioned in the letter, on Hubbard. 

The letter was written in 1977 and it talked about the construction of three houses, 51 East 3rd St, 55 East 3rd St,  and the house directly behind it on Hubbard.

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Dec. 14, 1977

Dear Sir or Madam,

Sixty-six years ago today I was down in what was the "back porch" of my grandparents' home at 51 East 3rd Street, Jacksonville.

On October 31, 1906 my parents were married in that same room.

My Grandfather, Dr. A. A. Smith, built the house -- also the large corner house at third and Hubbard Streets, and the house (on Hubbard St) beside that.

The third st. house was built because my Grandfather got tired of all my Grandmother's relatives spending every summer, visiting them. 

The Hubbard St. house was built to rent, but the tenants liked it so much they bought it.

My Grandfather personally selected every piece of lumber that went into each of his houses.  He drew up his own plans, did his own contracting, and came there during his lunch hour to oversee everything.

Originally, all three houses had gaslights.  By the time I was born electricity had been installed -- using the gaslight fixtures downstairs (chandeliers) but with lovely, fluted, pressed-glass "accordion - pleated" fancy glass fixtures that light bulbs fitted into.  Upstairs, there was only one "dangling cord" light in each room and at the head of the stairs.

I'm not sure, but I think your house must have been built around 1890.  My Grandfather was born in 1850 in Quincy, Fla - west of Tallahassee.

The house was "modernized" in 1936, and the downstairs bathroom built later.

About 1876 my Grandfather planted Live Oak trees at intervals between the sidewalk and the curb.  One ? was in front of your house, all were giants.

About 1950 the city cut down all of the Springfield beautiful giant live oaks, saying "they were dangerous".  That was sheer politics -- someone made a lot of money from sawing up all that fine timber.

In South Jacksonville, not far from the west bridge over the St. John's, there was an oak tree, a live oak -- that was already old when Columbus discovered America.  The branches, thick as our Live oaks -- spread about 100 ft in every direction, without a sign of rot.  The trunk was larger than a good-size room.  I wish my husband & I had taken a ball of cord to measure its girth.  It was in a slummy section, I suppose someone found an excuse to cut it down to make way for a "fast food" drive-in.

Please tell me who you are, and something about yourself or selves.

With all good wishes.

[sheclown]

51 East 3rd Street, 1977 photo from letter



55 East 3rd Street, 1985 from survey

[Noone]

Thank you for sharing the story of a life.

[sheclown]

Here's the original text:

[jaxjags]

So Springfield could have looked liked Savannah with a canopy of live oaks on every street. Looks as if the city leaders have not changed much during the last 60 years.

[Bridges]

This is the one on the NW corner of 3rd and Hubbard right? There has been a lot of work done on this house lately.  Looks almost complete.  Was that PSOS?  Or a new owner?

The porch roof still looks kind of buckled, is that by design?

[strider]

The owner is having the house redone and keeping it a duplex with one floor rented already.  The part of the porch that "sags", well it is an addition and through the years it settled but has not changed much since 1985 (see photo in first post) so the owner opted to leave it alone.  Doesn't hurt anything and adds a bit of character.

[sheclown]

Joel passed on another letter regarding this house-- this one written in 1982 and has more detail.

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