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On a bluff above the St. Johns River, the house built in 1872 has weathered many a storm with grace.Kyle Gray
Despite the historic reputation of St. Augustine, Jacksonville, Florida actually has more historic houses than any other community in that state. And now, one of the most historic homes in the northeastern Florida city is coming on the market.
In 1872, Robert Bruce Van Valkenburgh built a Carpenter’s Gothic house on a bluff overlooking the St. Johns River. He had been a congressman from New York, had served as a Union officer during the Civil War and, after the war, became Minister Resident to Japan. After he settled in Florida, he was appointed associate justice of the Florida Supreme Court.
His house was originally a simple four-room affair, with a kitchen in a separate building out back. In the early 1920s, an addition incorporated the original kitchen and expanded the house to 3,355 square feet. It now has five bedrooms and three baths.
The house façade features a steeply pitched central gable with fanciful vergeboards, finely detailed roof brackets and a wide verandah. A pair of French doors on the second floor echoes the design of the front door directly below; they may have opened onto a small balcony at one time. The property includes a barn and a dock. It is believed to be the oldest surviving house on Hazzard’s Bluff.
That location high above the water has helped the house weather many a storm: while buildings in the area are regularly flooded during hurricanes, this house remains above the flood waters. The bluff is a rare piece of elevated land in the area.
From 1956 until now the house has belonged to the same family, who has cherished its historic character. Thus, original elements like grillwork transoms, strap-paneled walls and ceilings and carved porch balusters have been lovingly preserved.
The interior reflects loving care of the house’s original historic elements.East Coast Tours
Offered for sale for $799,000 by Janie Coffey, executive director of sales for Compass Real Estate in Jacksonville and Northeast Florida, the house is a rare gem for the buyer who appreciates a piece of history in a superb location.
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On a bluff above the St. Johns River, the house built in 1872 has weathered many a storm with grace.Kyle Gray
Despite the historic reputation of St. Augustine, Jacksonville, Florida actually has more historic houses than any other community in that state. And now, one of the most historic homes in the northeastern Florida city is coming on the market.
In 1872, Robert Bruce Van Valkenburgh built a Carpenter’s Gothic house on a bluff overlooking the St. Johns River. He had been a congressman from New York, had served as a Union officer during the Civil War and, after the war, became Minister Resident to Japan. After he settled in Florida, he was appointed associate justice of the Florida Supreme Court.
His house was originally a simple four-room affair, with a kitchen in a separate building out back. In the early 1920s, an addition incorporated the original kitchen and expanded the house to 3,355 square feet. It now has five bedrooms and three baths.
The house façade features a steeply pitched central gable with fanciful vergeboards, finely detailed roof brackets and a wide verandah. A pair of French doors on the second floor echoes the design of the front door directly below; they may have opened onto a small balcony at one time. The property includes a barn and a dock. It is believed to be the oldest surviving house on Hazzard’s Bluff.
That location high above the water has helped the house weather many a storm: while buildings in the area are regularly flooded during hurricanes, this house remains above the flood waters. The bluff is a rare piece of elevated land in the area.
From 1956 until now the house has belonged to the same family, who has cherished its historic character. Thus, original elements like grillwork transoms, strap-paneled walls and ceilings and carved porch balusters have been lovingly preserved.
The interior reflects loving care of the house’s original historic elements.East Coast Tours
Offered for sale for $799,000 by Janie Coffey, executive director of sales for Compass Real Estate in Jacksonville and Northeast Florida, the house is a rare gem for the buyer who appreciates a piece of history in a superb location.