TRACING THE HISTORY

                        OF YOUR HOUSE

(Source of picture: Florida State Archives)

Thank goodness this exotic Springfield house still stands!  Featuring a three-story tower, the Horace Drew residence dates from about 1909, while the picture above comes from around 1915.  Situated at 245 West Third Street, the dwelling commands a corner near Hogans Creek.  Its diverse design borrows from such styles as Tudor Revival, Queen Anne, and Spanish Colonial Revival.  The first owner & occupant was Jacksonville pioneer Columbus Drew.  A later resident was his grandson, the physician Horace R. Drew.  

GETTING STARTED WITH HOUSE HISTORIES

ORGANIZATIONS

MORE ORGANIZATIONS

LOTS OF LINKS

MAPS

GETTING STARTED

• OVERVIEW OF HOUSE HISTORY RESEARCH -- Webpage gives an interesting synopsis of house history tracing, even though it's geared toward a California town.  Did you know that your toilet could serve as the starting point for you research?  To learn how, see the webpage.  Furnished by Palo Alto Online.

• HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION -- Here is the homepage for the City of Jacksonville.  Through it, you can get to the homepage for a very important & active service, the Historic Preservation Commission.  This city office can provide a great deal of info for house history research, and some of this info is given on its website.  Among other things, the site also describes (1) tax incentives, (2) the historic designation process, (3) construction activity requiring certificates of appropriateness, and (4) the maintenance & rehabilitation of historic buildings.  NOTE: When you get to the City of Jacksonville homepage, go to the search box in the upper right-hand corner of the screen.  Type in the words "Historic Preservation Commission,"  and then click.  The link to the Commission's homepage will appear.

• RESOURCES FOR TRACING HOUSE HISTORIES -- Here is the homepage for the City of Jacksonville.  Through it, you can get to a very handy list of local resources available for tracing Jacksonville area houses & other buildings.  This list include maps, building permits, blueprints, city directories, and the Florida Master Site File.  Provided by the Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission (City of Jacksonville).   NOTE: When you get to the City of Jacksonville homepage, go to the search box in the upper right-hand corner of the screen.  Type in the words "Appendix C Resources," and then click.  The link to "Appendix C Resources" will appear, and this will provide the material you need.

• FLORIDA COLLECTION, MAIN PUBLIC LIBRARY -- One of Jacksonville's best-kept research secrets.  Lots of info & pictures available.  Located in downtown Jacksonville.

ORGANIZATIONS

NOTE:  The following organizations could provide research info, assistance, & contacts.  They are given in order by neighborhood.  If you don't find an organization you need, try the links given in the section below. 

• ARLINGTON HISTORY -- Florida Times-Union article entitled "Club Helps Keep Old Arlington Alive," by G. Lee Brooker.  Gives info about Old Arlington Inc.  This is a non-profit, historic preservation organization in the neighborhood of Arlington.  Old Arlington Inc. serves as a marvelous source for info about its neighborhood's past.

• OLD ARLINGTON INC. -- Contact info for Old Arlington.  Info provided by City of Jacksonville.

• BEACHES AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY -- Offers an ocean of info about the coastal area of Duval County.  Coverage includes Jacksonville Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, & Mayport, Ponte Vedra, & Palm Valley.  Provides an outstanding archives in Jacksonville Beach.  Fantastic historical museum also located next to the archives.  Contact info provided by FlaMuseums.org.

• DURKEEVILLE HISTORICAL SOCIETY -- Description of the Durkeeville Historical Society, from DigitalCity.com.  This society serves as an essential organization in the preservation of Jacksonville's African American history.  It may be able to serve as a source of info & contacts for local African American genealogy researchers.  BACKGROUND INFO:  The Durkeeville area of Jacksonville has traditionally been a largely African American neighborhood.

• EASTSIDE HISTORIC COMMUNITY FOUNDATION -- Contact info for the Eastside Historic Community Foundation.  Info furnished by the City of Jacksonville.

• FLORIDA COLLECTION, MAIN PUBLIC LIBRARY -- One of Jacksonville's best-kept research secrets.  Lots of info & pictures available.  Located in downtown Jacksonville.

• JACKSONVILLE HISTORICAL SOCIETY -- The River City's largest historical organization.  Operates an outstanding local history archives, with heaps of info & pictures.  (The Archives is located at Jacksonville University.)  Among many other achievements, the Historical Society has also preserved two historic showcases, the Merrill House & the Old St. Andrews Episcopal Church.  

• MANDARIN MUSEUM & HISTORICAL SOCIETY -- Homepage for a most valuable resource: the Mandarin Museum & Historical Society.  A great group for info about Mandarin's yesteryears.

• MURRAY HILL PRESERVATION SOCIETY -- Info about an energetic group on the Westside.  From a Jacksonville Business Journal story entitled "Murray Hill Preservation Adds 150 New Members."  NOTE:  When you get to the webpage, go about 1/2 way down.

• ORTEGA HISTORIC PRESERVATION SOCIETY -- A group that's vital to the preservation of its historic neighborhood.  Contact info provided by the City of Jacksonville.

• RITZ THEATER & LaVILLA MUSEUM -- Homepage for the Ritz Theatre & LaVilla Museum, an outstanding African American cultural center.  It also serves as an essential source of information about the history of the local African American community.  Contact info furnished by the City of Jacksonville.

• RIVERSIDE AVONDALE PRESERVATION, INC. (RAP) -- Homepage for Riverside Avondale Preservation, Inc (RAP), a vital source of info for its neighborhoods.  Among many other things, the RAP website reveals the history of Riverside & Avondale. It also shows the types of architecture seen in these two neighborhoods.  In addition, the website provides preservation resources, as well as current neighborhood preservation news.  There is even a "Mystery Photo of the Week."  Very nicely done!

• SPRINGFIELD PRESERVATION & RESTORATION (SPAR) -- The homepage of Springfield Preservation & Restoration (SPAR).  Includes historical info, pictures, & links.  An important contact for Springfield residents & any others who are interested in history of that historic neighborhood.

• SPRINGFIELD -- OPERATION NEW HOPE -- Informative website for Operation New Hope, an organization devoted to the preservation of historical property in Springfield.  The website provides renovation links, among many other things.

• SPRINGFIELD -- HISTORIC SPRINGFIELD COUNCIL -- Web page entitled "Watch Us Restore!"  Is from the Historic Springfield Community Council (HCCI).  Provides very useful info & pictures about restoration in Springfield.

• WEEMS PHOTO COLLECTION -- Could a picture of your house or street be hiding in the Weems Collection?  Here's a description of the Ellie Lee Weems Collection, located at the Auburn Avenue Research Library in Atlanta, Georgia.  It offers a huge assortment of photographic images covering Jacksonville's African American history.  It contains over 100,000 negative prints & over 400 black and white prints.  These images date from the early- to mid-1900's.   Subjects range from street scenes & social events to students posing in schools & bodies laying in coffins.  NOTE: Be sure to call ahead before visiting any library collection.  Verify the availability of the records, as well as the collection's hours of operation.

MORE ORGANIZATIONS

NOTE:  If you didn't find an organization you need in the section above, try the links given in this section. 

• ORGANIZATIONS FOR PRESERVATION & NEIGHBORHOODS -- List of historic Jacksonville area preservation & neighborhood organizations.  A good source of info could be a local neighborhood, historic, or preservation organization.  List furnished by the Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission (City of Jacksonville).

LOTS OF LINKS

• LINKS FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION -- Links to resources for historic preservation. From the Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission.

• LINKS FOR TRACING BUILDING HISTORIES -- Lots of links in regard to "House & Building Histories."  From the website "Cyndi's List."

MAPS

NOTE: These maps may prove helpful when researching the history of your property.  The maps are arranged from oldest to most recent.

For even more maps, try the "Maps, Aerial Photos, & Placenames" page of JacksonvilleStory.com.  Click here

• AN 1876 BIRDS-EYE VIEW OF JACKSONVILLE -- A real jewel from the Library of Congress.  So detailed that even tool sheds & outhouses are visible.  Fantastic for seeing how Jacksonville looked during horse-and-buggy days.  And its was drawn during that time too.  A number of artists walked through town, sketching how each building appeared.  Like a jigsaw puzzle, their individual drawings were pieced together.  NOTE: When you get to the web site, just click on "Florida."  And when you want to zoom in on a specific part of the map as much as possible, do the following:  (1) Point & click on "Full Size."  (2) Point & click in the circle nearest "Zoom In," which is located at the map's bottom. (3) Click on "640 x 480" to enlarge the view as much as possible on screen. (4) Point & click on the part of town on which you'd like to zoom in.   After you do all of this, the area on which you are focusing will be greatly enlarged.  

• AN 1893 BIRDSEYE VIEW OF JACKSONVILLE -- -- Another jewel from the Library of Congress.  So detailed that even tool sheds & outhouses are visible.  Fantastic for seeing how Jacksonville looked during horse-and-buggy days.  And its was drawn during that time too.  A number of artists walked through town, sketching how each building appeared.  Like a jigsaw puzzle, their individual drawings were pieced together.  NOTE: When you get to the web site, just click on "Florida."  And when you want to zoom in on a specific part of the map as much as possible, do the following:  (1) Point & click on "Full Size."  (2) Point & click in the circle nearest "Zoom In," which is located at the map's bottom. (3) Click on "640 x 480" to enlarge the view as much as possible on screen. (4) Point & click on the part of town on which you'd like to zoom in.   After you do all of this, the area on which you are focusing will be greatly enlarged.  

• 1920 JACKSONVILLE STREET MAP -- Placed online by the University of Texas.

• 1920 JACKSONVILLE STREET MAP -- From Reisenett.

• 1920 JACKSONVILLE STREET MAP -- From the Florida Center for Instructional Technology.

• VARIETY OF MAPS FOR JAX IN ABOUT 1931  -- Are from "The Comprehensive City Plan of Jacksonville, Florida," by George W. Simons, Jr.  Published in 1931.  Maps include those that show locations of parks, paved & unpaved streets, occupied & vacant property, population trends & distribution, streetcar travel time zones, and attendance zones for public schools.  Other maps also provided.  NOTE:  The entire text of this source is available online.  It's provided in the wonderful website called the "Florida Heritage Collection," maintained by the State University System of Florida.  When you get to the website, you can search by keywords.  Just type in "Jacksonville," or "Duval County," or other keywords, such as words from a title.  ALSO NOTE: Most of the individual Jacksonville items in the Florida Heritage Collection are listed in JacksonvilleStory.com, the site you're now in. 

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       FOR VISITING THE JACKSONVILLE STORY,

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