The Great Jacksonville Fire
of 1901 destroyed a city built mostly of wood. Afterwards, brick buildings
became the vogue as the city reclaimed scorched acres. Several streets in
Jacksonville’s Lavilla section developed into a thriving business district.
Over the years Lavilla
deteriorated and is only now really coming back into its own again. The area is
alive with the restored Ritz Theater, the Lavilla School of the Arts, Trinity
Mission, and Florida Community College At Jacksonville’s Downtown campus.
Adjacent to these
institutions, a creative and resourceful homeowner has reclaimed one of
Lavilla’s old buildings and transformed it into a unique and beautiful home.
Retaining many of the old storefront windows, the owner displays an array of
curios, artifacts, collectables, and oddities to charm the passer by.
Colorful, odd-shaped bottles
are embedded in the walls. An antique whetstone graces an entrance. Is that a
wheel from a railroad train? Is that a scythe? Look at that bell, that
windmill, those tile.
From roof line to brick
walkways, anywhere your eye lights, you encounter some pleasant surprise. This
once dilapidated old building has been refurbished to become a delight.
The venturous homeowner has
indulged flights of artistic whimsy to make this private residence into what I
consider to be Jacksonville’s most beautiful home.
These photos were taken from
public streets on the day after Easter, 2005.
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