Historic Homes of Riverside Tour
Listed in the National Registry of Historic Places, Riverside is one of Jacksonville’s oldest and coolest neighborhoods. Voted as one of the country’s top 10 Great Neighborhoods, Riverside & Avondale have a unique mix of history, culture, charm, and modern design.
![](https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/William-J.-Kelly-Residence.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=005f202511ccd36af6215fb7651787c0 320w, https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/William-J.-Kelly-Residence.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=6196ebf6775de2510e722adc0f9cf074 540w, https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/William-J.-Kelly-Residence.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=f2af17f8ce8ceda1c6aea17c7e257c69 743w)
Stop 1
William J. Kelly Residence - 1521 Riverside Avenue
During the early 1900's, this section of Riverside Avenue was known as "The Row" because of its numerous mansions. Between Margaret Street and Edison Avenue, over fifty of these large-scale homes lined Riverside Avenue, making it one of Jacksonville's scenic highlights. Unfortunately, all of these mansions have now been demolished except for two, this one and the home at 1541 Riverside Avenue. This house is a striking blend of the Shingle style and the Queen Anne style. Its roof and the walls are almost entirely covered with shingles, including the main porch posts and the arch over the porch entrance. A portion of the veranda lies under the upper stories of a projecting bay, a typical feature of the Shingle style. However, the profusion of gables, balconies, bay windows, latticed window muntins, and scrolled wood trim are traits of the Queen Anne style. The original owner of the house was William J. Kelly, vice president of Naval Stores Export Company. "Naval stores" was the name given to the turpentine and resin business, which was one of Jacksonville's largest industries at that time. Kelly and the other turpentine magnates were jokingly known as "the Gum Bunch." This house is now one of the finest bed & Breakfasts in Jacksonville.
![](https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/Stringfellow-Residence.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=fbb98adb67a0401754f9ad055b2968bf 320w, https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/Stringfellow-Residence.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=77c4071f23039fe0b34d9e2165046f9c 540w, https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/Stringfellow-Residence.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=83aa7343c934284d68392bbafe2ffddc 768w, https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/Stringfellow-Residence.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=0e8366885622acccb070b9c218d15217 934w)
Stop 2
Stringfellow Residence - 1541 Riverside Avenue
Wholesale grocer R. L. Stringfellow obtained a permit to begin construction on this handsome buff-colored brick mansion in June, 1906, but he lived there barely six years. In 1912 Stringfellow built a smaller house behind this one (now 554 Lancaster), where he moved in 1913. He sold this original house to James L. Medlin, another one of "the Gum Bunch," whose family owned this house for the next sixty years. The eclectic design of the house shows a Colonial Revival influence, and it features a French tile roof supported by oversized brackets. The wraparound veranda is interesting not only for its large size but also for its combining Doric columns with square brick piers.
![](https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/1630-Copeland-Street.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=cdb44539d7f31ff8c39e060746847469 320w, https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/1630-Copeland-Street.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=560f9dd6c3d41ff78709063a7c54505e 540w, https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/1630-Copeland-Street.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=5d79e35727f3c05a82f1b8ea8f61e80a 768w, https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/1630-Copeland-Street.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=09a493f93dab507157ef9db2271454d3 799w)
Stop 3
1630 Copeland Street
Colonial Revival was a popular style among Jacksonville's affluent citizens around the turn of the century. The massive white columns connoted power and establishment, which is why they often appeared on banks, churches, and government buildings. This house is built on an elevated lot, which further enhances its lofty impression. J. E. Johnson, President of the Realty Title and Trust Company, originally owned the house, which was built in 1906. Augustus Anthony, President of the Peoples Bank, bought it in 1923. Its large veranda with towering Doric columns is reminiscent of a plantation manor house and still evokes the mood of the Old South.
![](https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/Leon-Cheek-Residence.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=ef0a2e641d52ffa3abe8a30fa7e88fa9 320w, https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/Leon-Cheek-Residence.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=d6550007d877bb2df9a9a811724adb5d 540w, https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/Leon-Cheek-Residence.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=69b82face5ee11343a02af238e93a75d 657w)
Stop 4
Leon Cheek Residence – 2263 River Boulevard
The dramatic scale and riverfront siting make this one of Jacksonville's most significant mansions. It was built in 1928-1929 at a cost of over $100,000 for Leon Cheek, head of the Cheek-Neal Coffee Company, which later became the Maxwell House Coffee Company. This house is Jacksonville's foremost example of the Jacobethan Revival style, featuring massive polygonal chimneys, a slate roof, leaded glass windows, an elaborate oriel window above the front entrance, and Tudor style arches over windows and doors. The most prominent feature of the main facade is the 3 ½-story tower with a crenelated parapet, which contributes to the castle-like quality of this house.
![](https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/Lucius-T.-Smith-Residence.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=2c10bce7eedce182e28f42b7e756993a 320w, https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/Lucius-T.-Smith-Residence.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=04d36faa0e2254de16bcf7f192c567e7 540w, https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/Lucius-T.-Smith-Residence.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=116c0a10b4831f3e7bdfbb5cf6d4ce89 624w)
Stop 5
Lucius T. Smith Residence – 2821 Riverside Avenue
Prominently sited on a large corner lot, this is one of the best remaining Prairie-style residences in Jacksonville. The broad overhanging eaves, canopies, and extensive windows provide natural cooling and ventilation in Florida’s tropical weather, allowing the windows to remain open in the rainy season. The ornamentation is simple and abstract and contributes to the horizontal rhythm of the composition. Lucius T. Smith, a real estate developer, was the first owner of this stately residence, which was built in 1913.
![](https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/Helen-Parrott-Residence.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=f6d78463bf3fdbdfc71f42921517b954 320w, https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/Helen-Parrott-Residence.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=59a1656bb03c088c3717490fa81af4a4 540w, https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/Helen-Parrott-Residence.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=3da3d9328480b8f22ae25f6b40dbd8af 712w)
Stop 6
Helen Parrott Residence - 3116 St. Johns Avenue
With a facade suggestive of a Renaissance villa, this is one of Riverside and Avondale's finest Mediterranean Revival style mansions. It was designed by Marion Sims Wyeth, an architect from New York who became one of Addison Mizner's chief competitors in Palm Beach. The original owner of the house in 1923 was Helen L. Parrott. She was the widow of Joseph R. Parrott, the President of Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railway. The cost of construction was approximately $34,000. An outstanding feature of the house is its wrought-iron ornamentation, including the entrance gate, balcony, awning support rods, and elaborate window grilles. Cast stone is used extensively in the consoles that decorate the eaves, around the main entrance, and on the bracketed window sills. The weathered stucco exterior and mission-tile roof are further components of the Mediterranean Revival style. From 1958 to 1965, the Unitarian Church occupied the home.
![](https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/The-Marble-House-Bryson-Residence.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=1e2aef08ab45d11a2f3fd010e63dfac8 320w, https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/The-Marble-House-Bryson-Residence.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=1f394608ad08ac3549c8ede6a3dab4a3 540w, https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/The-Marble-House-Bryson-Residence.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=2baf677f345565a5ea20f1fe54f69aa3 768w, https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/The-Marble-House-Bryson-Residence.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=e12b1ea8d85db9c7691279e2beb6e6f9 1024w, https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/The-Marble-House-Bryson-Residence.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=2809c46f987710d68b8cf8593b839271 1140w)
Stop 7
The Marble House (Bryson Residence) - 1704 Avondale Avenue
Due to its prominent location, the "Marble House" has been one of the most well-known symbols of Avondale's elegance since the time of its completion. It is an interesting variation of the Mediterranean Revival style, with classical elements such as the ornate entrance porch and a balustrade across the terrace. The most unusual feature of the house is its exterior veneer, which is marble quarried in Georgia. Most of the ornamentation on the main facade is also marble, including the cartouches that flank the upstairs balcony, the arched bas-relief panels over the French doors, and the frieze on the entry porch. The residence was originally built in 1928 at a cost of over $70,000 for contractor Walter Bryson, who had to sell the house shortly after completion due to the "crash" at the end of the Florida Land Boom. However, his son was able to buy the house back fifteen years later and still lives there.
![](https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/Max-Knauer-Residence.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=6601e9280f1b315feca20ae814be34fd 320w, https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/Max-Knauer-Residence.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=567e7e983a10af8542541c6d7d11fb2a 540w, https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/Max-Knauer-Residence.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=4852f0d8ec3a75312d93ede4016b4012 677w)
Stop 8
Max Knauer Residence - 3404 St. Johns Avenue
Influenced by the palaces of Venice, Italy, this superb Mediterranean Revival residence is a prominent landmark on St. Johns Avenue. It was designed by architect Jefferson Powell, shortly after he returned from a trip to Venice. The main entrance projects as a two-story pavilion, whose dramatic ogee arch as well as the star-wheel motif in the balcony are taken from the Palazzo Contarini-Fasan on Venice's Grand Canal. Various other types of arches highlight the windows, with columns, stylized leaded-glass panels, and several other kinds of brick and cast-stone ornamentation. The porch and porte-cochere are dominated by arches and have crenelated parapets. Even the chimneys have arched windows in them. This mission-tile roof is typical of a Venetian residence. The house was built for Max Knauer, a prominent hardware dealer, at a cost of over $30,000 in 1929.
![](https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/Witschen-Residence.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=6a83f73d588ad2e119c4279be281a96f 320w, https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/Witschen-Residence.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=0cd802e23f9e51a816902994c2dc6f9c 540w, https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/Witschen-Residence.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=cbabedbca8774784c94fa73310ba576d 768w, https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/Witschen-Residence.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=219cf51c3648b4603307df12d4574a9b 1004w)
Stop 9
Witschen Residence – 1822 Edgewood Avenue
The prominent location of this elevated corner lot allowed the architect Jefferson Powell to use Tudor and Jacobethan Revival motifs to create a castle-like effect. The design enables the house to face on both Edgewood and Pine, turning the corner in an interesting way and giving the building an appearance of breadth. A crenelated parapet formalizes the intersection and serves as the main entrance. The balustraded terrace on the Pine Street side also contributes to the appearance of a fortress. Typical of the Tudor style, there is a good deal of randomness within the overall symmetry, including eight different window styles, three different styles of brick bonds, and cut stone placed irregularly around the central facade. It was built in 1927.
![](https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/3644-Richmond-Street.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=f1d908bc82361b8b17a00358edc75506 320w, https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/3644-Richmond-Street.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=ac15f261c50f95b55e2e615b3dc5506d 540w, https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/3644-Richmond-Street.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=a25d6fc228f5bc523b354b38fa36b6c0 735w)
Stop 10
3644 Richmond Street
Built for businessman Robert V. Covington in 1925, this is another excellent Mediterranean Revival mansions. Designed by architects Marsh & Saxelbye, it was constructed of hollow tile covered with stucco and has a red tile roof. The facade features ornamental wrought-iron balconies and grilles, as well as decorative cast-stone around the entrance.
![](https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/Edward-W.-Lane-Residence.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=daf450a2a1abe0daa5ffac10dc8bfa7c 320w, https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/Edward-W.-Lane-Residence.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=27019344e59f99429cd911ca5b9b3485 540w, https://visit-jacksonville.imgix.net/images/archive/Edward-W.-Lane-Residence.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=7a462afc861e37a53ce9924692bd8d9b 643w)
Stop 11
Edward W. Lane Residence – 3730 Richmond Street
This outstanding riverfront mansion on Richmond Street is the epitome of the Tudor Revival style in Jacksonville. It was built at a cost of over $130,000 in 1928 for the family of Edward W. Lane, one of the founders of the Atlantic National Bank. Mrs. Lane worked closely with the architectural firm Marsh & Saxelbye to adapt the features she admired most in English architecture. The exterior of the house is a compendium of Tudor Revival architectural details: half-timbering with pegged joints, leaded-glass windows, a slate roof, Tudor-style arches over the doors and some windows, ornamental cast stone, massive chimneys with star-shaped stacks and chimney pots, steep gables with ornate vergeboards, and random-shaped limestone blocks that trim the windows, doors, and corners. The interior is also exceptional. It contains pegged oak floors, elaborate beamed and sculpted plaster ceilings, wainscoting, massive fireplaces, and an octagonal breakfast room with a gold-leaf ceiling. As the biggest house on the largest lot in the entire neighborhood, the Lane residence embodies a style and elegance that is purely Avondale.
Photo credit: Dr. Wayne W. Wood.
Information credit: Jacksonville's Architectural Heritage-Landmarks for the Future.