History of the Buckland House

George Buckland and family in Jacksonville

The Buckland House is significant to the social history as well as the architectural history of Jacksonville, FL.  The home was built around 1909 (property appraiser records have final construction date recorded as 1912) and it currently serves as the headquarters for Riverside Avondale Preservation (RAP) as well as the Riverside Arts Market (RAM).

The Buckland Family The house on Herschel Street appears to have been built for the Buckland Family and was owned by this family for nearly eighty years.  Former owner George Buckland practiced law in Ohio with his father, Ralph Buckland, who was a colleague of former US president Rutherford B. Hayes in the 1840s and a former mayor of Freemont, OH, former member of the US House of Representatives, and a leader of the 72nd Ohio infantry during the Civil War.  George Buckland  moved to Jacksonville in 1908 to work for the gas company.  He was known for his weekly column, "Family Pages from the Past" published in the Florida Metropolis newspaper.  He married Grace Huntington and had two daughters: Mary and Charlotte. 

Buckland House Becomes the French Primary School
In 1918, Grace and daughter Mary founded the French Primary School at the Buckland House.  Grace taught the children French, while Mary attended to their primary education, "The Three R's." The Buckland family continued to live in the home while it served as a school.  There are accounts of the butler and maid assisting with moving the furniture to accommodate for desks and such. The French Primary School taught some of Jacksonville's most prominent citizens and operated until Mrs. Buckland's death in the 1940s.  Daughter Charlotte never taught at the School, but taught Biology at Duval County Public Schools. 

Buckland House Donated to RAP for Headquarters
From 1978 to 1990, RAP was headquartered on 2624 Riverside Avenue.  The expansion of St. Vincents Medical Center made the relocation of 2624 necessary for that home's only salvation.  RAP saved the house by moving it to Powell Place, a street zoned for strictly residential use, and in the process lost it as its offices.  Harry Blanton, a long-time supporter and resident on Herschel Street, learned of RAP's predicament and reached out to Helen Chatfield Black of Cincinnati, OH who had inherited the Buckland House from her cousin Charlotte Buckland in 1990. Mrs. Black was so moved by RAP's story and circumstance that in an extraordinary act of generosity deeded the Buckland House to our organization. The Buckland House was officially dedicated as our new headquarters on March 16, 1991.  This year marked the 20th anniversary of RAP owning the Buckland House.

Support the Riverside Trolley Service

JTA is hosting a public hearing Friday, July 23 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 4 - 6 p.m. at the JTA administrative offices at 100 N. Myrtle Avenue. The purpose of the hearing is to present proposed changes to the transit system (including Riverside Trolley) that go into effect September 6, 2010, and get public feedback.

Proposed changes include combining the Riverside Trolley and the WS1 (Ortega-NAS) to create one route from downtown along Riverside Avenue to King Street, then south on St. Johns Avenue to Herschel Street, and west onto San Juan to Roosevelt Boulevard, then north to FSCJ Kent Campus.
The headway would be 30 minutes. During the lunch time, an additional vehicle is being considered to increase frequency to 15 minutes. The Ortega portion between FSCJ Kent and NAS main gate would be served by a Community Shuttle during peak hours only. A new NAS Community Shuttle would operate on base during peak hours connecting at the main gate with the Ortega Community Shuttle.

Support for the proposed Riverside Trolley service is critical to its continued success, so please take a moment to comment on the proposed new Riverside Trolley Service. If you can't able to attend the public hearing, you can submit their comments on the proposed route before the public hearing at the www.JTAFLA.com website or simply by clicking here.

This Weekend at RAM!

The River Stage will be very busy again tomorrow. Tyler Denning starts things off singing and playing guitar at 10:30am. Matt McLaughlin takes stage at 11AM, and then Players by the Sea presents a special excerpt from the musical 'Hair' at 11:30. Will Pearsall, our featured performer, finishes the day playing acoustic/blues/folk music from 12:30 to 3:30pm. See you under the bridge!

Blessing of the Fleet

The City of Jacksonville Office of Special Events and Captains' Club presents the annual Blessing of the Fleet.

Sunday, April 5, 2pm
Northbank Riverfront Park.

Bring the whole family to the downtown riverfront to witness many of the First Coast's finest vessels as they participate in the visually-stunning blessing ceremony. Typically, more than 150 vessels participate in the Blessing, ranging from ships to kayaks

For more information or to register your boat, click here or call (904) 630-3690.

Submissions a now being accepted for the April's Bird Show.
All work has to be bird related and submitted
to shopbogda[at]gmail.com by March 23rd to take part.

LISC Jacksonville 10th Anniversary Neighborhood Photo Contest

Hey teens! LISC, a non-profit organization that helps to build better communities in underserved neighborhoods, is sponsoring a photo contest for teens 12-18 to celebrate their 10th anniversary of serving Jacksonville. Teens who live in North Riverside and in the District north of Park Street are eligible. For more information, visit the contest site for rules and map of neighborhoods.

Win prize money! Win a photography lesson! Have your work on display at the June ArtWalk!

Household Hazardous Waste And E-Waste Mobile Collection Schedule Announced

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Dec. 4, 2008 – The City of Jacksonville Solid Waste Division will host six household hazardous waste and electronic waste (e-waste) mobile collection events throughout the city.

The 2008-2009 schedule is as follows:

Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
Oceanway Park, 12215 Sago Ave.
0.5 miles north of 9A and Main Street (Highway 17)

Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
Ed Austin Regional Park, 3450 Monument Rd
0.4 miles from intersection of McCormick Rd and Monument Rd

Saturday, March 7, 2009, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
Blue Cypress Park, 4012 University Blvd. N.
0.8 miles north of University Boulevard N. and Ft. Caroline Road

Saturday, March 14, 2009, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
Crystal Springs Park, 9800 Crystal Springs Road
1.5 miles east of Chaffee Rd and Crystal Springs Rd intersection

Saturday, April 4, 2009, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
Mandarin Park, 14780 Mandarin Road
Go south on San Jose Boulevard toward Julington Creek. Turn right onto Westbury Road and left on Mandarin Road.

Saturday, April 25, 2009, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
Atlantic Beach City Hall parking lot, 800 Seminole Road
Located 0.5 miles north of Atlantic Boulevard

PLEASE NOTE: This event was originally scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 6 (this weekend) but was postponed to the spring. Directional signage will be posted on the day of the event.

E-Waste
With the impending digital television transition (DTV) and the approaching holiday season, the division is also prepared to accept e-wastes as residents replace older televisions and other electronics.

Residents are encouraged to utilize a mobile collection or the Household Hazardous Waste Facility, 2675 Commonwealth Ave., for the recycling of electronic wastes. The HHW Facility is open Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Types of waste which may be brought to one of the mobile events or to the HHW Facility include:

• Televisions*
• Computer monitors*
• Computer terminals
• CPUs
• Keyboards
• Printers
• Scanners
• Stereo equipment
• Radios
• VCRs
• DVDs
• Camcorders
• Desk and mobile phones
• Pagers
• Power tools
• Small kitchen appliances (i.e. microwaves, toaster ovens)
• Health and beauty appliances

*There is a limit of 3 Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs) and televisions per customer.
These items will be collected as part of normal garbage collection service if left at the curb. However, once these items enter the waste stream with normal garbage they cannot be recycled and are disposed of in the landfill. These items are only collected from residences. Businesses should check for available recycling centers to arrange for the recycling and/or disposal of any e-wastes.

Household Hazardous Waste
Household hazardous wastes cannot be collected curbside with regular trash. Residents may bring these items, however, to one of the scheduled mobile collection events or they may take items to the Household Hazardous Waste Facility located at 2675 Commonwealth Ave.

Types of waste which may be brought to one of the mobile events or to the HHW Facility include:

• Paint
• Paint thinners and paint strippers
• Rechargeable batteries
• Photographic chemicals
• Thermometers and thermostats
• Drain cleaners
• Pool chemicals
• Aerosol cans
• Pesticides
• Antifreeze
• Fertilizer
• Acids
• Gun powder
• Ammunition and fireworks
• Fluorescent bulbs and tubes, including CFL light bulbs

For more information or to arrange for special handling of unusual waste material, call (904) 630-CITY (2489) or visit www.coj.net keyword search hazardous waste. For more information on the national transition to digital television, visit www.coj.net key word search DTV.

Modern Masters ~ Live Art Auction

December 4, 2008 • 6:00pm - 9:00pm
R. Roberts Gallery

Featuring the original printmaking of Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro, Salvador Dali, Pierre Matisse (Henri Matisse’s formidable grandson), Henri Matisse and Georges Braque—all master painters who experimented with various forms of cutting edge printmaking – LIVE AUCTION BROUGHT BY THE OFFICIAL, TIME HONORED & FULLY AUTHENTICATED MASTER-WORKS REPRESENTATIVES AFNA.

Volunteers Needed!

RAP still has needs for volunteers to help with the Arts Festival in the following areas:

• Assist Artists
• Assist with Silent Auction
• Work in the Children's Zone
• Sell T-Shirts

Three shifts are available:

1. 9:30am to Noon
2. Noon to 2:30pm
3. 2:30pm to 5:30pm.

Please respond to Carmen Godwin, RAP Executive Director and provide your name, email, phone, day and time availability. Elaine Burnett, Volunteer Committee, will assign a spot for you and will confirm it with you. You may email her directly or call her at 389-4517.

Your help is very much appreciated and you are sure to have a great time.

Speaking of ReStore

Opening this month at 5800 Beach Boulevard is a new place to get your building materials. HabiJax will start selling surplus items this month. And it's not just a place to buy things for your restoration and renovation projects. Don't forget to get your COA before starting any projects! That said, if you have any items that are in good condition that you no longer need yourself, they just might be able to put them to good use as well. Give them a call at (904) 798-4529.

Public Meeting Regarding John Gorrie Jr. High

The school board is holding a community meeting on Tuesday, April 22, 2008 at 6 p.m. in the Lee High School auditorium to discuss the sale of John Gorrie. The former junior high school is located at the corner of Stockton and College Streets.

The school was built in 1923 and is now listed as an Historic Landmark by the Jacksonville Historic Landmarks Commission. It is also a contributing structure to the Riverside Historic District, which is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. It is owned by the Duval County School Board; however, the building no longer serves as a school and is being utilized primarily as a teacher supply depot for the School Board.

Teacher of the Year Finalit at Central Riverside Elementary

WJXT has a nice story about David Burrell on their News4Jax site. David is Central Riverside Elementary School's Teacher of the Year and is one of six finalists for Duval County's teacher of the year.

We are thrilled to have him teaching our kids. Good luck Mr. B!

Riverside Fine Art Series

The Spring Organ Series continues with Nathan Laube on March 30 at 3:00 pm at Jacoby Symphony Hall at the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts.

And don't forget that the Riverside Fine Arts Association puts on many great events in the district as well. Check out their calendar and mark yours!

New Restaurant to Open in Avondale this Summer

Jon Insetta, the owner of one of downtown Jacksonville's favorite restaurant, Chew, is planning to open a French-American eatery, dubbed Restaurant Orsay, at the old Crush location on Park Street. He is planning to renovate the location but will keep the "organic" decor of wood and brick. The restaurant will be divided into two rooms: The front will be an intimate area, while the back will have a more casual atmosphere. The front dining room will open first with seating for 60 following some cosmetic renovations. The hardwood pine framing and architecture will remain, but the bar will be reconfigured to allow for a full liquor menu instead of just beer and wine. The second phase will feature seating for another 60 to 90 patrons and will be a little more hip and up-to-date, but still rustic, warm and inviting.

Insetta said that the menu is still being finalized, but to expect French country-style meals with simple ingredients. In addition to traditional French dishes like steak tartar and old Crush favorites like the homemade fries and mussels, Restaurant Orsay will also feature a raw bar of oysters, shrimp, clams, lobster and crab. The renovations also include a remodeled wine cellar and tasting table for a 200-bottle wine list.

Important Zoning Overlay Community Meeting

On March 20, Councilman Michael Corrigan will be hosting a meeting to hear your concerns regarding the new zoning overlay bill that the city of Jacksonville plans to implement in our district and surrounding areas. This affects all of you.

The community meeting will be held on Thursday, March 20 at St. Paul's Catholic Church at 6:00 pm. Councilman Corrigan will conduct the meeting. The consultants will be there also. The format will be questions and open discussion about the issues. PLEASE PLAN TO ATTEND.

Musical Treat for Your Friday Night Date

Riverside Fine Arts Association presents Affabre Concinui, the Polish Chamber Singers, 8 p.m., Church of the Good Shepherd, 1100 Stockton St. Tickets: $25 adults, $10 students. (904) 389-6222.

And musical odyssey continues on March 2 at 2pm with the Organ Series featuring Scott Montgomery.

Appreciation Party for Bonnie Grissett

Friday, February 29
11am - 2pm

If you haven't yet heard, Bonnie Grissett has made good on her threat to retire. She has given us all so much over the years – her time, her sweat, her expertise and her friendship. Now it's time to thank her. Please join us in appreciation. We will have cake and punch.

Charlie Patton over at the Times-Union has a nice story about Bonnie and her work with RAP over the years.

We wish Bonnie all the best in her retirement. It is greatly deserved. She will be sorely missed.

When Does Modern Architecture Become Historic?

As the Jacksonville buildings from the 1950s and 60s pass into the 50-years-old category, many are now eligible to be considered historic landmarks. Ranch-style houses in Arlington? Unthinkable?? Many of the quirky and previously ignored buildings from the post-World-War II are now getting a second look. Although most of the buildings of this era will probably never rise above the level of mundane, there are many brilliantly designed buildings in Northeast Florida from this period that need to be recognized and preserved. Jacksonville has over 100 excellent remaining examples of Mid-Century Modern buildings, and some of these have achieved national recognition.

So we are going to have a very important seminar on this topic on Saturday, March 1, at the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens and will begin at 10:00 a.m. and last until 12:45 p.m. It will feature presentations from some of this city's greatest living architects – Robert Broward, Taylor Hardwick, and William Morgan – as well as nationally renowned architects, authors, and architectural historians – Alfred Browning Parker, Gene Leedy, Jan Hochstim, Alan Shulman, and Dr. Alfred Willis. Local architectural historian and preservationist Dr. Wayne Wood will moderate the symposium.

The morning symposium is free but reservations are a MUST! There is an optional afternoon Bus Tour (which includes Lunch & Refreshments) for $40.00. Reservations are required for the tour as well. To register, call Lane Manis, (904) 389-8421, Executive Director, AIA Jacksonville.

This very important seminar is sponsored by the Jacksonville Chapter of the American Institute of Architects and DOCOMOMO Florida. Our thanks to Dr. Wayne Wood for bringing this to our attention. More information can be found in a story at Jacksonville.com.

PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE

The Stormwater Advisory Committee (SWAC) invites all interested parties to attend the
District 14 Town Hall Meeting
to learn more about the stormwater utility and fee.

Thursday, February 21, 2008
6:30 p.m.
FCCJ – Kent Campus, D-120
3939 Roosevelt Blvd.
Jacksonville, FL 322

Please contact Marcy Cook, Dept. of Public Works at
(904) 255-8769 for additional information or correspondence.