70 Washington Street

70 Washington Street

70 Washington Street, St. Augustine, Fla. 32084

Eubanks, Clifton

Funeral Home

The eastern section of Dumas Tract Subdivision, the genesis of Lincolnville, is bounded on the north by Bridge Street, and 18th century thoroughfare which led to one of three late colonial San Sebastian River ferry crossings. The subdivision is also in the vicinity of the early 18th century Indian village of Palica. The tract evolved out of two early 19th century Spanish land grants to Bartolo Juarez and Gaspar Papy, a prosperous Greek merchant who came to St. Augustine from New Smyrna in 1777.Both soon developed some of the first commercial orange groves in Florida. By the late 1830's, the grants were consolidated by Peter Sken Smith, a prominent Territorial period land speculator, who subdivided much of the tract and commenced selling lots. The economic depression of the 1840's ended attempts to develop the areas on the fringes of the old city, and by 1840 Phillip Weedman and Peter Dumas, county clerk and post-civil war leader of the Florida Radical Republicans, acquired most of the property formerly belonging to Smith. After the war, the community of Africa soon developed on the marshes of the Maria Sanchez Creek as newly freed Blacks began renting the property from the city. Africa, later called Lincolnville, extended along the banks of the creek and by the early 1870's, Blacks began buying lots and building homes along Central Avenue and Benedict Street. Construction along the Oneida and Bridge Streets commenced later in the decade. By 1885, Lincolnville was a rapidly growing Black community, although some Whites lived along Bridge Street next to the Craddock Hotel. The eastern edge of Lincolnville, Washington Street, became a prosperous Black commercial district in the first several decades of the 20th century. By that time, Lincolnville had extended beyond its original boundaries into adjacent areas, particularly Genovar and Atwood Tract Subdivisions. Today, Lincolnville generally refers to the all Black neighborhoods in the southwest peninsula.

Over the years the commercial building at 70 Washington Street has been used for several types of businesses. Among these include: Moses and Ike Kukowsky, merchants [1904] and who also lived in the building; L. O. Davis, grocer and father of former sheriff L. O. Davis, Jr., occupied part of the building in 1904; and in 1934, Dr. J Thomas G. Freeland, a Black physician had his offices here.

The two and one-half Frame Vernacular commercial building at 70 Washington Street was constructed between 1885 and 1893 and is one of the earlier structures built in this area. The 1893 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map shows this building as a two story dry goods store with a two story front porch. In 1899 it was used as a grocery store, as in 1904, but with a one-story addition on the rear. By 1917 it is vacant and both the 1924 and 1930 maps just list it as stores. By 1930, however, the addition on the rear expanded to the north leaving the building rectangular instead of L-shaped and raised two stories. After 1930 the open porches were added to the rear and to the north sides giving the building its final T-shape. The original wood siding such as the jigsawn brackets and rafters, the jigsawn porch balustrade and the turned spindle posts on the second floor open porch. Although the building is vacant and deteriorating, it could still be restored. It is one of the few surviving Victorian wood-frame commercial structures in St. Augustine. With its gingerbread trim and two-story front porch, it contributes to the streetscape of Washington Street.

The Lincolnville area was first developed along Washington Street after the Civil War. But the development that preceded its heyday took place in the Flagler Era. The 1885 Birdseye ciew of St. Augustine shows churches and small residences scattered along the banks of Maria Sanchez Creek. The 1894 Birdseye shows the Creek filled in, where the Ponce de Leon and Alcazar Hotels and Ponce de Leon Barracks were built. By this time several commercial buildings had been constructed along Washington Street. By the early 20th century it played the role of "Main Street" in Lincolnville. It has been an area of combined usages--residential buildings shared the street with churches, commercial and fraternal buildings. Many buildings along the street have combined usages as well with commercial first floors and residential second floors. Washington Street has some of the city's few surviving wooden Victorian commercial structures. Earlier buildings along the street are wood frame. Later ones are masonry. There are problems of deterioration, abandonment, vandalism, and demolition of buildings along Washington Street. In recent years the Lincolnville Restoration and Development Commission has worked to reverse these trends. They encouraged the city to put in a new street and sidewalks to deal with a serious drainage problem. The street, though it has lost many distinctive features over the years, still retains a suggestion of the overhang, whether porch, balcony or awning, that once contributed to the distinctive look of the street, and might be easily restored. Washington Street is adjacent to the downtown area of St. Augustine, and the towers of the Ponce de Leon and Alcazar Hotels loom over the street from the north.

1914-1915 Restaurant, Albert Natiel
1916-1917 Restaurant, Albert Natiel
1934 Physician, Thos G Freeland
1937 Holmes and Johnson Funeral Home
1937 Physician, Thos G Freeland
1940 Dry Goods, Judson Ayers
1951 Slim’s Place

David Nolan

Alexandria Kledzik

Florida Master Site File

Historic St. Augustine Preservation Board

7811

Site No. 8SJ2316