For my field study this week, I took a trip to a local park that demonstrates what life was like in Mandarin in the 1800's. Walter Jones Historical Park, is a piece of property that was donated to the city of Jacksonville by the descendants of Walter Jones, an average resident in Mandarin back in the 1800's, who decided the land, mostly untouched (as in the buildings and such have been only restored if they were damaged) would be great as a park.
 |
Me and My Girlfriend taking a picture in front of the
Barn |
In the park there are many buildings and structures that were necessary for everyday life for a family living on a homestead in Florida at the time. One of these buildings I visited was the property's barn. In the barn, equipment for the harvesting, storing and packaging produce was kept away from the elements of the bipolar weather systems of Florida. Also kept in the barn were various tools that were used for upkeep around the homestead, such as saws, hand-drills, and various other building tools.
 |
The Barn, constructed in 1876, was built from reused
lumber. It was used for storing farming implements
and produce to be shipped. |
Also seen on the property was where the Jones family kept their chickens. There was a full coop setup as well as a coop that was used so the chickens had a safe and comfortable place to sleep and lay eggs. This type of building served many families in 1800's Florida as a easy source for food during the months were food was in short supply. In fact, many residents of Florida still keep chickens for the easy access to a yummy breakfast item.
 |
Tools that were kept in the shed and used
around the homestead. |
Another area seen on the property of the homestead was a sawmill. In this area is where lumber was brought to be processed and turned into useable food the purpose of being used on buildings and structures that required wood on the homestead and the surrounding area. It is also worth mentioning that lumber was a prospering business in Mandarin back then and made up a lot of business in the area.
 |
This sawmill was one of dozens that littered
the coast of the St. Johns river in the 1800's |
Near the main house of the property, a farmstead was standing. This structure was a utility building and served whatever was currently needed. These uses were included, but not limited to, housing, extra storage and a play house for the children.
 |
The farmstead, a utility building for most Florida
homesteads. |
Next up on the tour is the main house, in this main house is where the family stayed. This impressive building was built with wood and was made to last through the weathering of Florida's extreme conditions. It has many parts of it that are often seen with other houses built in the south, such as an open front porch, detached kitchen and a foundation that was able to hold up through flooding and storms. This house in particular was built by Major William Webb to live in until the Jones family moved in and kept the property in good condition until 1992, when it was given to the city as a historical park.
 |
The main house of the property was very well taken
care of and was only retouched after major damage. |
Finally, on the exit of the property, a winery can be seen. This winery was a luxury business of the area and was used to grow grapes that are used to create wine. This winery, the Losco Winery, was owed by Italian immigrant, Francis Losco, who used the winery to grow enough grapes to produce 40 barrels of wine a year.
In the conclusion of this tour, I felt like I unlocked a part of Florida's rich history that I had no idea existed. It is especially breathtaking that there is history so rich in an area that is only a 10 minute drive away from me. The more I learn about Florida the more confident I am this is the state I'd like to live the rest of my life in.
 |
The winery building, where wine was processed and
put in barrels for the fermentation process. |
 |
The structure that the winery made to grow grapes
efficiently for making wine. |
 |
| The view of the riverfront of the property. |
Comments
Post a Comment