SP.ge MSrteen -



(Historic harlotte


;. &I EW LOOKING NORTH . This old view shows the Kings Warehouse after it
i' rhad bee-.:remodeled into a private home and a third story and balcony added. Older resi-
denti -rememer this as a handsome residence many years ago. In later years a Chinese restau-
,' rant"ahoe-3epair shop and a newspaper office were maintained in the building at different times.
'' "''. iCe' Fin the left fore ground in the pictuer stands on the site of the present County
S.. Couithoa ,. '.

: ', ',1 7 '
." .. 'SP
Y~.: W


Phrtr couritf y r S Aut i'.ir,, Hlsroca.?.! ..I-'y
RUTH ON CHARLOTTE STREET FROM TREASURY STREET ... At the
.in the above photograph can be seen the structure which still stands on the
t side of the property owned by Mrs. Elbridge Gerry Snow. It is of Spanish
tz'undergone many changes through the years although the original walls have
Silly the same. Next left to this is sho%,n a house that was once the residence Lit
Pind Forbes. This trading company played a prominent part in the history of
j'be'English and Second Spanish occupations of the area. At the right can be
intrmh r'ed Henderson House and beyond it the St. Augustine Hotel.
.'. .
C'', '".+;;' -<,


THE ST.AUGUSTINE RECORD



Street Has


Fires Have Erased Most

Of OldBuildings; Was One


Of First Business Streets
(Note: This is the fourteenth in a series of articles written
around old photographs showing St. Augustine in earlier da3e. Ap-
preciation for data supplied stid photographs used is expres-ed to .:
Mrs. A. M. Johnson, librarian of the Florida Historical Society; '
Mrs. A. J. Moulds, librarian of the St. Augustine Historical So- .. ,*.. ,
city, and Mrs. Reginald White.
BtJpi Leonard
Although Charlotte Street was the first business street to '
evolve in St. Augustine, it.continued to be the location of sub-
stantial residences of many of the town's prominent families.
Because of disastrous fires and the modernizing hand of man, "
very little remains on this old thoroughfare today to remind one
of the important part it played in the history of St. Augustine. '
Three devastating fires did much
to erase early Spanish traced from occasion than a business one.
Charlotte Street. The fire of 1887, M is Lizzie herself was a person .
which gutted the historic Cathedral of great culture and many talents. '
and levelled the Si. Augustine HI- Her aSt charm and warmr perion- i
tel also took its oll on Char!otte e ality assured her an enviable po-
Street. inthe first block North. of sti)n in the town's best cial .
the Plaza. circles.
The fire of 1895, which started Cathedral Organist
in a blacksmith's -hop midway be- Music was one of the main in- '
tween Treasuiry and Hypulita terests of her life and for a i.urn-
Streets, burned Northward toward her of yeirs she was organist at
the Fort Green causing nmuhe danim the Cathedral. Sidney Lanier, the ANOTHER EARLY VIEW L
age. The city's worst holocaust, in South's renowned poet, was a per- taken just north of Baa
14, started in the F da Huse sonal friend of Miss Lizzie's ad taken just north o Baa le s
and burned Eastward to the Bay they frequently played musical ran between the two old coquin
leveling everything in its path duets together. was used as a store house at one
*After each of-these disaster. Those who were fortunate in the other one at one time. "
some individuals telt called upon to enough to visit the Smith home its brigin ,in this area.
hail them as blessings in disguise. remember their calls with muoh
These unenlightened persons be-' pleasure. Entrance was made
iieved that the picturesque old fIrough a wooden gate in the high r* ,
Spanish structures had autlved wall into the quaint old garden at
their usefullitess'and that the oioo- the North of the residence. Bert
causts had cleared the way f1or remembered about the garden is
modern buildings to take their ithe fragrence of the Devonien:i-
place, uniampeped by any binding roses that seemed to be nearly al-
historic traditions. ways blooming in great profuszinn.
T.he furnishings of the nose it-
Even at the time these menr were ,
wriEven at the time these en were self bespoke of the cultural tastes
writing, many others were drij- .Its iabrtants. Evidence of
irig the wisound Lrac.rics the:: we &6f its inhabitants. Evidences of
adi ng the veound t c though most6f usical and literary, interests were
advocating. Even though mosst i F be seen throughout the resi-
them did it out of sentimental, once. Richly bound books in sev-
undis,'ingUiished arclhitectial stu-ral languages reposed in the ma-
still others realized that each new ra a r in th ma-
undisinguished archtectual str-. ogany bookcases and current En-
ture that. was erected on the site gar i bookcases and current En-
of the former residences of the ish and French periodical lay
city's pioneers took an intangible e home was damaged in the
something away from the charm Te home was damaged in-t
and atmosphere of the coutr" re 'of 1887, but was restored so .-.
oldest permanent European schtr hat it, was ready' fo'r the owners'
oldet peanent Eupean occupancy upon their return from
ment? the North in the fall., The total. i
Within the past 20 years2ain' destruction of the structure came .
W'illiariburg as an exanye, P about as a result of the 1t14 fire. ."
ple have coine to realize rha .At the time of this fire, Miss '
ALugusrine could heeoram. ;duficwi- afsF e was ill and alone at her
ent LfuindS and ae.,ive.,,coettidn home., Friends remembered her,
could be made available epr- however, and came to carry her to
tunately the majority of the\Vea.y'safety. Her lifelong home was i
historic structures in St. Ahgu- goi and Miss Lizzie lived for a
tine are now in the hands of in-' time with different friends and
dividuals or groups who appreciate tVn secured lodging at the Ben-
their antiquity. nett House. When the Monson
Perhaps the first large scale was rebuilt, she made her home
business enterprise to be estab- there close to the site of her for-
lished in St. Augustine was the mer residence. Out of loyalty to
branch of Panton, Leslie an~ her home street, Miss Lizzie re-
Forbes, which operated over the quested a room on the West or
entire Southeastern part of tne Charlotte Street side of the hotel.
present United States during the When she died, after having
British occupation of Florida. lived in St. Augustine more thai SAME VIEW TAKEN AT SOl
Through gifts and bounties, this 80 years, Miss Lizzie was with Charlotte Street at the time the
concern weilded vast influence Miss London. still on her beloved sisted of round wooden blocks
among the Indians in the areas. Af- Charlotte Street. The two old buildings, which sl
ter the Spanish regained. posses- Mary Hernandez The two olved banildngs, which a
sion of Florida in 1783,' the Kingf another beloved esidentofSt. what improve and a balcony
Spain- permitted this concern to Augustine remembered in con- steps and front.porch of the fra
flourish due to its influence and section with Charlotte Street is story building next to it was a b
the fact that' he realized it woIuld the late Mrs; Joseph V. Hernan-
take years to .build up a similar dez. Mrs. Hernandez was born .
enterprise under Spanish direction;. Mary Dolores Masters, the elde-t s
Ponton, Leslie And Forbes daughter of Captain John Masters. "
The.office of Paiton, Leslie ahnd At the time the War Between
Forbes in St. Augustine was lo-, the States broke out, Mrs. Her-
cated in the old'coquinabuidipg riez wa residing in the house
at the corner of'Bay and Treasury immediately North of the Smith-
Streets which had formerly been Tieschla house on Charlotte,
the Spanish jail. This: building is Street. Mr. Hemrandez, along with
best remembered by local residents others of military age in the city,'
as having .bden the location df 6.asnot long in offering his serv-
Vedder's museum. i'es to the Confederate army.
The trading firni owned attract Wth all of her male relatives
of. property that ran from Bayj ofmilitary age serving with the
Street through to Charlotte. John Confederate forces, Mrs. Hernan- i
'Leslie, who was in charge of the de' as were.many other local
St. Augustine operations, main- women, was left to pianage as best '
St. Augustine .operations, main-a small
tained-a home across Charlotte cld for herself and sm
Street from the present Fraternal children. o
B iWhen Union forces occupied St. 3
Building. Augustine, Mrs. Hernandez did not .
Among the places of business on feel inclined to show them any
Charlotte Street that are still re- friendliness. Because of her in-
miembered by local residents are friendliness and the fact that her
Mr. Sabate's store, Watts stoce, husband wes an memer of the V .''
Miss Jenks variety store and Mr. Confederate forces, Mrs. Hernan-
Bunting's furniture store and un- dez' ome was cofisated and shei
dertaking parlor. and her three srall daughters
One of the best-remembered and were exiled from small daughter
most-revered residents of Charlotte Along with 87 other nrn-ombat,-
Street h w the late Miss Lizzie ants.(old men, wo.Aen and chil-
Smith. Herhome was atthe North- dren),.they were put aboard a
west corner of Charlotte and Federal tugboat ard taker fiom VIEW TAKEN ON TREASUR
Treasury Streets where the Mon- the ci A few possesins which photograph was taken.
son Annex now stands. Mrs. ernandez attempted to take ros the ph otograph was taken.
Miss Lizzie's father was John with her were placed on another Across the narrow portion of -
Brown Smith and her mother was vessel and never seen again. this time a shingled second store
the daughter of Joseph and Chris- The group was put a'hoie and At the right foreground is the
tina Otilia Strischka, who are be- virtually abandoned at St. Mar's _
lived to have come to Florida at and Mrs. Hernandez was hard-
about the time the territory be- pressed to find ever, neage' food Heinandez, credited her with be-
came a United States possession. and shelter for herself and chil- i;n the fit-t v- oomn after the war
The Strischka family is believed dren. After. much nandetirng and to e'tah',Sh a real hr.oadiiig bouse
to have been connected with Swed- many hardships, the brave iwomjan in St. Augut;ine.
ish nobility, finally brought her daughters. to B. Genovar
At the time Miss Lizzie is best Orange Mills where she .nanagF-J An.:ther ilae lo:-ely as".ciar-
remembered she lived in the family to care for them until t.lhe war ed ~'-ith iClarlor: St reel, an
home with her mother and two tpnded. with the :it:.' as a rhole, is that.


aunts, the Misses Josephine and After the cessation. of hosti.lti of the late Bartals Genovar. 'his
Mary Treschka. The family lost Mrs. Hernandez returned to St. higlilyre'pected citizen passed
most of its wealth during the War Augustine and was ieit.ild ..itha-..,' a f,-. Idaysi ao v hen he waC
Between the States and during the her husband. The lattei had .heen ri.'le ihm ,n.i :-.al- of e.
reconstruction years was hard- imprisoned since th. la t bat ri,' f Alth"uch He iad many bu-
pressed along with most of the Nashville and suffei-d, due to tti s ,"n'i'' In t, ciie thrr.ougn-
other old families of the town. until the time of his death ab-hit out ihe :rt'.r. Mi, t.Ge',:,r ,
For a time, Mrs. Smith and her 1877. p.l,ait:.- ,e.t-ieienih.ered for
sister operated a Thread and The indomitable Marv Dol:.'te' "Ge,...ai. O ir.era il.'ue," w.hir.i
Needle Shop in a portion of the MIasters Hernande7 contiiued. to ,.:,l ,.-tr,' e.i ,n tlhe file 'f 1914.
lower floor of their home. The prove herself capa .Ile ,f Il,-eell' I The i;i- n..ai fii '- I',:.ni wa-
dignity of its proprietresses made all crisises until the Imn oIt her lo..3!'1 on the S.utlhea..t corner
calls at the shop more of a social death. Her son, the late Henry of Charlotte and Cuna Streets.


"'. Photo courtesy. St. Atgi stine'i
COOKING SOUTH ON CHARLOTTE STRE
hoos the old street as it appeared iri the. 187
a buildings in the left foreground. The first
timr by Bunting's furniture company. RetaiYs
The'fiie of 1895, which burned North-on Charlpj

IA'


.t 'r7
d i'


RY STREET.. rick paving had been laid at.t .l
At left can be san the balcony and entrance to the Salai'
Treasury Street the property now owned by Mrs,.nSrti~
y and balcony been built on the old first'story coqif,
corner of the Co y Courthouse site.