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STentative Outline for Arrivas House
I. Interpretative Objective
A. British Period Silversmith
B. With exceptions, first floor resembles the building at
the end of the British period. (See Summary)
II. The Building
A. Restored in 1961 by the St. Augustine Historical
Restoration and Preservation Commission
B. First house remains: c. 1650-1702
1. tabby walls and floors (similar to Gallegos)
2. rare concrete structure before 1702 destruction of
city
3. originally a one room structure with additional
rooms added
4. coquina wall in northeast room (rarely used before
1702)
5. study of first house remains based on 1960 research
a. re-evaluation necessary
C. Destroyed in 1702 seige by Spanish military commander
1. all building within a musket shot of the fort (750 feet)
razed to the ground as a defense measure
D. Rebuilt with coquina: c. 1710-1740
1. part of general building program in stone; by 1764,
36 percent of all structures in St. Augustine were
made of coquina, 41 percent were tabby, 23 percent
were wood
2. rebuilt on same wall lines as former tabby structure
3. house plan:
a. two large rooms
b. loggia (roofed porch) to south
c. tabby patio to north
d. well in rear (present well reconstructed
atop original)
E. Alterations and additions by 1764
1. building assumes L-shape
2. three rooms added as a southwest wing
a. less expensive tabby used in construction of
three of the walls
b. coquina used to construct southernmost wall
3. north-south coquina partition subdivided two large
rooms
a. perhaps partition dates from the British period
4. possible wood frame second floor, but sufficient
evidence is lacking to verify its existence
5. house located in a respectable neighborhood
a. with exception of the Gomez house, all buildings
on both sides of St. George from Cuna to Ft.
Lane were constructed of either tabby or stone
6. 1764 value of house: 3,462 pesos
F. British period
1. addition of fireplace in southeast room (presently
used as a silversmith workshop)
2. possible construction of north-south partition
(See II-E-3-a)
G. Second Spanish Period
1. possible addition of wood frame second floor
H. Early American Period (Territorial Florida)
1. c. 1830: first documented evidence of a second floor
a. use of cut nails to date second floor
2. c. 1830: probable destruction of three-room south-
west wing
III. Proprietors
A. 1730's: don Diego Ripalido (conjectural)
1. born in Palermo, Sicily of Spanish parents
2. Lieutenant in Infantry in the garrison
3. 1738: married Ursula Avero
4. 1747: died
B. c. 1748-1764: don Raimundo de Arrivas
1. first documented owner
2. Second Lt. in Infantry: First Lt. by 1759
3. 1748: married Ursula Avero, widow of Ripalido
4. six children born in St. Augustine; one in Havana, Cuba
C. 1764-1785: Jesse Fish and others (?)
1. reexamination of documentary evidence necessary
2. Fish was agent in the sale of Spanish properties
3. never paid the Arrivas family the money for the house
D. 1785-1824: don Tad&L de Arrivas
1. 1767: born in Havana to don Raimundo de Arrivas
and Ursula Avero (1748-1764 owners of house)
2. 1785: appointed clerk of the Royal Treasury
3. reclaimed house from Fish without permanent
deed
4. 1790: married Maria Garcia Perpal
a. Perpal from propertied St. Augustine family
5. four children
6. by 1815: Accountant (contador) of Royal Treasury
7. 1819: returned to Cuba
8. 1824: sold building and lot to John Oates for $1,200
E. 1824-1960: twenty-five changes in ownership
1. July 1, 1960: purchased by St. Augustine Historical
Restoration and Preservation Commission
IV. Summary
A. House located on same site since mid-17th century
B. House built on 17th century wall lines
C. Restored first floor
1. resembles structure at the end of the British period
a. four interior rooms with southern porch,
fireplace in workshop area, and well in rear
b. exceptions:
(1) no rear three room wing
(2) presence of second story debatable
M. Scardaville
September 1977
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