May 25, 1960


To: Mr. I.E. Wolfe Chairman
St. Augustine haterical Restoration and Preservation Ceomliem
Froms Bleanor P. Aarnes. No reply necessary.



Delighted to learn you new have the full Arrivas louse.
Suggest you have Mr. Pieht study closely the do la Reque
Nap of 1788. The Spanish version. There are two photestate.
GOe is translated but is not as faithful in repreduaties
as the Spanish whiskh shews the shaded areas which are the
loggias, eto...
2ad: Be sure and consult the British Maps, de Sells, NMerief,
Jeffory..ete...They are especially good for garden study and
feor beundries. Also they show the 1-shape of the house at
that t ie.
3rdS Pay special attention to the DISTANCE ea the north side
of the house throughout all the periods.
Oempare with the houses across the way at the time.
YoTeu must have a eseplete understanding of the full area before
you ean make any judgement at all.
At times you compute in Spanish varas and at others "sight" losaties
4th: Bear in mind that the house was probably built after 1702 and
pe-1763. That it may have been built after 1702 and pro 1717, too,
atufy the full history of the family as well.
From my observations and from my very deep study of this matter
I would say that the houses in 1763 were probably flat roofed,
of oeavy stone with Jutting windows, lattised type.
That they were built on the site of wooden houses which were
buretd sad destroyed in 1702. That the use of coquina was extensive
at this period and the two houses(or one house and another later)
were built of this coquinatperhaps tabby somewhere in its eomstruetiom)
I would say the whole property faced on the Poyal Road(St. *eorge St)
with a n-s measurement of about 87 feet. Now sometime da rng the
British Regime the north house, probably in a state of deeay,
came dowa. It was a well known fact that the British renovated
the town, making what they referred to as a thing of beauty"..








t...


lote the British maps. The squared areas in the rear and to the
side of the houses, similar to the formal gardens of the early
Williausburg period.
Note the large dots, assumed to be groves(orange and otherwise)
Note the lines, assumed to be fielda...Note the especially
detailed formality of the gardens behind government louse.
And that behind the de Leon louse(the house known today as the
O'Reilly Kouse on Aviles St. Convent owned)
Note the I-shape on all British Naps and on the 1788 Roque.
At this period, during the Br6tish Occupation, I would say it
assumed its L-shape. Ad I would say that the area where the
north house Mao... turned into a garden...
I venture to think that the house boasted a 2ad story at that
time and in all probality the north side haU few if any wiandee.
I feel sure there was a patio during the early Spanish days and a
walled in area. But I think this may have turned into a walled garden
with patio and lounge on the south side(where the business Servlie
is today) as it certainly was this on the 1788 Nap.
Roughly after the Spaniards returned and after Roque made this map
of 1788 it is easy to trace its outward features.
Just exactly where you step upon the sidewalk sad enter the
Uiea8ss Servrie door, you would then in 1788 be entering the
(at least 9ft. high) wall and gate(this is the extreme southern tip
of the property) You look right to the long logo probably arohed.
At the ead(one or the other) which certainly was an outdoor staircase.

The two rooms that faced the street probably did not enter into the
north yard but certainly the middle room would have.
It seems to be one room on the map.
he two west room bordering this long room (which may have been
two room but Just looked like one) looked out into the grove
and the back yard.
There was a third west room which probably entered east into
the patio sad west into Ithe baskyar.4 Definitely the house was
1-shaped after the British period or during it.
You can state definitely the L-shape about 1748 or prior.
Arrivas soul4 not have had it before 1748(or not too lou before)
Ne was nativee of the province of Old Castile, probably from Avila or
Toledo(T) married In August of 1748 to the Avero girl.







8....


Same years ago I met in our Libraby a Mr. Ripalido of
aatiego do Cuba. There was a tradition that the Arrivas Rouse
was originally the Ripalido louse,
I did not know It thea but I have since learned that Mrs. Arrlvas
was a widow when Raimundo married her and her name was Ursela
Avero Ripalido. She had married in 1758 Diego Ripaltdo..
In fact 'Don Diego RipalidoJ I did quite a basa ie on the family
to find out more about the Avero family.
4

Arrives' baekgrou d should be easy to obtain. I* father vwa
Don Praneisco Aloaso de Arrivas and his mother Dofta Manuela de Arrivae.
The Spanish Arehives or the local Chanoery in the vicinity of
Arevele might help. I have always found the European agencies
very helpful. I have done or had done considerable work ia research
on families in EMiorea, England(Bristol, London) ana in Priessoe, Italy.
Their archives are wondrousJ


mlop, this helps you.....