RIVERSIDE HISTORIC DISTRICT

By  Mike Miller November 4, 2025

Riverside Historic District covers 687 acres west of downtown Jacksonville on the St. Johns River.

The area includes over 2,100 buildings from the late 1800s to the 1930s. Bungalows cover most lots and mansions line select streets.

The district joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. Riverside Avondale Preservation maintains the site. 

H.D. Smith house in Riverside

Plantations grew cotton and rice on the land in the 1850s. Elias Jaudon owned Magnolia Plantation, and after his death in 1871 subdivisions started.

In 1901 the Great Fire razed downtown so families moved west to Riverside for safety. Turpentine barons then built "The Row," a line of 50 mansions along Riverside Avenue. Just two survive today.

In 1909 New Riverside subdivision opened and drew in more families. Streetcars extended to Willow Branch Park by 1911, easing commutes.

World War I spurred a building boom and then the city annexed the area in 1919, folding it into Jacksonville proper.

Bungalows soon filled middle-class lots through the 1920s. The Olmsted firm designed Memorial Park's landscape in that era.

Hospitals grew in the 1950s, anchoring the north end. Interstate construction later razed some blocks in the 1960s.

Preservation efforts took root in the 1970s, and groups pushed back against further losses. Revitalization now protects the core. 

Five Points is a historic, vibrant, and eclectic neighborhood in Riverside known for its unique shops, diverse restaurants, and lively atmosphere.

It is a pedestrian-friendly district within the larger Riverside area, characterized by a five-way intersection and a strong sense of local culture and history, which dates back to its origins as part of the Dell's Bluff Plantation. 

The name comes from the five-way intersection where Park, Margaret, and Lomax streets converge, which has been a unique feature for decades.

The district centers on Riverside Avenue and St. Johns Avenue. It stretches from Myrtle Avenue to the river.

Reach it via Interstate 95, exit 347 for Roosevelt Boulevard, then head west. No fixed hours restrict the area. Explore it on foot at any time during the day.

Begin in Five Points with a coffee and walk the sidewalks amid the bungalows. Apps guide self-tours through neighborhoods.

Join three-hour guided walks on weekdays or weekends by reserving spots with local outfits. Street parking fills up fast; use lots near parks.

Follow the riverfront path for breezes. Catch events at Willow Branch Park, browse Saturday markets, and eat at cafes in old homes. Rent bikes for greenway paths. Enjoy yourself!

• 1521 Riverside Avenue mixes Shingle and Queen Anne styles. 

• The Marble House at 1704 Avondale Avenue uses Georgia white marble.

Riverside Baptist Church

• Riverside Baptist Church is the only church designed by Addison Mizner, the flamboyant architect of great mansions in Palm Beach and Boca Raton. He was the most important individual in popularizing the Mediterranean Revival style in Florida during the boom years of the 1920’s. 

• Helen Parrott commissioned her home after her husband's railway death. 

• Edward Lane's Tudor mansion cost over $130,000 in 1928. Thanks to inflation, that structure would cost $2,462,975  in 2025 dollars.

• Sidewalks hold 100-year-old hexagon pavers.

A Personal Memory of Riverside

My wife and I lived in an apartment in Riverside shortly after being discharged from the Navy in 1962.  It was a great place to live with miles of sidewalks and shady parks.  My daughter was born that  year at St. Vincent's Hospital in Riverside, the hospital where her mother received her Registered Nurse education.  A Navy shipmate got married that year in Riverside's First Baptist Church.

RIVERSIDE AVONDALE PRESERVATION WEBSITE

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