Open House - Clarke House/Clarke Cottage Tours
Historic Clarke House and Clarke Cottage Tours are held the second Sunday of each month from 2 PM to 4 PM. A quiet Sunday afternoon is the perfect time for a leisurely tour of the house, both up and downstairs, and the cottage. It’s free and guided by members of the Historical Society of Orange Park. Private Guided Tours are available to homeschool, civic and social groups! To schedule a free guided tour, contact the Historical Society of Orange Park at info@ophistory.org. Groups will be scheduled based on the availability of guides.
ORANGE PARK MEMORIES - HELLMUTH HOUSE by Cindy Cheatwood
This house was designed by James Gurren, a local builder. A five-acre tract of Benjamin Stiles's former holdings was acquired in 1911 by Lincoln and Emma Spencer of Jacksonville who developed the houses at 1434 and 1454 River Road about 1913. The Spencers lived in Orange Park until about 1916, when they moved to Jacksonville. Lincoln was secretary of the Marshall and Spencer Company of Jacksonville, a building supply company.
The Spencers probably occupied the dwelling at 1434 River Road and developed this dwelling for rental property. and retained ownership of the two properties until 1917, when they divided their holdings, selling the house at 1454 River Road to John and Mayme Elton of Jacksonville. Elton, a real estate agent, also used the home as a seasonal and weekend retreat. He sold the residence about 1919 to Richard Sasnett, a native of Georgia who arrived in Jacksonville about 1917 and for a brief period operated a real estate company. Several years later, he moved to Orange Park.
Between 1913 and 1915, Spencer served as a commissioner on the Orange Park town commission, as town clerk in 1914, and between 1929 and 1931, he served as mayor of the town. About 1920, he built a second, smaller two-bedroom dwelling behind the house for his mother- in-law, Lucy Bophern. In 1919, Richard Sasnett, mayor of Orange Park from 1929-1932, made this his home.
In 1963, John and Vera Hellmuth and their three sons purchased the house from Mr. McGiffen, the owner since 1946. It has been the Hellmuth family ever since. John was the owner of Culligan Water Service in Jacksonville and served as mayor of Orange Park. Vera was very involved in the Garden Club of Orange Park. They were members of Grace Episcopal Church for many years.
This 4000 sq. ft. home has 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths on nearly two acres of waterfront. There is a 4-car garage and a 1500 sq. ft. addition that has a high-vaulted family room and modern kitchen. The addition was once home to the property caretaker and his wife.
Historical features in the home include original molding, handcrafted trim and authentic wood floors. Several brick fireplaces and an outdoor pool accent the seasons. The construction is heart pine from the frame to the floors. The original steam heat system was replaced by the Hellmuth family in the early 1990s. The original knob and tube electrical system, dating from the 1930s, is still in place though service in the house has been updated.
by Cindy Cheatwood
ORANGE PARK BOOK BY LOCAL AUTHOR
Images of America - Orange Park
This book is an excellent resource on the history of Orange Park. Written by Society President, Cynthia Cheatwood, it combines stories and information from a variety of sources with archival photographs to tell the story of Orange Park.
CLICK TO BUY NOW $27.00 (Free Shipping)
Got Pics?
Help Document the History of Orange Park
The Society is looking for photographs to add to our resources. If you have long-time-ago images of people and/or places in Orange Park, please share them. In this increasingly visual world, there is a lot to learn from these glimpses of our past. You can share them through email at info@ophistory.org or through mail at P. O. Box 08, Orange Park, 32067. Originals will be returned after the Society makes a scan.
Our Corporate Sponsors
McDonald's
New Way Hearing Aids
New Way Hearing Aids
428 Park Avenue and 372 Blanding Blvd., Orange Park, FL 32073
New Way Hearing Aids
New Way Hearing Aids
New Way Hearing Aids
1494 Park Avenue
Orange Park, FL 32073
Dairy Queen
New Way Hearing Aids
Dairy Queen
610 Kingsley Avenue
Orange Park, FL 32073
Carpet Man Flooring, Inc.
1988 Wells Road
Orange Park, FL 32073
Boger's Shoes, Inc.
845 Blanding Blvd.
Orange Park, FL 32073
