ORANGE PARK MEMORIES
Parmenter-Heinrich House - 1724 Plainfield Avenue, Built 1900
The Parmenter house was originally built by William E. Parmenter, an 1877 Harvard graduate who moved to Florida from West Cambridge, Mass, his birthplace. Mr. Parmenter bought 20 acres of land and grew fruit and vegetables in Orange Park.
He lived alone until 1894 when he married Miss Ione Fisher. They started a family and their house grew along with the family. From 1909-1912, he was mayor of Orange Park.
Parmenter kept records of all kinds and maintained at least three daily journals. These have been preserved in the state archives in Tallahassee and can be viewed by appointment there. The boxes are a treasure trove of early voting ballots, agricultural notes and family mementos. They even contain scripts that the Parmenter’s created for periodic productions presented to the community starring townsfolk as actors.
The house was purchased in 1952 by Dr. and Mrs. Edwin Paul Heinrich, founders of St. John’s Country Day School. Dr. Heinrich immigrated to America during World War II from Germany, facing an no shortage of backlash in the states. Still, he persevered and was very successful. Following his death, the house was sold in 1993 to Reverends Robert and Linda Standifer, who were highly active in the community. They preserved the historical elements of the house and shared these with friends and neighbors. Bob Standifer was mayor of Orange Park from 2010-2011. The Standifer’s were charter members of the Historical Society of Orange Park.
The 1884 map of Orange Park shows this lot as 15 acres completely planted with orange trees, no structures at all. The devastating freezes of the 1890s changed that. A sizable number of smaller lots were created as the area was replatted.
With over 2,200 square feet, this house has 5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths with sunny porches on three sides. Original wood floors and door hardware keep the historical character of the home, along with leaded glass windows and 4 fireplaces. It reflects the historical charm of Orange Park, Florida.
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)
