Epping Forest (Jacksonville, Florida)
| Epping Forest | |
|---|---|
| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
|
Mansion
| |
| Location: | Christopher Point, off San Jose Blvd., Jacksonville, Florida |
| Coordinates: | 30°14′54″N 81°38′26″W / 30.24833°N 81.64056°WCoordinates: 30°14′54″N 81°38′26″W / 30.24833°N 81.64056°W |
| Built/Founded: | 1927 |
| Architect: | Harold Saxelbye |
| Architectural style(s): | Mission/Spanish Revival, Spanish-Mediterranean |
| Governing body: | Private |
| Added to NRHP: | May 9, 1973[1] |
| NRHP Reference#: | 73000576[1] |
Epping Forest (also known as the Alfred I. duPont Estate) was an historic, 58-acre (230,000 m2) estate in Jacksonville, Florida where a luxurious riverfront Mansion was built in the mid-1920s by industrialist Alfred I. du Pont and his third wife, Jessie Ball du Pont. It was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and has been restored to its’ original grandeur as the home of the Epping Forest Yacht Club.
du Pont history
Alfred I. du Pont was originally from Delaware and controlled the famous DuPont Chemical Company with his cousins, Pierre and Coleman. Over the years, their relationship deteriorated to the point where Alfred resigned from the family company in 1917. He created business ventures in Delaware and New York, but in 1925, cousin Pierre was named Delaware's Tax Commissioner. To prevent Pierre from sticking his nose into Alfred’s property holdings and investments, Alfred decided to relocate to Jacksonville, Florida, a city he'd often heard his mother talk about when he was growing up. Alfred and Jessie became legal residents of Florida and Alfred began a second career pioneering the development of sound banking practices and investing in transportation and the paper industry. The location Alfred chose for their permanent home was at Christopher Point, the widest spot on the St. Johns River, which provided an excellent area for his favorite pastime, yachting on his beloved 125' 5" Nenemoosha, built in 1922.[2]
Mansion
Local architects Marsh & Saxelbye designed their 25-room Epping Forest Mansion, but Harold Saxelbye contributed the most influence. It is primarily Mediterranean Revival, combining influences from Gothic, Spanish Renaissance and Baroque architectural. Jessie selected the furnishings; Alfred designed the formal English gardens. The estate was named in honor of Mary Ball Washington, George Washington's mother and Jessie's ancestor, whose Virginia plantation bore the same name.[3]
After Jessie Ball duPont died in 1970, Edward Ball, who was Jessie's brother, sold the property to his close friend and local businessman Raymond K. Mason, CEO of the Charter Company, who used the property as his family residence until 1984.
Epping Forest Yacht Club
In 1984, Gate Petroleum Company purchased the 58-acre (230,000 m2) du Pont estate. The 11⅓ acres occupied by the mansion, gardens and riverfront were restored to their original splendor and transformed into the Epping Forest Yacht Club. The remaining property was developed into a gated community of 90 - $1+ million homes and 80+ condominiums under the Epping Forest name.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2008-04-15. http://www.nr.nps.gov/.
- ↑ Epping Forest Yacht Club: Club History
- ↑ Alfred I. duPont Testamentary Trust: About Alfred I. duPont (1864-1935)
