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KEYSTONE ESTATE.
(Florida)
"Keystone" in its decadence still shows
signs of its former grandeur, when it was classed as one of the most
magnificent estates on the South side of the St. Johns River.
Willed by its former owner, Mrs. Mary Packard Cummings, unconditionally to
St. Johns Episcopal Church of Jacksonville, it is used as a home for
orphan boys of the parish, presided over by the Rev. and Mrs. A. M.
Blackford. It now houses eleven boys who walk to the highway each morning
to meet the bus which carries them to the South Jacksonville public
schools.
The estate is approached by a drive of a quarter of a mile from Atlantic
Beach Highway, six miles out from the business section of South
Jacksonville.
A circular driveway leads to the front entrance of the residence, in front
of which is a well preserved hitching post of bygone days - a three foot
negro boy of iron, with freshly painted trousers of blue, the blouse of
yellow, and cap of red, with a steel stirrup in his hand, through which
the bridle of many a pony has been passed, pending the visit of its young
rider.
The white frame residence with its high gabled roof, bespeaking its
northern type of architecture, its balconies fringed with "wooden lace"
date it back to the late 1870's.
The caretaker's cottage erected in 1889 stands where the old gate made
entrance from the road. It is empty now, the windows out, the roof falling
in, the long halls which echoed to the laughter of the caretaker's four
lively children are lanes of loneliness, with leaves blown in heaps in the
corners and long cobwebs hanging from the ceilings.
Back of this building is the laundry, one or two of the rooms still show
signs of use.
To the left of the path on the way to the swimming pool is the old cistern
with its long brick covered top, cracked and moss covered. Beside it a
modern improvement, an up-to-date incinerator for disposal of trash and
garbage.
Another long building further on is the old recreation building, a
closed-in card-room with the old rickety tables showing their use, and to
the rear a long bowling alley. This latter the boys still enjoy, though
the roof leaks in places.
A hundred feet further on is the "big tree." While the vicinity of
Jacksonville is noted for its large live oaks, this is said to be the "big
tree" of this section. The long limbs are in places supported by iron
posts to hold them up from their own weight, and extend forty feet and
more in all directions.
An amusing story is told about a hen belonging to the Cummings, which had
stolen its nest away from all prying eyes, until one day Mr. Cummings saw
her slyly betake herself to one of the long limbs touching the ground, on
which she hopped, and tip-tipped - one foot over the other, until she had
reached the crotch of the limb and the body of the tree twelve feet from
the ground. Mr. Cummings brought a stepladder from the house, and mounting
it was surprised to discover a nestful of eggs, on which the hen was
sitting. He secured canvas which he tucked below and around the nest in
such a way as to keep the birdies from falling overboard when hatched, and
there they remained undisturbed until they were able to walk, when they
were lifted down to the ground.
A bronze tablet placed on the tree many years ago by Mrs. Cummings, reads:
"This mighty oak by whose immovable stem I stand
And seem almost annihilated,
Not a prince in all that proud old world beyond the deep
E'er were his crown as loftily as he
Wears the green corona of leaves
With which Thy hand has graced him."
Beyond the tree is the remnant of the old orange grove, with a number of
satsuma and pear trees.
A deep artesian well furnishes water for the estate, and the hydrants
through this section are frequent, leading from the underground irrigation
system, and on being turned on spray the adjoining sections thoroughly.
The path now is flanked by tall oleanders of different colored blooms,
some of the bushes being ten and twelve feet tall. To the left are the
remains of the former owner's rose beds, with a few straggling bushes. It
is said Mrs. Cummings was passionately fond of roses and spent many hours
here enjoying rare blooms.
We have now reached the forested part, with its tall straight pines and
magnolias, untrimmed, and hung with moss. The swimming pool, walled with
rock, cemented on the sides and bottoms and with slabs of black slate
forming the top ledge, now presents itself, and we observe the boys now
home from school, are busy with scrapers removing the accumulated mud and
debris, preparatory to turning on the water for its first filling this
season. The youngsters are stripped to the waist and are evidently
enjoying their work, in happy anticipation of a swim afterwards.
The dressing rooms adjoining the swimming pool are covered with the wild
yellow jasmine vines, roof high, and now in full bloom.
The path now leads to the right and through the trees we sight the tennis
court, and are told that in the old days there was a dance pavilion here
also.
We are now on the return trip to the house and pass through the flower
gardens, where Rev. Mr. Blackford's love of flowers is manifested in
blooming rose-bushes - one a Black Beauty - with sweet peas of variegated
colors, calendulas and other spring blossoms.
Under the brow of the hill up from the
ravine formed by the overflow from the artesian well is the old bricked in
ice-house and potato bin, relics of yesteryears' necessities.
We are now on the crest of the hill, with the majesty of the St. Johns in
full view, a sail-rigged lumber ship and a black bowed freighter pass each
other almost opposite - the first coming in to the port of Jacksonville,
the other bound outward with cargos for Charleston, Baltimore and New
York.
The old high pump-house with its cupola for views up and down the river is
in a state of decay and unsafe for visitors, while the dock where the
Cumming's private yacht was wont to land has long since washed into the
river.
Below us, however, is a most pleasing sight. Sand and silt pumped up in
the U. S. government's dredging operations to deepen the channel of the
St. Johns has accumulated until it has extended the shore line about a
hundred feet. This has been bulkheaded, filled it, and fertilized, forming
a large garden green now with growing cabbages, carrots, lettuce, and
other seasonable vegetables.
At the back, protected by the high bank, are acres of calla plants. Rev.
Blackford has a special love for calla lilies, and his development of the
culture of these beautiful Easter lilies has brought him both fame and
fortune, for they are in great demand.
April 3, 1939.
Keystone Episcopal
Home for Boys
Jacksonville, Florida
(Additional)
Rose Shepherd, writer.
KEYSTONE EPISCOPAL HOME FOR BOYS
(Excerpt from St. Johns, 1934, Centennial booklet).
Mrs. Mary Packer Cummings, daughter of Asa Packer, of Pennsylvania, was a
constant friend and benefactor of St. Johns Parish.
She died in October, 1913, and by her will she left to the parish to be
used as a church home her estate on the south side of the St. Johns River,
consisting of about thirty acres of land, with a splendid residence,
outhouses, swimming pool, orange grove and gardens.
She bequeathed a generous sum of money as an endowment for the home; and
in addition to the property and money left to establish and endow the
home, a trust fund was established and the income thereof, after the
termination of a life estate which still exists, was bequeathed to the
parish to be used for either parochial or diocesan purposes.
In 1921 the home was opened under the supervision of the Rev. Ambler M.
Blackford, and since that time a wonderful work has been accomplished in
caring for and training young boys.
March 2, 1939.
Rev. A. M. Blackford
Director
"Keystone" Episcopal
School for Orphan
Boys,
Atlantic Beach Rd.,
So. Jacksonville,
Florida.
Rose Shepherd, writer.
Text from: Library of
Congress, Manuscript Division, WPA Federal Writers' Project Collection
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