Mandarin - 1947

The first house that my parents lived in when they first came to Jacksonville was located on Mandarin Road. When I was in high school in the sixties, my Mother and I always drove past the old house she remembered as the coldest house she had ever lived in.

I recently found a picture of the house among my aunt’s old photos. After studying the image, I realized that the house is still standing and located where Scott Mill Road ends at Mandarin Road before it continues through the Ramsgate subdivision. I could compare the seventy-year-old trees in the photo to those standing in the Google Maps image. The fence is still the same style, and the windows seem identical. I just knew it was my Mom’s first house.

                                                                         Back Side of Photo

I decided to write to the owners to see if they agreed with my findings and offer them an old house photo. But, of course, I wasn’t asking for a tour or anything like that. 

 Here is part of my letter:

“This is an unusual letter. I am not seeking anything involving sales, real estate or the like. My name is Claire Fleming King. My husband’s name is Lon. We live on Brady Road in Mandarin and I drive by your house all of the time.. I am trying to solve a personal mystery and thought that maybe you could help.”

“In 1947, my parents lived in the house in the picture. I found this picture that my Mother sent to her sister in Pittsburgh while going through my aunt’s pictures after she died. I believe it is a picture of your house in 1947. I know that your house was built in 1946 from the information on the Property Appraisers website. That is where I found your name.”

“I see several similarities between the current Google image and the old photograph. It looks like the same two big pine trees near the fence in the front along with the style of fencing. Your trees don’t appear to be that old though. Obviously the house has had some additions in the last seventy one years. The windows and roof appear the same along with the attic window or vent  (updated of course). The yard appears smaller in the photo. My Mother wrote a description of the inside of the house on the back of the photo.”

Several weeks passed, and I was beginning to think that my letter had been set aside or that the current owners were out of town. Then, as my Mom used to say when she was pleasantly surprised, “Well, whaddya know.”…. Lon received a call from the current owner. The good news was that he wanted to meet for coffee. 

We met today at noon at the Beaches Diner to make a new friend and enjoy the company of two of the most delightful people I have met in a long time. Jack and Eileen are from Ireland and have lived in my parent’s first house for many years. Jack is a retired veterinarian, and Eileen is a former professor of Irish literature. The weather was nice, so we took a table outside. We closed the restaurant down. They allowed me to talk about my long-time dead Irish ancestors and my quilting, and Jack and Eileen talked about Ireland, Mandarin, bovine Cesarean sections, and all sorts of things. We planned to meet again.

1948 Southern Bell Phone Directory Showing William D. Fleming
At the top center column