Rodríguez House (St. Augustine)

The Rodríguez House is located at 58 St. George Street in St. Augustine, Florida. It is a reconstructed structure where there was once a tabby house during Florida's First Spanish Period (1565-1763). It is part of the St. Augustine Town Plan Historic District.

Antonio Jose Rodriguez House
Rodriguez House, 2018
Location58 St. George Street
St. Augustine, Florida
Coordinates29°53′45.4″N 81°18′48.4″W
Built1969 (1969)
Architectural styleSpanish Colonial
Part ofSt. Augustine Town Plan Historic District (ID70000847)

History

A Spanish map dating to 1764 indicates that this small two-room house belonged to Antonio Jose Rodríguez, son of Jose Antonio Rodriguez of Seville and Gertrude Morales. The house was most likely demolished during the British Period when British soldiers pulled down tabby houses to reuse the building materials. Early homes such as the Rodríguez House had flat wooden roofs and no fireplaces. The rooms were heated with braziers.[1]

Reconstruction

The St. Augustine Restoration Inc. decided to take on reconstructing the Rodríguez House in the late 1960s using funds donated by Edward Ball of Jacksonville, Florida.[2] During the time of St. Augustine's downtown living history museum, San Agustín Antiguo, this structure was used to house craft demonstrations such as pottery making.[3] Evalina Manucy, of Florida State University, demonstrated pottery in the Rodríguez House in 1968, having already worked for the Board as a weaver, baker, and candlemaker.[4] The Historic St. Augustine Preservation Board acquired the house in 1983.

Present Day

Today the Rodríguez House is a retail store, St. Augustine Textiles, started by Jon Williams, re-enactor.[5] St. Augustine Textiles provides historical costumes, uniforms, and accessories to a wide audience. The house is owned by the State of Florida and managed on its behalf by University of Florida Historic St. Augustine Inc.

References
  1. Historic St. Augustine Preservation Board (1971). Guide Book: Including Descriptions of the Buildings, Crafts, and a Brief History of the Restoration of the Nation's Oldest City. Tallahassee, Florida: Department of Cultural Affairs, Department of State, State of Florida. pp. 30–31.
  2. "Ed Ball Donation Puts Old City Restoration Unit Goal in Sight". Florida Times-Union and Journal. Jacksonville. January 14, 1968.
  3. Parks, Cynthia (February 7, 1971). "Past, Present, and Paint". Florida Times-Union.
  4. "Pottery Shop is one of newest crafts". The St. Augustine Record. July 20–21, 1968.
  5. Korfhage, Stuart (July 27, 2014). "Former St. Augustine re-enactor becomes outfitter of history lovers" (PDF).
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