A historic riverfront home in the San Marco neighborhood stands as one of the finest examples of those residences built during the Great Florida Land Boom of a century ago. Among its many prized attributes is its position atop a high bluff that offers views of the St. Johns River from almost every room.
And now the home has become available for a buyer seeking to own a part of Jacksonville’s history.
The Carl S. Swisher Estate at 2234 River Road is a Mediterranean Revival house constructed in 1929-30. It was designed by the prominent Jacksonville architectural firm of William Mulford Marsh and Harold Saxelbye and built by A.L. Clayton & Son.
The property takes its name from the original owner who, with his father, manufactured King Edward Cigars, the largest selling cigar brand in the world.
The current owners have lived in the home for more than 30 years. In 1999, they undertook a major renovation, adding a large game room and updating the kitchen.
The house was designated a local historic landmark in August 1999 and received the Historic Preservation Award from the Jacksonville Historic Preservation Society in 2000.
Many of the property’s original elements remain, including pottery sconces, the coral floor of the loggia, tile flooring, exposed cypress trusses, decking and vigas. The bar-and-smoking room features a custom-designed bar with carved lion heads, symbols of San Marco drawn from the Piazza San Marco in Venice.
The 1.5-acre property has 145 feet of river frontage, a courtyard, fountain, pool and greenhouse, as well as a covered walkway leading from the garage. There is also a dock extending into the river.
There is a total of five bedrooms and three baths.
For more information on the house and its many attributes, contact Realtor Anita Vining at 904-739-1626. Her website is www.AnitaVining.com.
