GREEN COVE SPRINGS - It's been years since someone has occupied the historic Rivers House at 219 Spring Street.

And though it's sat through years of emptiness and dubiety, it's never lost its sturdy condition. Or its legacy.

Currently on Phase Two of long quest to bring the building back to the splendor it once used to be. Friends of the Rivers House's Leslie Davidson said it's a full circle moment that has been a long time coming.

"I used to go to bed with nightmares that it was going to get knocked down," she said.

Members of the Green Cove Springs community came together on April 23 to brainstorm the future legacy of the historic building. 

The overall goal, Davidson said, is for the building to be a community hub for the city.

"The citizen's advisory council wanted the public to be able to use it. They didn't want to just rent it out to someone. They didn't want it to become a city office building. They didn't want anything like that; they want it to be used for the community," Davidson said.

Built in the 1880s, the building was an accessory lodge for the Oakland Hotel during the city's booming hotel era. It was called the Spring Cottage.

It later became the home of prominent Green Cove Springs attorney and judge Thomas Judson Rivers. Most remember it as a stunning Victorian-style home that Rivers also used to perform matrimonial ceremonies.

Rivers passed away in 1992 and is buried at the Hickory Gove Cemetery. His descendant, Thomas Rivers II, sold the house to the city in 2020. There were various visions for the home. But the first step included bringing it up to code. Still salvageable, but in dire need of refurbishments, Davidson vowed to save it.

Friends of the Rivers House, a formal nonprofit who remains a grassroots voice for the project, was able to get it started and moving forward with the help of fundraising. Davidson said they gave a proposal to the city.

"We wanted it to be open to the public. We wanted people to be able to come to the park and go into the house," she said. "It's one of the few historic houses."

Hearing whispers of a possible demolishment, Davidson, a structural engineer, said she offered her professional services.

"We didn't have enough money with $220,000 to fix up the whole house, but we could dry it and protect it, giving us a lot more time to renovate it," Davidson said. "So, I made that proposal and the mayor at the time [Connie Butler] called me the next day and said that she would love to take us up on my offer."

A revitalization agreement between the city and the Green Cove Springs Preservation Society came to be a little over a year ago. At the time, former mayor Steven Kelley was also on the council and worked to put together a plan that the aligned with the goals of both the preservation society and the community.

Awarding a contract to Bourre Construction Group, the city completed Phase One of renovations, including siding replacement, structural deck repairs and the demolition of an unsalvageable 1930s addition.  Davidson said it now has a life of 99 years. 

Thursday's meeting saw residents sort through various ideas on what to name the building and potentially use it for. Majority agreed on using the home as a Welcome and Adventure Center for various purposes, like for kayak and bike rentals, a history center, meeting rooms, an art gallery, a gift shop, an ice cream parlor or a place for food and drinks.

Although potential names included the Spring Cottage, Rivers House and Spring Park Heritage and Discovery Center, majority voted to keep the Rivers House name the same. 

With public input on hand, Green Cove Springs Preservation Society President Sandra Dunnavant said there is much possibility to bring the project to full completion. After years of uncertainty, the Rivers House is well on its way to becoming a place for the community to enjoy.