The Eppes House at 31 South 10th Street
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     One of Fernandina Beach's most historic structures has undergone a major restoration project and can once again be considered one of the finest homes on the island.
     The Eppes House has stood on the northwest corner of Ash and 10th Streets for over 100 years. It was originally the residence of Thomas Jefferson Eppes, a direct descendent of President Thomas Jefferson.
     Built in the late 1800s, the house is a two-story frame vernacular building, noteworthy for its two-story end porch, its transomed entrances, bay windows and arched, glazed panels in the front door.
     In February of last year, the house was purchased by Marie and Eric Corbett. Knowing they had found a diamond in the rough, the Corbetts immediately began to make plans for a complete renovation project that would give the house the attention and care needed to restore it to its former beauty.
     The property is now bordered by a beautiful wrought-iron and brick fence. Just past the fence lies the front porch. The porch gingerbread was initially designed to show the vocation of the homeowner. The original builders of the house were land surveyors. Designs in the gingerbread include two kinds of plumb bobs and a compass.
     Upon entering the home the first sight you see is the main hallway with its wonderfully-restored heart pine flooring and the grand staircase leading to the second floor.
     To the left of the hallway is the parlor, with a large bay window facing south. This window and the two in the living room are simply stunning. The high ceilings make this effect even more prominent. One can sit by these windows today and easily imagine earlier residents gazing through the glass at horse-drawn carriages passing on the street.

The parlor has a large bay window and a
fireplace with an antique mantel.
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     The parlor contains one of six fireplaces in the home. The antique mantel is not original, but was taken from another Amelia Island home that was being renovated. All the fireplace mantels were originally slate. Some have been kept, while others have been replaced with wood. These were cleaned up and improved, but some unique features remain, such as the six-inch hole left by a burning ember at the edge of the tile and wood of the parlor fireplace which, as Eric Corbett says, "gives it a little character." Another "character spot" is found in the dining room, where a six-inch sheet metal plate is nailed to the floor to mark the place of a repair made many decades ago.
     To the east of the parlor is the living room, with a grand bay window to the south and another to the east, making this room one of the brightest in the home.
A short walk across the hall brings you to the dining room with yet another gorgeous brick fireplace, this one still undergoing restoration.
     Past the dining room to the east lies the kitchen, one of the shining stars of the renovated Eppes House. With 3,300 square feet of interior space and only three bedrooms and two and one-half baths, the Corbetts customized their new home to fit their needs. They love to entertain, and the new kitchen was designed with that in mind. It was fully updated to include commercial grade appliances, travertine stone flooring and custom hickory cabinets. A butler's pantry was created in the place of an existing bathroom to make entertaining for large gatherings a little easier.

The kitchen before (left) and after (right) an extensive renovation. The commercial grade appliances and the butler's pantry enable the Corbett's to cook and serve for gatherings large and small. ______________________________________

     A trip upstairs reveals three bedrooms of similar size, a small reading/exercise room and the crown jewel of the second floor - the master bathroom.
The bathroom contains a separate shower and jacuzzi tub, along with his and hers vanities consisting of modern sinks housed in vanities made from antique furniture.

The master bathroom features a mix of modern
convenience with antique furnishings.
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     Future plans for the property include a carriage house with two-car garage beneath, a pergola (arbor), a New Orleans-style brick and wrought-iron courtyard and lots of landscaping.
     Despite its current inviting presence, the history of the Eppes House is not without tragedy - or mystery. The original owner, T.J. Eppes, was involved in one of Fernandina's earliest murders. The Florida Mirror of February 9, 1884, tells the story:
     "On Thursday afternoon, about half past five o'clock, Mr. T.J. Eppes, a conductor on the Florida Transit and Peninsular Railroad, shot and wounded fatally Major F.C. Suhrer, the manager of the Mansion House in this city, on the porch of the hotel. The shot was fired from a small pistol and entered the right breast and lodged in the body. Hopes were at first entertained that the wound might not prove mortal, but death occurred about eight or ten hours afterwards."
The article goes on to give eyewitness reports of the incident. Regarding the reason of the shooting, one person stated they heard Eppes say to Suhrer, "You insulted my wife one week ago today." To which Suhrer replied, "I may be a dead man, Jeff, but before God I did not."
     It turns out that the accusation was, in fact, completely false. It was created by Eppes' wife, Celeste, to make her husband jealous and increase his desire for her. Over the years there have reportedly been sightings of Celeste's ghost in the upstairs bedroom she once inhabited.
     Marie and Eric, happily, have not experienced any otherworldly presences in their new home, only the satisfaction of transforming their ugly duckling into a beautiful swan.

The Corbetts would like to thank all of the contractors and subcontractors who helped make their dream home a reality, especially general contractor Art Sanchez, Ace Painting, Gunter Flooring (of Jacksonville), Mason's Air Conditioning and Kempsville Custom Cabinets.