We’ve collected nuggets of history about not just Chiles House but of Kenilworthown and Chiles Ave. We share these on our Facebook page several times a week, but will try to post them here as well.
UPDATED: 1/8/17
THE KENILWORTH AMUSEMENT PARK
The amusement park that almost happened in Kenilworth: January 8th, 1922 found an article announcing the intent to build an amusement park “450 feet from the current entrance of Kenilworth.” A stock offering to the public to raise $70,000 was proposed for a 16 acre park. It was to include “a dining room, swimming pool, boat slide.. dance hall.. a well known Florida concert band to play sacred concerts on Sunday.. and swimming and dancing instructors will be engaged.” Later ads promised a building for “Apple, Poultry and Dog Shows…” The headline said the park was “Practically Assured.” Apparently not…
UNCIVIL RIGHTS:
This ad from Jan 4, 1925 notes the amenities of the home as well as the fact that the concrete basement had a servants toilet in it. But it wasn’t until 1939 that the local phone books began to indicate with the symbol © that a resident was “colored.”
PRETENTIOUS IS AS PRETENTIOUS DOES:
This ad from January 1924 reflects an era when some words didn’t mean what we think they do today.
CLEAN THE KIDDIES CLOTHES!
This advert from December 1929 notes that the kiddies should go back to school with clean clothes and cleaners were offering to take care of “the soil and stain of the first half of winter.” As well as a reminder that “Cleanliness is next to Godliness.”
Chiles House 