East Hill, Pensacola

The beautiful oak trees that line Lakeview Avenue are a wonderful memorial to one of East Hill's most influential patrons and residents, Alexander Stoddart.  Stoddart, a wealthy architect from New York, settled in East Hill in the 1870s and along with another influential man, A.V. Clubbs, put their mark and memory on the East Hill community.  Both men, arborists and horticulturists at heart, were crucial players in the beautification and development of Lakeview Avenue and the surrounding areas.  Clubbs, who worked under Stoddart, purchased property in East Hill on Blount Street in 1875 and continued to live there until his death in 1915. 

 

Always lovers of the outdoors and nature, Clubbs and Stoddart made sure that every piece of property that was secured was quickly planted with trees, foliage, and Bermuda grass.  Many of these trees still remain as a living memory.  In addition to oak trees along Lakeview Avenue, Clubbs also planted pecan and other nut trees.  One visitor to Lakeview Avenue and the surrounding areas, including Bayview Park, noted the abundance of this natural beauty.  Trees and Bermuda grass were just starting to take root along Lakeview Avenue.  "It is certainly one of the most beautiful drives in the country, the ground being of a gently undulating nature..."

 

However grand their intentions were, both hailing from a business background, they knew that East Hill, Lakeview Avenue, and Bayview Park would soon become a desirable location to live and leisure.  A letter Stoddart wrote Clubbs dated June 1900 discusses their plans to extend Lakeview Avenue and secure a monopoly on the trolley line being extended to Bayview Park. The charge to ride from Fairnie Hill Place, Stoddart's residence, to Bayview Park would be 5 cents.  It is also interesting to note that Stoddart gave the land that became Bayview Park.

 

Today, many of the oak trees planted by Stoddart and Clubbs still line the streets of East Hill.  Stoddart also planted the first azaleas in Pensacola on Lakeview Avenue, which for some time was known as Stoddart Avenue. Their vision to make Lakeview Avenue a beautiful and magnificent place to live and play is a testament to the richness and splendor of the East Hill, Lakeview area.