The WAAS HOUSE BY DICKIE ANDERSON • PHOTO BY JAN JOHANNES

GREAT HOMES & CHURCHES

The WAAS HOUSE

This large house is actually two houses in one. The original house was modest and faced Date Street. It was built prior to the Civil War in the late 1850’s by the Hedges family. It has been described as Carpenter Gothic. It went through several owners, including St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, prior to its purchase by Dr. William T. Waas. The doctor and his wife added many typical Victorian details when they enlarged the house.

In the renovation, the original house was engulfed by a newer structure, which included a circular tower and its distinctive spacious and inviting porches all around. A Gothic-inspired palladium window was added, capped by an arched window. The house nearly doubled in size and its new orientation opened to Seventh Street rather than Date Street. The Waas family was very popular in the community, and Dr. Waas wanted to build a house that would allow for frequent entertaining. Like others on fashionable Seventh Street, they competed to make their house more spectacular than their neighbors. Christmas was a special holiday for Dr. Waas and his family. He loved to dress as Santa Claus, and he would pick up his guests in a wagon drawn by horses. He brought them to his grand home, which would be all lit up with holiday candles.

Dr. Waas was born and raised in Fernandina; the son of John and Regina Waas. After studying at the East Florida Seminary in Gainesville, Dr. Waas graduated from the Tulane Medical School and returned to Fernandina, where he partnered with Dr. J. D. Palmer. When Palmer died at a relatively young age, Waas bought the Palmer Pharmacy, which eventually became the Waas Pharmacy. A Waas Pharmacy remains on Amelia Island. In that era, it was not unusual for a doctor to operate a medical practice from home. The extensive expansion of the original house allowed for Dr. Waas to be close to family and still operate his busy medical practice.

Like so many gentlemen of his time, Waas held positions with the City of Fernandina and Nassau County. He was Mayor of Fernandina from 1899 until 1908. There are many amusing stories about Dr. Waas. For instance, Dr. Waas owned one of only two automobiles on the entire island, and he managed to get into an accident with the owner of the other car, Flossie Borden.

This article has been reprinted with permission from Dickie Anderson’s book, Great Homes & Churches: Architectural Treasures of Amelia Island. It is available at The Book Loft, Story & Song Bookstore Bistro, and the Amelia Island Museum of History.