| Year(s) Listed: • 2024 |
| City/Town: • Florence |
| Location Class: • Residential |
| Built: 1878 | Abandoned: N/A |
| Status: • Abandoned • Endangered |
| Contributor: Abandoned Atlas Foundation |
PHOTO BY MIKE SPIVEY
The abandoned homestead of Doctor W.B. Jones, located in a remote area, features a stone engraved above a window with “Doctor W.B. Jones 1878.” Dr. William B. Jones, born on May 5, 1836, in Kentucky, pursued a medical degree in St. Louis, Missouri, graduating in 1879 at 43 years old. The sizable house would have accommodated Dr. Jones, his wife Sarah, and some of their seven sons while he practiced medicine in nearby Florence.
In 1881, Dr. Jones sold the well-improved farm, which included a house, barn, and land, to John H. Moore for $6,000, equivalent to $179,000 today. Little is documented about the home after this sale, though it was known as the “Savage Place” in later years. Michael ODell mentioned that his grandparents lived there in the 1950s.
Currently, the property is owned by Doyle Creek Cattle Co., which has no plans for the home. It is vulnerable of a total collapse as the roof is very badly deteriorated and the backside of the home has already collapsed.
