By SDCNN Staff
The long vacant Henry B. Jones House, located at 4040 Fifth Ave. in Hillcrest, will soon be relocated to 4114 Ibis St. in Mission Hills.
Plans call for the two-story historical house to be restored to its former glory, according to a news release from Hillcrest History Guild (HHG).
The guild said Henry B. Jones was the first president of Hillcrest’s first bank, which was located where Union Bank currently stands at University and Fifth avenues.
Born on March 11, 1850 in Hudson, Wisconsin, Jones was described as “a thrifty and prosperous farmer” who sold his property in 1910 and moved to San Diego, where he became involved in banking and real estate, according to a genealogy book of the Jones family, who had immigrated to the United States from Wales more than 250 years ago.
In 1911, Jones commissioned the construction of this house for his family at the current location, then known as 4040 Hillcrest Drive.
The property changed hands several times, eventually purchased by Scripps Health.
The Jones House “is perhaps the last residence remaining from the original Hillcrest development,” according to the Save Our Heritage Organisation (SOHO) website.
When Scripps Mercy Hospital decided to expand its facilities in 2010, they initially intended to demolish the Jones House. However, community activists came to the rescue and made sure that the city’s Historical Resources Board had accurate information when deciding on historic designation.
In 2011, citing Criterion C and declaring it as an excellent example of the Craftsman style, the Historical Resources Board designated the Henry B. Jones House as Historical Resource #939.
Seven seven later, supporters are waiting for the city to issue a Site Development Permit that will allow the historical house to be moved to its new home.
The HHG thanked several members of the San Diego community for helping to make this happen, including Ron May of Legacy 106, SOHO and Scripps Mercy Hospital. And last, the guild saluted Henry B. Jones for his contribution to the early streetcar suburb of Hillcrest, including his family’s Craftsman home.
To read a Nov. 5, 2009 document by the Historical Resources Board regarding the Henry B. Jones House, which includes supporting material from Hillcrest History Guild, visit bit.ly/2p0DBV5.
Sara is the editor of San Diego Uptown News.
