The Hamblen Foundation, Inc. is a state and federally recognized not-for-profit entity originally established as the Charles F. Hamblen Club, Inc. (CFHCI) for the stewardship of Mr. Hamblen’s house after his passing in 1920.
The Foundation is named for Charles Ferdinand Hamblen (1837-1920) who came to St. Augustine from Stillwater, Maine, in about 1875 and organized the Hamblen Grocery Company and later the Hamblen Hardware Store.
Charles F. Hamblen was among St. Augustine’s more prominent and popular businessmen. He died following a long illness, on December 29, 1920, at the age of 84. His wife had just died four months prior.
In Mr. Hamblen’s will, he specified that a nonprofit corporation be established to perpetuate his name and take legal title of the house and lot. The stated object and purpose of the corporation was “to conduct in the house a club for male wage earners and men of small income, where such men may have a place of resort”.
The corporation was to ensure the payment of taxes and assessments, insurance, and upkeep of the property. The expenses were to be met “in such manner as the corporation may provide”. Mr. Hamblen’s will further allowed the corporation to convert the property into money which they “may deem most worthy and able to relieve the destitute in said city, or train the youth of St. Augustine to habits of industry, thrift and usefulness”.
The building at 1 Anderson Circle was originally a white wooden house containing Queen Ann and Neo-Colonial architectural elements. For a while it housed the Blenmore Hotel.
In the mid 1920’s, the building was revamped to give it a Mediterranean Revival appearance and housed the D. P. Davis organization while it was developing Davis Shores.
The property was leased to the YMCA for a short time and then to the American Legion Post 37 of St Augustine from November 1941 to September 2018.
1 Anderson Circle is currently the home of the popular Casa Reina Taqueria & Tequila Restaurant.
The current lease provides for the restoration and maintenance of the property, and proceeds beyond expenses support the charitable mission in the city of St Augustine, as intended by Mr. Hamblen, under the guidance of the Foundation’s Board of Directors.