The Durnford Legacy

Durnford Enterprises, Ltd. was formed in February 1980, in order to acquire the historic Brent Block. The partners felt an obligation to enter its development with a commitment to the city’s ongoing historic preservation. As one of North America’s most historic cities, Pensacola has had its share of unique leaders who have contributed to its culture, government or economic development. One of these was Elias Durnford.

Who was Elias Durnford? He was a young British engineering lieutenant who had served with distinction during The Seven Years (French & Indian) War. As the war drew to a close in 1763, young officers like Durnford were being mustered out. Fortunately, because of strong family connections, Elias was able to gain a place in the New World as an engineering officer and surveyor to British West Florida. This territory was newly acquired at the peace table in Paris. And so, in 1764, he arrived in Pensacola with a commission to literally create a new plan for the city. 

He set about this plan by creating a new town design based upon a classic pattern. There was a square about which government would be built; another square was set aside for public affairs and military drill. Streets were set at right angles and named for the royal family and principal personages in government. Of equal interest was the assignment of garden plots. With each building lot, the individual was issued a companion piece of ground along the northern border of the town; these were cleared, and each family tried to grow a part of its food. A thoroughfare developed along this long row of gardens which was logically called Garden Street. The name still applies.


In addition to his engineering duties, Durnford was for a time the colony’s lieutenant governor. He was also acting governor after Gov. Elliott hanged himself. As soldier, administrator, engineer and surveyor, Elias Durnford was the only principal British official to have constant residence here from the beginning to the end of authority by Britain.


When Gen. Galvez’s Spanish forces overwhelmed the British in 1780 Durnford was paroled, left the colony and returned to the north of England, living out his years there. His interest in solid planning, sound administration and commerce made him a man of substance who deserved a better place in local history. Thus, the new developers of the historic Brent Block, upon which Durnford strode many times, felt that it was fitting to name their organization for him, thus rekindling interest in his name and deeds.

Acquiring the Blount & Brent Buildings:
After the Halloween Night Fire of 1905 had destroyed several earlier structures, Francis Celestino Brent commissioned renderings from architect Higdon Hawley and hired M.T. Lewman as the general contractor to rebuild the previously acquired Brent Block. Construction of the Brent Building was concurrent with the adjacent Blount Building and was completed in 1906. On July 30, M.T Lewman handed over the keys of the new building to Brent.

After the Brent Building’s open house on August 1, 1906, the press raved about the new building, stating that it was the first and only modern fireproof structure erected in the state of Florida. Constructed primarily of brick, steel and reinforced concrete, the Brent Building practically eliminated the possibility of a fire breaking out.

Having retired from his position of President at the First National Bank, Brent came out of retirement to resume presidency in 1909. After investing nearly half a million dollars in Crow, Rudlof & Company, a large English timber firm through whom a large portion of Pensacola’s exports were funneled, the First National Bank had learned that Crow, Rudlof & Company had not met its debts. At the time of the English firm’s failure, the First National Bank had over $400,000 in cash and exchange bills in its vault, well above the figure required by federal laws to meet its operations. Despite this, R.W. Goodhart, a federal receiver, ordered the local bank closed.

This incident, spawning a depression in Pensacola, caused F.C. Brent great stress, as he was unable to offset the financial misery of many of those who looked to his bank. In mid April of 1914, Brent passed away.

In 1979, the Brent trustees voted to seek a buyer for the building, maintaining that necessary restoration of the property would require a substantial investment capital, one that a trust could not generate and that it would only be appropriate to find a suitable buyer capable of such means. Shortly after its sales was advertised, Crawford Rainwater, a soft drink bottling executive, and several of his partners, presented an offer. The offer was accepted on February 7, 1980 the sales closing took place and Durnford Enterprises took control of the Blount & Brent Buildings.

Excerpts from the forward of the Brent Block by Crawford Rainwater
--founding General Partner