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About Friendship Fountain and the St. Johns River Park & Marina
The St. Johns Marina is located on the south bank of the St. Johns River, just east of the Acosta Bridge, which opened in 1921 and was replaced in 1994. At one time part of the St. Johns River Park and Marina (a/k/a Friendship Park), the marina is now a separate entity. When it opened, it was the first municipal marina in the downtown area.
The park is also the home of Friendship Fountain. When the park opened in 1965, the Fountain of Friendship (named at the suggestion of a Rotary Club member because one of the Club’s cardinal principles is friendship) was the world’s largest and tallest fountain, capable of spraying 17,000 gallons of water a minute to a height of 120 feet. Accentuated by colored lights at night, it soon became a popular tourist destination and local recreation site. Currently, both the Museum of Science and History and a popular restaurant with its own marina occupy portions of the original park property. The park provides a wonderful view of downtown Jacksonville and access to the Southbank Riverwalk that opened in 1985. In addition, the Jacksonville Maritime Museum is located on the Riverwalk, adjacent to the northeast corner of the park.
http://apps2.coj.net/parksinternet/parkdetails.asp?parkid=227
St. Johns River Park Throughout the Years
St. Johns River Park Today
Photo Tour by Ennis Davis
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billy
February 13, 2009, 05:02:07 AMDallas Thomas Park
jeh1980
February 13, 2009, 06:12:41 AMGreat photos. I hope they will restore the pumps at the center of the fountain soon.
Charles Hunter
February 13, 2009, 07:30:41 AMI liked the "flying saucer" building adjacent to the marina - it was so, "60s".
thelakelander
February 13, 2009, 08:29:31 AMFriendship Fountain was originally called the “Fountain of Friendship in Dallas Thomas Park" when it opened in 1965. Its original name coming from the city's parks and finance commissioner. The park was renamed in 1968 after Thomas became involved in a civic scandal. During its heyday, the 200-foot-wide fountain was billed as the world’s largest and tallest, shooting as high as 120 feet, through 63 nozzles, at a rate of 17,000 gallons of water per minute while 252 multi-colored lights created different patterns into the streams.
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/200/68/
billy
February 13, 2009, 09:15:16 AMWho was involved in design?
Taylor Hardwick?
Edward Durrell Stone?
heights unknown
February 13, 2009, 09:34:14 AMGreat pics and photos! It's interesting though watching the Park, and that entire south side of the river develop over these many years. It's a shame though that the fountain is only a paltry semblance and shadow of what it once was. I hope they fix the pumps or restore/reconstruct or even rebuild the fountain so it reigns once again as one of the great wonders of Florida.
Heights Unknown
choosing2disappear
February 14, 2009, 12:52:49 AMTaylor Hardwick?
Edward Durrell Stone?
Yes it was Taylor Hardwick. You can still see his firm's is credited prominantly on the stamp in photo #13. I recall he did the job for free, as a favor the city engineer who assisted with the construction of the Hayden burns library. (Both projects when up simultaneously and were funded by the same city bond).
It addition, any fans of Hardwick and/or fans of Jacksonville's nightlife might be interested to learn that the small rectangular building in the lower left of photo 5, is the "Someplace Else Lounge", Jacksonville's first Disco, opened in 1970, designed by T.H. (It's exterior was covered with thin copper paper (so it would glow in the afternoon tropical sun. Inside, the wall that faced the river was a wall of glass. It was filled with girls and had really good food.)
avonjax
February 14, 2009, 03:34:57 PMLoved Someplace Else.
JeffreyS
February 14, 2009, 05:00:39 PM"Someplace Else" great name for a club/
TD*
February 15, 2009, 11:07:38 PMVery nice photo set