The residential structures recorded are predominantly of the shotgun or frame vernacular styles. “Frame vernacular” refers to the common wood frame construction techniques employed by self-taught builders. This is the prevalent style of residential architecture in Florida. These buildings are typically one or two stories in height and display a variety of footprints and forms. Porches are a common feature of this style. Buildings of this style either have gable or hip roofs. “Shotgun” typically refers to a modest single-story cottage one room wide and two or more rooms deep. Houses in this style typically have a steeppitched roof with a front-facing gable. Front porches are a common feature of this style. Most shotgun dwellings are very simple structures with little embellishment.

The West Union Missionary Baptist Church was designated a local historic landmark in early 2000. The church was founded in 1900, with the present sanctuary constructed in 1938. The church is one of the earliest religious organizations in the New Town area.

Saying children needed a safe place to play in Jacksonville's New Town community, city officials, college leaders and kids took the first step to that goal by breaking ground Thursday for a nearly 2-acre park and playground on the campus of Edward Waters College.

Success Park is a collaborative initiative between EWC and the city for the New Town Success Zone program.

The Success Zone is inspired by The Harlem Children's Zone, a project in Harlem that flooded the community with services touching on everything from health care to education with the goal of improving graduation and college attendance rates.

The city is paying for the park's $175,000 cost, and EWC will maintain the park and its equipment.

The industrial and commercial buildings built prior to 1950 are predominantly of the masonry and industrial vernacular styles. “Masonry vernacular” is defined as the common masonry construction technique of self-taught builders. This style of construction is most commonly associated with commercial building types. A variety of materials are employed in this style, though brick and concrete block are the most common. “Industrial vernacular” refers to buildings with no formal architectural style. Buildings of this type are constructed explicitly for industrial and commercial uses.

Load King Manufacturing is the leading provider of turnkey modular stores to the foodservice industry in the United States. Beginning in 1995 with building and installing over 600 food courts for Winn-Dixie supermarkets through being the leading supplier of licensed stores for Starbucks and others, Load King has manufactured and installed more than 5,000 turnkey modular stores throughout the United States.

Load King has been family owned and operated since 1973. Our offices, manufacturing and warehousing facilities are all located in Jacksonville, Florida in several buildings comprising 300 thousand square feet. We have skilled workers and equipment for all fixture manufacturing including laminate and wood finished millwork, stainless steel counters, sinks, etc., steel framed cabinetry, solid surface counters, graphic elements and more. We are certified in the practice of Lean manufacturing assuring high quality and price competitiveness. Additionally, Load King is a cornerstone of the community in the economically troubled New Town section of Jacksonville. The company operates out of renovated circa 1919 buildings in an enterprise zone.

Edward Waters College is the oldest institution of higher education for African-Americans in the state, and the oldest institution of higher education in the City. Although originally located on Beaver Street before the Great Fire of 1901, the College built its first building, Salter Hall (now demolished), along Kings Road in 1908, and later built Centennial Hall in 1916. Centennial Hall was designed by the firm of Howell and Stokes, whose architects also designed Woodbridge Hall at Yale University, St. Paul’s Chapel at Columbia University, First Congregational Church in Danbury, and the Stock Exchange Building in Baltimore. Edward Waters College presently has an enrollment of approximately 1000 students, and offers degree programs in business administration, hotel management, psychology, religion, philosophy, communications, sociology, physical education, biology, criminal justice, gerontology, and political science.

A portion of the future “S-Line,” a recreational trail extending from Myrtle Avenue to the CSX railroad behind Norwood Plaza, has been constructed by the Jacksonville Housing Authority as part of the HOPE IV projecti. The S-Line is an urban rail-to-trail project planned for Jacksonville. This trail is sited on an abandoned stretch of CSX railroad Right-of-Way (ROW). The width of this 4.3 mile trail will be sufficient for pedestrian and bicycle traffic. The intention of this trail is not to create a “destination” recreational trail, but rather to offer residents of the surrounding neighborhoods an alternative to vehicle-dominated streets.