What if Jacksonville suddenly woke up?

[JaguarReign]

I think there were many good points in the article and I agree with a lot of it. Optimistically speaking, I think things are starting to look up. I remember 7 years ago when I last living in the area before I returned a few months ago, there was about half of the stuff to do than there is now. Plus, I think the jaguars have really done wonders for this city. Ever since the jags got here Jacksonville has grown as a city exponentially and given us a national identitiy. I think with them in tow, Jacksonville is turning around for the better. 

[Ocklawaha]

Certainly a "Smart City" would have gone with St. Elmo Acosta's plan to convert the FEC RY line from Southbank - (via Beach Blvd alignment) - Jax Beach - Mayport, into an electric interurban that would be with us today. Many other "Median Strip" car lines of Jacksonville Traction, not unlike those in New Orleans would have stayed in place as well...if we only had a brain.

On Mr. Phillip Randolph of Pullman fame, here are a couple of fill in bits that will let the rest of you in on my little secret:
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William D'Alton Mann (1839-1920)

career as civil engineer cut short by Civil War

organized the Fifth Michigan Cavalry and later the Seventh

Commanded latter at Gettysberg

during war invented and poatented various improvements to soldiers' equipment and made a fdortune on their sale to federal government

after war settled in Mobile, Al

acquired and edited Mobile Register (newspaper) and took interest in politics

9 Jan 1872 received patent on sleeping car divided by transverse partitions into compartments
USPat 122,622: doors in side like in europe/ small toilet each compart, seats convertible to beds running crosswise to direction of travel

spent next 10 yrs intro to Continent Europe

8 Jan 1878 invented corridor car & car vestibule used on train built in England for use in Russia
USPat 198,991 / car had corridor length of car, communal restrooms, one sex each end
vestibules were closed -- forerunner of present-day (1957) compartment cars

On ret to US organized MBCC to build & operate cars

The Mann Boudoir Car Company was chartered in the state of New York 23 March 1883. It operated at a loss for its first 5 years.

cars used on Springfield line betw Boston & NY 1883

became popular w/ public but not RR because of limited capacity

The December 1888 issue of the Official Railway Guide startled the railroad world (and most of all George M. Pullman) with this announcement: "Union Palace Car Co.... will commence operating SLEEPING AND PARLOR CARS on about 15,000 miles of railroad in January 1889." Union had been incorporated 24 September 1888 in New Jersey by Job H. Jackson of Jackson & Sharp to secure control of the Mann Boudoir Car Company and the Woodruff Sleeping & Parlor Coach Company. The two companies operated a total of 34 cars on about 5,000 miles of railroads in the East, South, and Midwest. Pullman lost no time. Two months later Union Palace was purchased by Pullmans Palace Car Company for $2.5 million. Some parts of Union seem to have survived, because it was not finally dissolved until 1899.

The whole PULLMAN and carpet bagger era hits close to home, Jacksonville was HUGE in both worlds.
While a relation of "Ocklawaha" the majority of my family was on the other side in the War of Yankee Aggression, therefore, had I been alive... Perhaps Col Mann wouldn't have! Viva Quantrail!
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Society for the Prevention of Calling Sleeping Car Porters "George"
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A Pullman sleeping car porter.The Society for the Prevention of Calling Sleeping Car Porters "George" (SPCSCPG) was an association composed largely of railway sleeping car porters in the United States to promote the elimination of the degrading and racist practice of referring to all porters by the name "George" regardless of their actual name. The name refers to George Pullman, of the Pullman Company, which at one time manufactured and operated a large proportion of all the sleeping cars in North America. Porters were overwhelmingly African American, and the practice presumably derived from the old custom of naming slaves after their masters, in this case porters being regarded as servants of George Pullman. The society was initiated by white railway employees actually named George, who were either annoyed by the practice, or thought that founding the society would be an amusing joke.

At its peak, the society had 31,000 members, including King George V of the United Kingdom, American baseball player George Herman "Babe" Ruth, and French politician Georges Clemenceau.[1]

Phillip Randolph formed the first African American Labor Union and became active in the Civil Rights struggle.
He organized the Brotherhood of Pullman Porters in 1925, but they were refused collective bargaining until the Socialist Party put pressure on the Pullman. Finally about 1937 they won a contract. Today the sons of Pullman Porters and onboard train crews are often represented by the Brotherhood of Railway and Airline Clerks, or the UTU.

Ocklawaha

[Coolyfett]

I did not know that Jacksonville was a city that "hated" itsellf...

This is very odd to me, because most of the people I talk to who live here seem to think its a pretty nice place!

Thats interesting. I think you may want to talk to more people outside of the immediate circle. Hate is a bit strong, I wouldn't say HATE is word to use in that sentence. Maybe "lack of pride" or 'lack of interest" from many of the citizens. 

Sentence should read...Why does Jacksonville ignore itself?

[Coolyfett]

I did not know that Jacksonville was a city that "hated" itsellf...

This is very odd to me, because most of the people I talk to who live here seem to think its a pretty nice place!

Do any of these people live in urban areas or do they all live in the suburbs...St. John's county perhaps?  Jacksonville will always appear to be a "nice place" when you shut yourself out from the reality of what it is and what it has the potential to become (good and bad).  For the majority of residents of suburban Jacksonville, you could transport them in their sleep to any other suburban destination in any other state and when they woke up they'd have no idea they ever left Jacksonville.  Is that how you want to live, in a cookie-cutter world completely devoid of passion and culture?

What the author was speaking about (correct me if I'm wrong) is a sense of pride in our roots and pride in our city, the original city, downtown, of which, the powers-that-be who determine what course of action is going to be taken regarding the best interests of our city, have none.

In my opinion, it truely is unfortunate that so many of our communities which are so far disconnected from the urban core, are considered to be, Jacksonville.  It's an injustice to what could be done for and in those smaller communities as well as what could be done for downtown.  Orange Park is over 30 minutes away from downtown Jacksonville by highway, the intercoastal communites and the beaches are even further.  People who live in those areas have a tendancy to stay in those areas because they have no reason to venture into downtown for anything other than a couple of games or shows and then they're out and back home.

So, again, depending on where you live in 'Jacksonville' and how much you choose to see/learn, it's either going to be "nice" or it will resemble a teenage girl with self-esteem issues, looking at fashion mags and trying to emulate Gisele Bundchen.

I think this is what I was trying to say.

[Coolyfett]

I do think it is a city that is being held back by , and Jax just has not realized it's full unlimited potential.

Rest your fingers mate. The word "TURTLES" works just fine.

Turtles - short sighted people and leaders now and in the past that have been in power.

[stephendare]

Its a self loathing city.

I think because we are so uninformed about our own heritage that most people assume that if you dig very deep at all, it must be a calumny of racist rednecks etc.

To be sure, we had our share of those, like any other city, but our actual heritage and history is awesome.

The difference between us and other cities is that they celebrate themselves.

We hide it.

Even in this thread weve had a comment about maybe it would be better if out Southern Fried Rock superstars werent spotlighted.

Self hatred pure and simple.

We have been in thrall too long to the consultants who think we should be more like philly or columbus.

We certainly can learn some infrastructure and techniques from those cities. 

But we take the 'being more like' thing too far.   

[Ocklawaha]

Daughter Trilby just had a brain storm worth mention here...

"Dad, why don't you push the MJ guys to draw the Riverwalk like those beautiful sidewalks in South America (something posted on another thread recently if I recall). Then get the city to put our own walk of fame into the walk. Big Hollywood Stars! Names like Oliver Hardy, Allonso Mitchell, Tom Mix, Ray Charles, Phillip Randolph. I mean, we were the original Hollywood right? So why should they have a lock on it. Then over in by the railing, add a history marker, or a lifesize bronze..."

Damn Girl! Hum? What do y'all think of that one? Imagine getting ones photo taken with a lifesize Oliver Hardy as he leans on the rail looking out over the river? His own star illuminated behind him? DAMN!

Ocklawaha

[thelakelander]

Humm.  A Jacksonville Walk of Fame?  The idea definately has a lot a merit.  What would be the best location for something like this?

A. Friendship Fountain area

B. Proposed Shipyards Pier

C. Northbank Riverwalk - between Landing and TU Center or CSX

D. Northbank Riverwalk - near the Hyatt

E. Southbank Riverwalk

F. Other

[ProjectMaximus]

Daughter Trilby just had a brain storm worth mention here...

"Dad, why don't you push the MJ guys to draw the Riverwalk like those beautiful sidewalks in South America (something posted on another thread recently if I recall). Then get the city to put our own walk of fame into the walk. Big Hollywood Stars! Names like Oliver Hardy, Allonso Mitchell, Tom Mix, Ray Charles, Phillip Randolph. I mean, we were the original Hollywood right? So why should they have a lock on it. Then over in by the railing, add a history marker, or a lifesize bronze..."

Damn Girl! Hum? What do y'all think of that one? Imagine getting ones photo taken with a lifesize Oliver Hardy as he leans on the rail looking out over the river? His own star illuminated behind him? DAMN!

Ocklawaha

I think this is a very logical first step in demonstrating civic pride to outsiders. Simple, minor, yet very effective.

[Trilby]

"Hey everybody! its ocks daughter. ive met some of you, and some of you just know me from my dad and his love to speak. =] {about everything!} My home is florida however. born and halfway raised in orlando. the other half raised in oklahoma. which no offense to you okies but for me its the closest to hell i could get. I love my florida, and i think this is a great way to voice our opinions on what needs to be done...and what DOESNT need to be done. so now you have another big mouth on here. like father like daughter!"

Im happy someone looked at my idea! i had an idea of calling it "the jacksonvilles stars" i have heard stories from my father how jacksonville would have been the first hollywood. and its such a shame...and possibly a good thing that  it didnt happen!  however...so many early films were done here. and so many famous people have come out of this city, that i believe they deserve some recognition. being a myspace junkie. and facebook. i love to take cool pictures downtown and outside and post them for everyone too see. and i could just see it now. all the young people going downtown to take pictures next to their FAVORITE "jacksonville" star. its a way to reach out to people young and old...teach them some history. but make it fun..and interesting. so the word "history" doesnt scare them away.
 

<3
Trilby

[stephendare]

This is a partial listing of the musical celebrities from or associated with Jacksonville.

Are you f*@#ing kidding me that we don't have some sort of public hall or museum or conservatory that celebrates this?

For God's sake.  This is the city that invented an entire genre of Music:  Southern Fried Rock.   We own it.

lynyrd skynyrd




molly hatchet




allman brothers





38 special




Blackfoot




Brian Leisegang, Filter, Nine Inch Nails




Limp Bizkit




Yellowcard





Black Kids




Ray Charles

[stephendare]

links and more people.

lynyrd skynyrd  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynyrd_Skynyrd

38 special  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.38_Special_%28band%29

allman brothers  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Allman_Brothers_Band

molly hatchet  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molly_Hatchet

Blackfoot  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackfoot_%28band%29

Rossington Collins Band  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rossington-Collins_Band

Yellow Card  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowcard

Brian Liesegang Filter, 9 Inch Nails Veruca Salt  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Liesegang

Todd Eberle  http://www.artic.edu/aic/exhibitions/exhibition/eberle

Wakefield Poole  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wakefield_Poole  (the Godfather of Gay Porn.  believe it or not, our gentle wakefield was really the first person to do it and show it at theatres)

Michael Emerson http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Emerson

Ronnie Land  http://rlandart.com/

Fred Durst  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Durst

Limp Bizkit  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limp_Bizkit

Cold  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_(band)

Rena Greek Mero (Sable from WWE) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rena_Mero

Black Kids  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Kids

[stephendare]

Creature from the Black Lagoon




Oliver Hardy




Bill Pickett the Norman Studio's Cowboy

[stephendare]

Daytime's Connie Fletcher from Jax Beach and Aaron Staten from Beauty and The Beast

[stephendare]

Michael Emerson