Sniffing Along The Waterfront

[stephendare]

most cities also sprawled, and most cities had white flight, and most cities didnt start cleaning their water supply until recently.  There is a whole list of terrible mistakes that most cities have made.

Public space, while laudable, isnt the godhead of values for a cities well being.

[sheclown]

great piece.  What killed the industry and when did it die? 

[thelakelander]

It didn't die, it moved north to Tallyrand, Blount Island and Heckscher Drive.  Most of the wharfs were demolished during the Haydon Burns era (mid-1950s).

[Overstreet]

Most likely the businesses that used the wharfs evolved and the wharfs became useless.  Ships likely became larger and needed ports closer to the ocean. Other ports opened up.

The mainstreet bridge opened up and the ferry docks became obsolete. 

They used to move people and freight along the river to down town.  Land transportation probably took over and made river transportation less profitable. Then those docks became unused. 

In another example, the ship yards stopped being profitable and are evolving into something else.

[Dog Walker]

The marine shipping industry changed drastically with the invention of containerized freight.  The ships got bigger and deeper draft.  The time to load and unload ships dropped drastically.  The wharfs and docks along Jacksonville's downtown waterfront became obsolete.  Because they were no longer in use for shipping, they deteriorated into a real dangerous eyesore and a huge fire hazard.

In their day they were fascinating, vital, ant beds of activity, but shipping technology changed as much as jet airplanes changed international travel.

[Bewler]

They still could have kept some around for a fresh seafood market for shoppers like in the example posted earlier. In the Downtown Frankenstein article that discusses this, it says that they were demolished to make way for that huge parking lot. Supposedly simultaneously helping the DT parking problem and ridding Bay Street of the seediness and crime brought on by the wharves.

So what’s the lesson here then? Well it’s if there’s crime in an area, don’t try to maintain order and police it, simply blow the whole place to shit!

they deteriorated into a real dangerous eyesore and a huge fire hazard.

Anything can become this if it's not maintained and updated.

[tcu70]

The electric plant was called Talleyrand Generating Station until sometime in the 60's when it was renamed for J. Dillon Kennedy, a former City Commissioner who was instrumental in growing what is now the JEA.  At that time, electricity in Jax was provided by this plant along with Southside (now demolished) and a floating power plant out by NAS JAX (The Inductance, left over from WWII).  They were building Northside generating station in the 60's.  There was an ongoing debate about whether Jax pollution was caused by the paper mill or the electric plant.  Probably some of both as they both burned high-sulphur content fuel oil and rained black soot down on the city from time to time.  I believe Talleyrand was built around 1900.

[stephendare]

Wow.  tcu70.  welcome to the forums and thanks for this really insightful post.  I wonder if there are any old pictures of these locations and plants?

[Ocklawaha]

The state archives identifies this power plant as serving electirc trolleys.  Based on the landscaping, apparent age, and design, could it be anywhere else but Jacksonville?  What year?

stjr, I just ran across this. Yes this was the streetcar generating plant. It was located where the Times-Union Buildings are today. There was also a grand old office building on the corner there at the foot of the Riverside viaduct that was one of the only technical academy's in the USA to teach streetcar operation and management skills. Across the street, where the Skyway barn is today stood the original streetcar barns. It was a large, nearly city block size building at least twice expanded...still had the track inside and the inspection pits between the rails when JTA decided the building had gotten in the way of the new Acosta Bridge approach and HAD TO BE TORN DOWN. Once it was down they had a SHAZAM MOMENT! Down in "Jake the Snakes" office, "Well lookie here boys, Boss Hogg says that old building wasn't in the way after all, that old site SURE WOULD MAKE A DANDY SKYWAY LOT, wouldn't it Roscoe?" It all could of been, should of been saved. Imagine the landing in that giant old power building, office and barns... JACKSONVILLE LANDING and THE CAR BARN! Oh and electric cars started around 1890 here in Jax., while I don't have a date, that could well be it.



OCKLAWAHA

[stjr]

Ock, thanks for the update.  I really wish we had those street cars instead of ye olde $ky-high-way.  So much more attractive, charming, warm, affordable, and useful! 

[psalmist51]

tcu70 thank you so much for your insight on past Jacksonville.  My great grandfather was J. Dillion Kennedy, and until the other day I had no idea he used to be a Utilities Commissioner.