Print ArticleIn the first half of the 20th century, the area that is known as East Bay Street today, was almost wholly industrial- and maritime- related. With the railroad and wharves paralleling a block south, along the riverfront, many firms took advantage of Bay Street's easy access to the St. Johns River. The most important industry during this era was shipbuilding and repair. With the rise of free trade, deindustrialization, and a movement to clean up the downtown waterfront, many industries began to leave the area in the mid-20th century. Although a number of historic warehouses, factories and wharves were left and available for other uses, the majority have been demolished in the later half of the 20th century. With the push to cluster entertainment uses in this section of downtown and the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission's (JEDC) desire to brand the corridor "The E-Town zone," Metro Jacksonville takes a look into the district's past.
An aerial of the Main Street Bridge in 1947. The intersection of Bay and Ocean Streets can be seen one block from the wharfs, along the river on the bottom right of the image.
An aerial of East Bay Street looking towards the west in 1948.
Maxwell House coffee quality control during the 1950s. In 1910, the Cheek-Neal Coffee Company opened at this East Bay Street location because it was adjacent to where coffee used to be loaded onto ships on Bay Street. Now one of the last remaining industrial facilities still in operation and roasting one million pounds of coffee a day, including payroll, taxes, utilities, and purchases of goods and services, Maxwell House is estimated to have an annual economic impact of $30 million on the city.
Maxwell House Coffee Roasting Plant today.
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