Neighborhoods: Springfield Warehouse District
February 13, 2013 19 comments
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The Telfair Stockton & Company developed a significant chunk of Jacksonville's urban core that we know and love today. While Springfield, Avondale, and San Marco stand out to most, Stockton also was heavily involved in Jacksonville's growth as an industrial center. Here is a before and after look at the remains of Stockton's largest manufacturing center in Jacksonville's urban core: The Springfield Warehouse District.
HUTTING SASH AND DOOR COMPANY
Huttig Sash and Door in 1957. Courtesy of the State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/167231
Huttig was founded as a sawmill and lumberyard in Muscatine, IA by brothers, Charles and William Huttig in 1866. By the 1920s, the company had evolved into a window sash and door manufacturer. In 1923, they expanded to Jacksonville with the construction of this manufacturing plant at 2303 North Market Street.
This building is one of a few of +90 year old buildings still standing that illustrate the evolution of industrial design since Telfair Stockton's original development of the industrial district. To accommodate the invention of the semi-truck, the northeast section of the building has been removed and converted into an area for truck trailers.
Today, the company is known as Huttig Building Products. While they have moved on from the Springfield Warehouse District, their West Jacksonville operation is one of only four Huttig facilities in Florida.
Inside Huttig's Springfield office in 1957. Courtesy of the State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/167226
Workers in the office at the Huttig Sash and Door Company factory in 1956. Courtesy of the State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/167287
A Huttig truck in 1950. Courtesy of the State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/53239
A fleet of delivery trucks in the garage at the Huttig Sash and Door Company factory in 1953.
State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/167285
Outside Huttig's modified truck loading dock in 1957. Courtesy of the State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/167230
ĘTNA IRON & STEEL COMPANY
Ętna Iron & Steel Company in 1943. Courtesy of the State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/51369
The Etna Iron & Steel Company (sometimes rendered as Ętna) was built at 2120 North Market Street in 19--. The facility, which ceased operations in 1945, specialized in the cutting and fitting of iron and steel. The name "Etna" (and its alternative spellings "Aetna" and "Ętna") derives from the nymph Aetna in Greek mythology, after whom the volcano Mount Etna in modern-day Sicily is said to be named.
Since 1988, the site has been occupied by Southland Recycling & Shredding. Southland operates one of the largest paper processing plants in North Florida, processing between 2,500 and 3,000 tons of material each month.
Looking towards the Ętna Iron & Steel Company from the Liberty Street railroad crossing in 1943. Courtesy of State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/52953
KELLY WHOLESALE FURNITURE COMPANY
The Kelly Furniture Company in 1926. Courtesy of the Telfair Stockton & Company industrial advertisement.
2301 North Main Street was constructed in 1925 as Kelly Wholesale Furniture. Solomon's Main Street Auction House was the 74,000 square foot warehouse's most recent occupant.
The Dozier and Gay Paint Company in 1944. The southwest corner of the Kelly Furniture Company can be seen to the left. Today, the S-Line Greenway has replaced the railroad and the paint company has been demolished and is used as a parking lot for the Kelly Furniture Company building. Courtesy of the State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/52862
12th Street and Hubbard Street. The Kelly Furniture Warehouse is located on the left. Courtesy of the State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/52856
GRAYBAR ELECTRIC COMPANY 
Graybar's origins date back to post-Civil War Cleveland with the establishment of a small electrical appraratus business by Enos Barton and George Shawk. In 1869, Shawk's interest in the business was bought out by Elisha Gray.
Incorporated as Western Electric Manufacturing Company in 1872,business rapidly increased with the invention of the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell and the incandescent lamp by Thomas Alva Edison.
In 1926, a separate entity was established for the distribution of supplies and equipment. This entity was named "Graybar" in honor of Gray and Barton. Soon, the company built a warehouse in Springfield at 12th and Main Streets for the Jacksonville market. Today, Graybar's local facility is located on Jessie Street near Talleyrand.
Today, 2202 North Main Street is occupied by Screen Process Printers, Inc.
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