Print ArticleA district is defined as an area of a country or city, regarded as a distinct unit because of a particular characteristic. In an era where the pedestrian was king in Jacksonville, downtown was loaded with distinct districts-- many of which are no longer with us. Here are a few lost districts that you may not be familiar with.
5. Hotel Row on Julia Street
The Mayflower was located at Julia and Bay Streets. The EverBank Tower (then Southern Bell) replaced it during the early 1980s. Courtesy of the Jacksonville Public Library Special Collections Department.
The heart of Florida’s first major city was simultaneously home to one of the largest theater districts in the South and an African-American cultural district in LaVilla, whose vibrancy provided the genesis for the Harlem Renaissance. Visitors and tourist came from all over the world to visit the city’s beautiful and unforgettable charm; creating an environment for several grand hotels that defined the downtown experience. Most of the city's largest hotels, like Hotel Mayflower, George Washington Hotel, Robert Meyer Hotel, Ambassador Hotel, Hotel Aragon, Hotel Rollings, and the Park Hotel where either on or within a two block walk of Julia Street. Partially due to a decline in nearby industry, employment, aging facilities and the closure of the Jacksonville Terminal, most of downtown's major early 20th century hotels ceased operations by the end of the 1970s.
The George Washington Hotel at Julia and Adams. This building was replaced with a surface parking lot, shortly after the hotel closed in the 1970s. Courtesy of the State Archives of Florida.
Hotel Aragon was located at Julia and Forsyth Streets. This site is now a surface parking lot for the BB&T Tower. Courtesy of the State Archives of Florida.
The Robert Meyer Hotel was located at the intersection of Julia and Church Streets. Courtesy of the State Archives of Florida.
The Park Hotel was located at Julia and Forsyth Streets. Courtesy of the State Archives of Florida.
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