The Lost Story of Jacksonville's Moncrief Park

[Metro Jacksonville]

The Lost Story of Jacksonville's Moncrief Park



Today, Moncrief is an area that most Jaxsons avoid or know little about outside of the local media's crime coverage.  However, a century ago it was the site of one of the nation's most popular horse racing tracks.

Read More: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2015-dec-the-lost-story-of-jacksonvilles-moncrief-park

[Noone]

Thanks again for the history. What is the closest structure that is still standing from that time period?

[thelakelander]

Everything was demolished and replaced with a neighborhood that is now nearly a century old. The largest remaining old structure in the area is probably the old Jax Beer Brewery.

[Noone]

Where is that exactly? Thank you.

[thelakelander]

West 16th Street at Barnett Street, just west of Myrtle Avenue.

[spuwho]

I thought you already did a story on Moncrief Park?

I found some of the same reference material you did a couple of years ago and when I wanted to post on it, it seems you already had so, so I dropped it.

Nothing wrong with re-runs, its great history and explains a great deal of local history. I liked the story where Jax preachers got upset because their was a champion horse challenge going on at Moncrief and everyone rode their buggies to the race Sunday morning instead of going to church. All those church offerings ended up at the bettors box instead!!

[thelakelander]

^Back in 2012 we did. We ended up revisiting the old story and adding additional text and images to it.

[Noone]

West 16th Street at Barnett Street, just west of Myrtle Avenue.

Checkd it out. Appears buildings were added over the years. All boarded up. Went down to Fairfax. And whatever building was between 14th and 16th is rubble. Looks recent. Any idea what that use to be?

[thelakelander]

The other building was the American Motor Export Company. It was a short lived early 20th century auto assembly plant. It was built a few years after the brewery.