Author Topic: Moncrief Springs: Are French Crown Jewels in Jacksonville  (Read 13198 times)

Metro Jacksonville

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Moncrief Springs: Are French Crown Jewels in Jacksonville
« on: September 23, 2008, 05:00:00 AM »
Moncrief Springs: Crown Jewels of Jacksonville



A story of blood and diamonds... Rolling back the clock to 1770's, one of the more colorful and credible tales of Jacksonville's past leaps from the pages of history. To the north of Florida, the birthing enterprise of a new nation was sealed in blood, no small part of which was French. King Louie XVI of France, wasn't exactly royal material.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/898

BridgeTroll

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Re: Moncrief Springs: Are French Crown Jewels in Jacksonville
« Reply #1 on: September 23, 2008, 08:39:06 AM »
I see mysterious holes being dug throughout the area... :)
In a boat at sea one of the men began to bore a hole in the bottom of the boat. On being remonstrating with, he answered, "I am only boring under my own seat." "Yes," said his companions, "but when the sea rushes in we shall all be drowned with you."

David

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Re: Moncrief Springs: Are French Crown Jewels in Jacksonville
« Reply #2 on: September 23, 2008, 09:33:31 AM »
mun-CREEEFFFF!

cool story!


Jason

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Re: Moncrief Springs: Are French Crown Jewels in Jacksonville
« Reply #3 on: September 23, 2008, 11:22:14 AM »
Great story Ock, very well done!

Are those images of the actual spring?

Ocklawaha

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Re: Moncrief Springs: Are French Crown Jewels in Jacksonville
« Reply #4 on: September 23, 2008, 11:36:01 AM »
It's the actual creek, as for the spring the land is much changed from the 1790's and no one knows where it is today. The maps even USGS, don't agree. Some say under the highway, others here or there, my own thinking on it puts it in the green triangle on our map, perhaps toward the west center. That is where the mud seep was photographed. It does have some flow, as the ditch has water, then remains wet to the creek, (water under the surface mud). In any case if found, the spring is probably going to look like that mud hole.

OCKLAWAHA

tashi

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Re: Moncrief Springs: Are French Crown Jewels in Jacksonville
« Reply #5 on: September 23, 2008, 12:47:46 PM »
WOW what great information! I have been looking for information on the spring for a while!
This really was informative!

Keep up the good work!  ;D
Humankind has not woven the web of life.  We are but one thread within it.  Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.  All things are bound together.  All things connect.  ~Chief Seattle, 1855

stug

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Re: Moncrief Springs: Are French Crown Jewels in Jacksonville
« Reply #6 on: September 24, 2008, 10:09:49 AM »
I want to find the treasure!

I-10east

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Re: Moncrief Springs: Are French Crown Jewels in Jacksonville
« Reply #7 on: September 24, 2008, 03:00:48 PM »
Great stuff as always MetroJax. I wonder what the are gonna do wit' those abandoned projects (Palm Terrace; the cement buildings) on the other side of the tracks? Palm Terrace has existing projects that's in use on the Eartha White side of the tracks.

Johnny

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Re: Moncrief Springs: Are French Crown Jewels in Jacksonville
« Reply #8 on: September 25, 2008, 01:41:38 PM »
very nice!

Ocklawaha

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Re: Moncrief Springs: Are French Crown Jewels in Jacksonville
« Reply #9 on: September 29, 2008, 12:33:00 AM »
Treasure Hunters BE AWARE: Moncrief Creek is highly polluted with Fecal Coliform. Walking over it, or around it is something of a hazard because you are touching things the flood waters have touched. Use common sense and caution if you go out to this site.  I doubt the spring, if it could be found is as damaged as the creek, though it is probably filled with many dozens of feet of questionable mud and litter. You can read the pollution report at: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/tmdl/docs/tmdls/draft/gp2/MoncriefCreek_2228.pdf

OCKLAWAHA
« Last Edit: September 29, 2008, 12:36:43 AM by Ocklawaha »

gatorback

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Re: Moncrief Springs: Are French Crown Jewels in Jacksonville
« Reply #10 on: January 19, 2010, 04:39:44 PM »
I agree. Very nice. I'll take a small 50 carat ruby should one surface.   Fecal Coliform-Encrusted or not.
« Last Edit: January 19, 2010, 04:41:19 PM by gatorback »
'As a sinner I am truly conscious of having often offended my Creator and I beg him to forgive me, but as a Queen and Sovereign, I am aware of no fault or offence for which I have to render account to anyone here below.'   Mary, queen of Scots to her jailer, Sir Amyas Paulet; October 1586

Dog Walker

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Re: Moncrief Springs: Are French Crown Jewels in Jacksonville
« Reply #11 on: January 20, 2010, 05:07:20 PM »
Bob,  I didn't know that they were rowing across the Atlantic in those days. Galley?
When all else fails hug the dog.

sheclown

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Re: Moncrief Springs: Are French Crown Jewels in Jacksonville
« Reply #12 on: January 20, 2010, 09:39:35 PM »
Fantastic story!!  Thank you so much for sharing this with us.  I would have never guessed at Moncrief's elegant past. 

Can you imagine finding that spring after all this time?  Surely it could be found with hi-tech equipment, couldn't it?

Ocklawaha

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Re: Moncrief Springs: Are French Crown Jewels in Jacksonville
« Reply #13 on: January 20, 2010, 10:02:01 PM »
I think it could be located, but the depth, and size of this dig should require the assets of a major treasure corp. and the aid of a couple of institutions:

Federal Government
Government of France
State of Florida
University from Florida Archeology and History dept.
University from France Archeology and History dept.

Believe me, from the stuff I've read on this, if anything like the treasure is supposed to be is ever found, you could pay them all off in spades and still come out as one of the richest people on earth. Then the curse would strike and you'd die of some exotic disease found in the stinking polluted site.


OCKLAWAHA

sheclown

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Re: Moncrief Springs: Are French Crown Jewels in Jacksonville
« Reply #14 on: January 20, 2010, 10:09:31 PM »
Even if we couldn't find the treasure, it would be really exciting to find the spring.