“In the foreground was the cleared land for the new park. South Main Street leading to the Main Street Bridge, Gibbs Shipyard in the center of picture. Lobster House on left. Mary Street on right. 1955.” LS
This photo was taken at a time when the city was starting a building boom with a new courthouse and jail being built across the river on Bay Street, Dallas Thomas Park (later to be renamed Friendship Park) and the Fountain of Friendship were on the drawing board for this cleared parcel of land between the Main Street Bridge and the newly completed Fuller Warren Bridge. The shipyards were still booming on both sides of the river. The old Gator Bowl stadium barely rose above the storage tanks nearby and the Coliseum would not open for another five years.
Tags: 001703, aerial, Courthouse, friendship park, Gibbs Shipyard, historic photography, Lobster House, Main Street, southbank, St. Johns River, vintage photograph
