“This picture was taken from Forsyth & Main Streets. Note the Krystal hamburger place, the Woolworth’s. See how many people were on the streets then. 1948.” LS
While looking for another image I came across this great street view of Forsyth Street looking West from Main Street that showed downtown with all it’s theaters, stores and people on the street. You can see the St. Johns Theatre advertising for the movie My Wild Irish Rose and the Arcade Theatre, shoe stores and tailor shops. There is the F.W. Woolworth Co. and The Krystal hamburger restaurant on the corner. The original print is in rough condition but it has survived longer than the businesses and many of the buildings captured in it have.
Tags: Arcade Theatre, downtown, Forsyth Street, historic photograph, Krystal, Main Street, St. Johns Theatre, vintage photography, Woolworth
6 Comments → Leave a Reply
What a thriving downtown was at the time. How things change. I would love to walk down the street here and window shop.
Thanks so much for sharing.
I did not grow up in Jacksonville and this photo precedes me. However, I have been in this building as it is now Perdue Inc. I have seen several pictures of it around 1916 when it was built as Woolworths. Often, I envisioned shoppers and decorated window fronts. I never knew there was a Krystal Hamburger Restaurant on the corner of it. Always imagined a lunch counter inside. Interesting, and thank you for sharing!
I do not see the St Johns Theater in the photo. Also, I remember the St Johns as being in 5 Points. I guess I am wrong. I have loved looking at these old photos. It makes me homesick but now I know you can not go home again. Too bad.
Fred, The St. Johns Theatre is tiny, in the background down Forsyth St. past the facade for the Arcade Theatre. Glad to have you as a fan of the site and feel free to add your insights and memories as you see fit. Bob Self/Vintage Jacksonville
The suburbs started the exit from downtown Jacksonville… When Jax was in it hey day back in the 1940’s when the streets were covered with military men dressed in their uniforms. Very few people had cars back then. Most took the buses to downtown where everybody went to shop… It has always been a mystery to me why the powers that controlled Jacksonville didn’t start building parking garages… There was no place to park when people started buying cars after the war years. If you went to town in your car, your most likely get a ticket on your windshield when you returned. The population in 1940 was about 140 thousand… can you imagine what it is today??
My mother-in-law has told us many times about working as a teenager and taking the city bus from Lee high school to work at Kress. Then on payday she would go by the Krystal and get hamburgers with her “change” for her and her dad to share when he picked her up to take her home. I can’t wait to show her this photo.