Vintage Jacksonville

“One of the super Setzer’s store.  It was located on Florida Avenue near Duval Street.  It was burned out during the race riot in the 60’s. Photo about 1952.”  LS

Brothers Benjamin and Abraham Setzer arrived in Jacksonville in 1910 after fleeing Lithuania.  They started out in the Ice business and then started a lumber business but by 1918 Benjamin was working as a butcher and Abraham was a peddler.  Benjamin began working as a butcher for a small grocery store in Jacksonville’s Springfield neighborhood and by 1922 was running the business. Benjamin expanded from the original grocery store to a local then regional chain and by the late 1950’s there were fifteen Jacksonville locations and forty total around North and Central Florida.  In 1958 Benjamin Setzer sold his chain to Food Fair Stores.

Of additional interest in this photograph is the small car parked at the curb under the E in the Setzer’s sign (see detail below).  It is a Henry J, manufactured by the Kaiser-Frasier car company.  Designed as an inexpensive car  for less affluent buyers it first went to market in 1951 with a total price tag, including taxes for just under $1,300.00.  To accomplish this they built the car with the fewest possible parts and options.  There was no trunk lid so the trunk could only be accessed by folding down the rear seats.  The car had no glove compartment or arm rests.  It only came in a two door version with fixed rear windows and a four cylinder engine. By the end of 1951 the remaining cars that went unsold were given some cosmetic changes including a Continental Tire kit option and a new name, the Henry J Vagabond and sold as a 1952 model.  The car was also sold through Sears under the name Allstate. Later other modifications were made including offering a six cylinder engine and optional trunk lid. After the repackaged 1951 cars were sold the 1953 Henry J Corsair was introduced. The car had been restyled, given more features and better workmanship but the price went up and sales declined.  Just over 1,000 were made in 1954, the final year it was manufactured. Since this car has a trunk lid and the original body style I would say it is a 1952 model.

Tags: 007494, advertising, brick street, business, car, Florida Avenue, grocery store, Henry J, historic photograph, Kaiser-Frasier, Setzer, Setzer's, Vintage Advertising, vintage photography

“A picture of the Acosta Bridge built in the 20’s and was the only bridge across the St Johns till 1941 when the Main Street bridge was finished.  Now this bridge is just history.”  LS

The old Acosta Bridge shown in this undated photograph from the Loyd Sandgren collection.  Originally named the Jacksonville St. Johns River Bridge, it was the first bridge for vehicle and pedestrian traffic to span Jacksonville on the North side of the St. Johns River with South Jacksonville.  Prior to the three lane steel beam bridge opening in 1921 the only way to get to the South side of the river was by train on the railroad bridge or a ferry from downtown to the South bank of the river. For almost 20 years the bridge operated as a toll bridge and brought in over $4,100,000. in tolls.  The bridge cost $1,200,000. to build.

In 1940, shortly before the Main Street bridge was constructed the tolls were lifted. In 1949 the bridge was renamed the St. Elmo W. Acosta bridge in honor of the city commissioner who pushed for the original construction of the bridge over the protests of the railroad and ferry operators.  In 1991 the old Acosta bridge was demolished and the new 6 lane concrete span Acosta bridge was built.

Tags: acosta bridge, bridge, historic photography, St. Elmo W. Acosta, St. Johns River, St. Johns River Bridge, traffic, vintage photograph

A costume ball for The Little Theatre in San Marco.  According to the note left behind by Loyd Sandgren the photograph was taken around 1949 and the party theme was famous people. Mahatma Gandhi does not look all that thrilled to be there but Pan has his flute and seems ready to party.

Tags: actors, costume, Gandhi, historic photograph, Pan, party, San Marco, The Little Theatre, theatre, vintage photography

“This picture shows the parking lot after they tore down the old hotel.  Note on right, they were building the Atlantic Bank Building.  Look at all the people on the streets, it isn’t like that today.”  LS

Looking Northbound up Hogan Street at the intersection with Forsyth Street around 1950.  The Hotel George Washington stands in the upper left of the photograph.  The Gilbert Hotel and Hotel Windsor can be seen further up Hogan Street.  The Exchange Building in the center of the photograph was built in 1930 and still stands on West Adams Street, minus the sign on top.  Most of the other buildings in this photograph are now gone.  Another view of the East side of Hogan street from about the same period can be seen here.

Tags: cars, downtown, Exchange Building, Forsyth Street, Gilvert Hotel, historic photography, hogan street, hotel, Hotel George Washington, Hotel Windsor, intersection, parking lot, traffic, vintage photograph

“Here is a group of unhappy blacks in front of the Duval Court House.  They carried a black mock casket.  I took the picture from my studio window across the street.  1975.”  LS

A group of police officers stand in front of the Bay Street doors into the Duval County Courthouse keeping an eye on the group of protesters.  Beyond the note Loyd Sandgren left with this particular photograph, there is little information to give it additional context.  If anyone has more information it would be most welcomed.

Tags: African-American, Bay Street, Courthouse, downtown, historic photography, police, protest, vintage photograph

“Claude Nolan Inc.  The Distributer of Cadillacs (cars) in Florida.  They sold Pontiacs.  This picture was taken on the corner of Main & Orange Streets downtown.  They started in 1905 as a Cadillac dealer and have been one ever since that time.  In 1975, they moved the dealership to 4700 Southside Blvd.”  LS

The original Claude Nolan Cadillac showroom Building was designed by Jacksonville architect Henry John Klutho in 1912 as a brick and glass prairie school style structure with attached garage buildings. It was remodeled beyond recognition in the 1940’s into the pseudo-modern current configuration seen in this mid 1960’s photograph (The window signs announce the arrival date for the 1965 Pontiacs).  Boarded up for a number of years it now faces demolition as part of the efforts to clean up the toxic waste in the Confederate Park and Hogans Creek area from Coal Tar left behind from a gas manufacturing plant dating to the 1880’s.

Tags: 001713, Cadillac, cars, Claude Nolan, Condederate Park, Henry John Klutho, historic photography, Hogans Creek, Main Street, Orange Street, Pontiac, Prairie Style, showroom, toxic waste, vintage photograph

One of the more playful images from the box of Virgil Deane’s photographs that I received. Seemed appropriate for a Valentine’s Day post.  Anyone at Jacksonville’s beaches know the identity of these young and somewhat reluctant models?

Tags: boy, children, girl, heart, historic photography, kiss, studio, valentine, vintage photograph, virgil deane

This is one of the more unusual photographs found in Loyd Sandgren’s collection of wedding photos.  I can only speculate that this is the new bride with her groom who is playing dress up for the amusement of the rest of the family.  If that is not it, then this was not the classic Ozzie and Harriet family than I envision from the 1950’s.  A great candid moment!  Also, Love the pencil sharpener on the door frame. 

Tags: birde, drag, family, groom, historic photography, vintage photograph, wedding

 “This is the Richardson Building on 35 Hogan Street.  The building was the Muntz TV sales and warehouse in the 1950’s.”  LS

Earl William Muntz was a businessman and engineer who made his money selling cars and home electronics.  Muntz simplified televisions by removing as many components as possible from existing models until they no longer worked.  By simplifying the technology as much as he could he was able to drive down their prices and was the first to break the $100.  price barrier for black and white television sets. He later designed his own car called the Muntz Jet, over the top designs with luxury accessories that appealed to celebrity owners.  The car was a money looser for Muntz but the publicity helped his television business until the advent of color television in the mid 1950’s.  At that point the black and white television sales dropped off and Muntz went into bankruptcy.

The building stood on the block of Hogan Street now occupied by the Bank of America tower.  Another view of the building can be seen here. Below is a detail of the showroom windows at street level.

Tags: Bank of America, cars, Earl William Muntz, historic photograph, hogan street, Muntz TV, Richardson Building, TV, vintage photography

“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