Vintage Jacksonville

Window display in the Levy’s store in downtown Jacksonville displaying women’s fashions along with a 1960’s Vogue photo spread that featured the new line of 1960’s Ford automobile offerings alongside the clothing featured in the display.  Some early cross marketing?

“This was one of the many pictures that was taken for the different stores downtown.  This was at Levy’s.  Mr. Springer, their decorator did much work for the big companies and I took the pictures.  This was used in several national magazines.” LS

Tags: advertising, dresses, fashion, Ford, historic photograph, Levy's, vintage photography, Vogue, window display, women, women's fashion

I would like to wish all Vintage Jacksonville fans a wonderful new year ahead as we look back on the changes we have seen in Jacksonville and our own lives over the years.  The time I spend with the photographs of Loyd Sandgren reminds me that change is a constant process. From clothing styles to the city skyline things continue to evolve, change and grow.  Some things change for the better, some not so much, but be sure to enjoy the best of what you have now, appreciate the past and look forward to what the future has waiting for you.

Bob Self/Vintage Jacksonville

Loyd did not leave any information about the above photo but you have to admire anyone with that skill set!

Tags: acrobat, balance, chairs, handstand, historic photographs, man, room interior, vintage photography

A view of the end zone at the 7th. Annual Gator Bowl game held in 1952 between the University of Miami and Clemson.  With 34,577 fans in attendance Miami shut out Clemson 14 to 0.

Tags: Clemson, Fans, Football, gator bowl, historic photographs, Spectators, University of Miami, vintage photography

Located at the intersection of Main and East Forsyth Streets the 17 story Lynch Building was built to house office and retail space in 1926.  It was the second tallest building in Jacksonville when it was completed.  It has since been converted to apartments and renamed 11-East for it’s address at 11 East Forsyth Street.

Tags: apartments, Darling Shop, downtown, Forsyth Street, historic photographs, Lynch Building, Main Street, office building, vintage photography

You can’t go wrong with fast jets and pretty girls in bathing suites (or is that fast cars?) but this late 1950’s image of a bathing beauty and a Florida Air National Guard F-80 Shooting Star jet makes a pretty good pairing.  Loyd Sandgren did not leave any notes with this image but Ron Tittle with the public affairs office of the Florida National Guard provided me with this historical context on the jet and it’s role with the Florida Air National Guard in Jacksonville.

“The Florida Air National Guard flew P-51’s at Imeson Airport at Jacksonville in the 40’s.  In 1948, an age when air shows were very popular and when people would come from miles around to watch aircraft perform acrobatic stunts over the local airfield, the Florida Air National Guard established the Florida Rockets, an aerial demonstration team.

When the FL ANG first began performing, members flew P-51 piston-engine fighter planes.  The Rockets put on a great show in Miami during September 1948, the first official Air Force Day following the creation of the Air Force as a separate service.  But it was jet planes everyone wanted to see. Within two months, the squadron and the Rockets had made the transition to their new F-80, jet-powered aircraft.  They began performing air shows around the nation, some with national significance.

Soon after, North Korea invaded South Korea.  America’s Air Force and the Air National Guard, including Florida’s own 159th Fighter Squadron (now the 125th Fighter Wing at Jacksonville IAP) were soon called to federal service.

No doubt the F-80 helped prepare our pilots for their eventual missions for
the Korean War where they would fly the F-84s in combat missions.”

This is another photo from Loyd’s collection of work showing the previously mentioned Florida Air National Guard P-51 Mustang in flight.

“Here is a picture of a plane that I took in the early 50’s.  Major Mabry Edwards was the pilot.  I was in a cargo plane taking these pictures over and above Jacksonville Beach, FL.” LS

Tags: bathing beauty, F-80, Florida Air National Guard, historic photographs, jet, military, Mustang, P-51, Shooting Star, vintage photography, women

Oystermen working the oyster beds in Apalachicola Bay in 1946.  This was the year that Loyd Sandgren left Jacksonville to work for the State of Florida out of Tallahassee photographing around Florida to promote the state’s commerce and recreation to the rest of the country.

Tags: apalachicola, boats, historic photographs, oyster, oystermen, seafood, vintage photography

Two young pugilists duke it out in this undated photo from the Loyd Sandgren collection.  The image appears to have been shot in the old armory building just North of Jacksonville’s downtown.

Tags: boxing, boys, fight, historic photographs, Jacksonville Armory, men, punch, vintage photography

Looking at the Jacksonville skyline from an elevated position on the old Prudential building with the first Acosta Bridge in the foreground and an earlier incarnation of the boat ramp and Friendship park in the lower right of the frame. This was taken after the Lobster House restaurant was demolished and the building that now houses the River City Brewing Company was built.  The photo was taken by photographer Loyd Sandgren in the mid 1960’s.

Tags: acosta bridge, downtown, friendship park, historic photograph, main street bridge, Seaboard Coastline, skyline, St. Johns River, vintage photography

One of Loyd Sandgren’s commercial clients was a company that made floating rafts that they marketed as docks, floating islands and in this case an outboard motor powered pirate ship.  There are a number of photos in the collection showing the various uses and they all appear to have been shot on Lake Marco in Jacksonville’s San Marco neighborhood.

Tags: business, children, float, historic photograph, Lake Marco, pirate, raft, San Marco, vintage photography

Women’s wrestling from the late 1940’s or early 1950’s inside the arena at Main and Beaver Streets that promoter Jimmy Murdock used for a variety of events before moving into the Jacksonville Coliseum.  The young lady doing the throwing can also be found in this previously posted portrait by photographer Loyd Sandgren.

Tags: Beaver Street, crowd, historic photographs, Jimmy Murdock, Main Street, professional wrestling, vintage photography, vintage wrestling, women wrestling