Historical Society Breaks Ground on Jacksonville History Center
The Jacksonville Historical Society (JHS) held a groundbreaking ceremony last month to celebrate the first phase of work on The Jacksonville History Center – the city’s first museum dedicated to showcasing Jacksonville’s rich history. JHS board members and city officials participated in the event, held in front of the historic Florida Casket Company building on […]
The End (of Jacksonville’s Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum)
Jacksonville’s Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum Jacksonville has closed its doors after 30 years. The museum’s final day open to the public was Jan. 31. Museum Director Cheryl McCain said the museum’s closure is “bittersweet” for her. As a Navy veteran, she likened the end of the Jacksonville museum to the decommissioning of a ship: “You […]
Demolition ahead for old Ford Motor Company plant
The days of the old Ford Motor Co. factory are numbered and demolition is in its future. Located at 1900 Wambolt Street, the building sits near the Mathews Bridge along the St. Johns River. The factory was designed by renowned industrial architect Albert Kahn. According to the Jacksonville Historical Society (JHS), it is one of […]
JAMM Session: Historical Society moves forward on plans for music museum and venue
The Jacksonville Historical Society is moving forward with plans to transform the Florida Casket Company building into a music museum and venue. The working title for this future space is the Jacksonville Area Music Museum (JAMM). The Jacksonville Downtown Development Review Board (DDRB) granted conceptual approval for JHS’s plans for the museum in June. “This […]
Inheritance and legacy: The stewardship of the Jacksonville Historical Society
It is only fitting that the Jacksonville Historical Society (JHS) is headquartered in a historic building. The JHS offices are located at 314 North Palmetto Street in downtown Jacksonville, in what was originally St. Luke’s Hospital. Built in 1878, the building has since been added to the National Register of Historic Places and bears a […]
Memorial Park Association launches Life Scrolls exhibit at MOSH
More than 70 guests attended the Nov. 12 opening night reception hosted by the Memorial Park Association for its exhibit of The Life Scrolls at the Museum of Science & History. The exhibit provides an intimate look at some of the 1,771 men and women from Florida who gave their lives serving the United States […]
The bridge that forever changed the River City
Antique cars, relics and memories shared during a celebration of the Acosta Bridge When the Acosta Bridge opened on July 1, 1921, it changed the “geography of [Jacksonville’s] mind to greater possibilities and opportunities,” as Alan Bliss, Jacksonville Historical Society executive director, noted in his remarks at the 100th anniversary celebration of the opening of […]
Organizations find ways to rescue historical record
As information sharing becomes ever-more digital, historians worldwide are contending with the problem of how to preserve the historical record. That problem is no less pressing than in Jacksonville as print newspapers and photographs and their negatives are threatened with the Dumpster. In November, The Resident published a story about longtime San Marco photographer Curt […]
