Jacksonville's Ghost Town: Yukon

[acme54321]

Thanks Ock!....for the maps and info. I was planning on talking a hike out there at the end of Blaine street yesterday but didnt make it, plan on doing it today (Friday) mid-morning and figure I'd snap a couple of shots. I probably wont make a kayak trip over there til the end of the month beginning of next.

That may be hard to do, most of that area is fenced off for the archery range.  You may have to follow the fence down 120th and try to cut north towards Blaine at the backside of the archery area.

[NavyGuyAN]

Not a problem...I was just going to start hiking through the woods where Norman street is and walk north from there up to 120th street...on google maps its there but it looks like its overgrown with trees...

[NavyGuyAN]

Well ACME!...You were right and I was wrong...lol. I was able to walk North on Norman St. but there was a fence for the Archery range @ 120th street and I couldn't go any further...but I did happen to take alot of pictures of some wierd/unusual buildings in the woods that you'd never known was there. Sadly alot of graffiti all over them; I will post them this afternoon. I however ran out of time before the park closed at sunset this past Saturday before I could get to the clearing west of Blaine St. But I was real deep in the woods...lol...luckly no snakes and apperently the Archery range isnt fenced in completly toward the northwestern corner.

[bobsim]

  Hey NG,
  Wish I had seen this one sooner, but maybe this will help on your return visit. The best access we've found around the archery range fence is from the north side. The fence ends here: N 30° 14.138 W 081° 42.286. As I remember we took the brick road to the fence line and took a nearby trail most of the way in, if you opt for hiking the fence line watch the mounds of pine straw at the bases of the pines as yellow jackets nest in them. Hard lesson learned there. Also worth noting is the presence of old arrows on the public side of the fence, seems the chain link doesn't stop them. I would recommend bright colored clothes.
  We've spent some time exploring the old structures in the area but have not ventured as far as the river. Good luck to you. Here's a link to the pics we've taken back there:http://s204.photobucket.com/albums/bb63/bobdsimmons/Dewey%20Park/#!cpZZ1QQtppZZ24

[NavyGuyAN]

Hey BoB...lol. Now I guess I dont need to post any pic's as mine are just about all the same...except for the fact I dont know when the last time you where there but, there is ALOT of graffiti there now...which really drives me up a wall at how some people cant just respect things the way they are and take pictures and leave only footprints. I do know of the spot in which you are talking about though. I'm assuming there isnt going to be much of anything beyond that clearing. But for the sake of the MJ, I'm going to still check it out.

[bobsim]

 I'll be watching. When we found the end of the fence we didn't have time to go back and explore the clearing and were going to hit it another day but it sure looks interesting from G.E. We had a good time finding the old street markers, hydrants, culverts and mysterious curbs in the woods. Sure is fun getting off the trail.

I'm with you about the graffiti, guess we were lucky to hit it when we did.

[deathstar]

You guys seriously need to schedule a MJ Tour in the near future, especially with the weather cooling off a bit here soon, it's going to be so nice outside! I'd be down for getting up early enough to pedal down there and check it all out!

[thelakelander]

Interesting you say that.  We've been bouncing around the idea of doing several tours across the city on an occassional basis.

[diveonme2]

Lol you goofs!  those are the old Yukon Housing Water (Station) pumps.  you can get to them by going down the first paved road to the left.  No need to walk in the woods at all.  you peaked my curiousity because as a child we played back in there and i cannot find the old concrete dock we played on.  I thought someone had found it.

[Ocklawaha]

Lol you goofs!  those are the old Yukon Housing Water (Station) pumps.  you can get to them by going down the first paved road to the left.  No need to walk in the woods at all.  you peaked my curiousity because as a child we played back in there and i cannot find the old concrete dock we played on.  I thought someone had found it.

What cement dock are you talking about diveonme?  Where was it?  I remember when this was a thriving little community.  The original WWII airbase had the air operations located in the extreme northeast corner of NAS JAX. In that era 6,000 foot runways were standard, (See Switzerland NOLF and Green Cove Springs NAS LEE FIELD).  Here is a 1943 aerial of the whole CAMP FOSTER, CAMP JOHNSTON, NAS JAX, YUKON area.

How many of you recgonized these as F-8-F-1 Bearcat fighters at NAS? Now just for kicks and giggles how many of you knew this is a photo of the Blue Angels circa 1946-49?

The old tower in the SW corner of the Dewey Park site was a Johnny-come-lately, added about 1960 or just prior to the neighborhoods being razed.  It was taller then the surounding pine trees, and full of electronic's, we always thought it was a radar tower with fairly tight security.  Once the housing was removed, both on base and at Yukon these area's were constantly patroled by the local Shore Patrol.  Don't know how dangerous it was, but it sure made a hell of a game for us fearless kids. 

I'm thinking we should all plan to meet some Saturday in October - December, and do a group explore/tour. Anyone onboard for this?

OCKLAWAHA

[diveonme2]

The concrete was actually (in my guess) near the river because we used to trap little one inch Bream and minnows and take them back to the trailer park (Justiss).  The dock I would think was like a loading dock with a big, and I do remember big parking lot.  All of this was on the Dewey Park side.  I remember the old tower.  The gate that the shore patrol went through had some sort off curved iron sign designating the area.  Much like the old western ranch signs.  I wish I could remember what was on that sign.   We also used to sneak into the area and watch the patrol.  If i remember there was a small wooden structure with a window A/C unit.  This was mainly from 1969-1973, after that we were in Meadowbrook permanently.

I think a "Reunion" type tour would be great!

[Ocklawaha]

Here's another view of both the possible canal and the northern half streets. Note that somewhere around the big yellow square was the WWII era Parking lot. It looks as if they planned a big building there or perhaps it was just parking for something else. I've checked several old aerial maps and it doesn't look like the norhtern area was ever fully developed.

On the city GIS site, it's possible to pull up a very close view of the possible canal at the end of Blaine Street. It also appears that there are/were some sort of pilings.  Was this where the concrete dock was? Who knows? Sure will be worth a search...  Noone it might be kayak time again. By the way that little NASJAX sign in the middle of the canal was not put there by me! When you pull this up in the 6" inch 2008 aerials at COJ GIS and check the military notification box this is what you get.

The canal? is very boxy and appears to be fairly uniformily 50' wide with pilings right off the point. It is silted up which also makes me wonder if we have only part of this story, could this be a canal from Camp Foster or Camp Johnston Days? Both of the old Army posts would have relied heavily on the steamboats that could have off loaded or loaded on the Ortega as well as the St. Johns. How about a ferry landing prior to the first bridges over the river?

ANYBODY ELSE UP FOR A GROUP SEARCH?  Being an old swamper from these very woods I'd suggest right after our first freeze, or the first day of frosty temps. The rattlesnakes, spiders and gators don't bother me at all, I'm not fond of the yellowjackets though. I've seen some giants of all of the above out here and cold weather pretty well shuts them down.



OCKLAWAHA

[north miami]

for the Swamp Stomp check in with Mark Brundick...Ortega Native,most masterful historical,water man

Cell 608  0194

[RMHoward]

I have checked aerial imagery of this area from 1943 and 1953.  The canal in question is not present in either image.  So, it came later.  My initial thoughts about this canal were that it enabled timber (cypress and such) to be floated to the sawmills that were present at Yukon prior to Camp Johnston, then hauled up to shore via the canal.  Or maybe a ferry landing.  However, after viewing imagery, i guess that theory doesnt work.  Im now wondering if there isnt some sort of utility laid through there, under the river going to the other side (maybe gas, telephone, etc)?

[Ocklawaha]

I dunno, there is a shadow of a dark speck exactly where the canal would be in the 1943 aerial.  I think it is safe to say with the lack of clearing around the canal indicates it dates long before WWII. With the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec 7, 1941, the work would only be a year old, this is obviously not the case. Even the thought that it might have been started in the arms build up prior to the war seems a little shaky.

Another theory?  The little black community just south of the future site of Yukon sheltered a massive moonshine operation (some of it survived into the 1960's).  Could it be a "rum runners" landing? Nothing was too grand for that class of people, and locally, near downtown, there is an old mansion with a tunnel to the St. Johns River under it.  The tunnel pops out of a bluff just above the water.

Of course it could be totally natural, but it is so wide, short and straight that it doesn't look natural.

OCKLAWAHA