Mardi Gras

[samiam]

Why don’t we have Mardi Gras in Jacksonville? We have the first French settlement and the treasure of montcliff . If they are not French connections I don’t know what are. It could be an economic boom for Jacksonville. If san diago can hve Mardi Gras we sure could.

[samiam]

Sorry about the spelling, Late nite many drinks

[Charles Hunter]

No data, just speculation ... not enough Catholics and too many anti-drinking Baptists?

[Sigma]

Mardi Gras Ball next week in Springfield.  Getting better all the time.

http://www.sacarc.org/joomla/

[Doctor_K]

Charles--  Poignant and probably accurate to a large degree!  

It also probably has something to do with the fact that Jacksonville, as a whole, is wholly ignorant of its own history.  Lakelander, Stephen, Ocklawaha and others have pointed out time and again how Jacksonville turns its back on the past and seemingly refuses to embrace itself, as it were.

There's no reason why Fort Caroline can't be nearly as big a draw as Castillo de San Marcos down in St. Augustine.  And that's just the tip of the huge submerged iceburg of history and heritage that we could be tapping into.

[civil42806]

Charles--  Poignant and probably accurate to a large degree!  

It also probably has something to do with the fact that Jacksonville, as a whole, is wholly ignorant of its own history.  Lakelander, Stephen, Ocklawaha and others have pointed out time and again how Jacksonville turns its back on the past and seemingly refuses to embrace itself, as it were.

There's no reason why Fort Caroline can't be nearly as big a draw as Castillo de San Marcos down in St. Augustine.  And that's just the tip of the huge submerged iceburg of history and heritage that we could be tapping into.

Well there is the nasty problem that Fort Caroline doesn't actually exist anymore as compared to The Castillo de San Marcos.  Fort Caroline park is nice, but can't really compare to The fort in St. Augustine.

[Doctor_K]

I stand corrected and informed.  Thank you Civil.

The fact remains that there's a lot of potential history and thus potential tourism we could be tapping into around the region.

[ProjectMaximus]

I remember visiting fort caroline in elementary school and getting a dozen thorns stuck in my hand. I didn't like that trip...I was a foolish boy.

[Ocklawaha]

Y'all are right, we just don't know the treasures that we pass by day to day.

Fort Caroline was washed away by a change in the river channel long, long ago. However, washed away does not spell GONE. Somewhere out in that river are thousands of artifacts waiting to be brought to the surface. Just as an example, the Cannon Mounted on the stupid concrete stands over at Yellow Bluff Fort, came out of the St. Johns River dredging project. NOBODY knows their history. Indeed they may be ancient, French, Mexican, Spanish, American, Confederate or The Republic of Florida. TREASURES left out in the elements since 1950 something... Had it not been for a LOUD effort by Sons of Confederate Veterans and The Grand Army of the Republic (son's of Union Veterans), Yellow Bluff wouldn't even exist. By 1984, dirt bikers and 4-wheelers had just about distroyed the fortress.

YELLOW BLUFF, still stands
FORT CAROLINE, under water
JOHNS TOWNE, Ft. Caroline Area, ignored
ST. JOHNS BLUFF, bluff face has changed due to the river, but it's still somewhat restorable.
ST. JOHNS BLUFF BATTERY, Spanish American War fort and battery, MASSIVE and on private land.
FORT STEELE, Mayport, under the Naval Air Station
TALBOT ISLAND BATTERY, I have never heard of an effort to locate the Confederate fort - battery there.
ALICE PRICE, Ship torpedoed in War of Yankee Aggression, no efforts to explore her
GENERAL HUNTER,  same
HARRIET WEED, same
ST. MARYS, raised and taken by Federal Forces, but some remains are in the Ortega River.
CONFEDERATE POINT, under housing
ORTEGA POINT, under housing.
FORTRESS JACKSONVILLE, Massive Yankee, earthworks and moats around downtown Northside, all gone.
CONFEDERATE IRONCLADS, under the landing
CITY OF JACKSONVILLE, steamboat, under the Acosta Bridge


Yeah, we do a fine job... Now with the War Of Yankee Aggression reaching it's 150 year "celebration" we don't even have a sign trail from Yellow Bluff and St. Johns Bluff to Olustee...

HISTORY BE DAMNED!

OCKLAWAHA

[civil42806]

"ST. JOHNS BLUFF BATTERY, Spanish American War fort and battery, MASSIVE and on private land. "

Ock thats a new one on me have any photos or any more specific information where thats at?

[downtownparks]

There is a photo of it in the Architectural heritage book. A great book if you ever get a chance to pick it up. You will learn LOADS about Jax.

[civil42806]

There is a photo of it in the Architectural heritage book. A great book if you ever get a chance to pick it up. You will learn LOADS about Jax.

Actually I have that book back at my home, must have missed that will definitly check it out

[CrysG]

You know I was wondering the same thing, why Jacksonville doesn't do much for Mardi Gras.

As for the Catholics angle, it's true, but most of the tourists in New Orleans for Mardi Gras aren't Catholics either.

[samiam]

It is truly a shame the way this city ignores its history. the city could sponsor several history based festivals, Something like the good old days 1880 to 1920 (Springfield) the roaring 20's (Riverside) The old film industry. Native American ( while walking around a construction site yesterday over in riverside I found Indian pottery shards on the surface of the ground)  The war between the states and the Spanish American war.

[samiam]

would any of you attend a history related festival