Exploring Green Cove Springs
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/1093331708_Wfshi-M.jpg)
Named after the portion of the St. Johns River upon which the city is built and home to 6,000 residents, Green Cove Springs is the county seat of rapidly growing Clay County.
Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-nov-exploring-green-cove-springs
no pictures of Clay County's own Taj Mahal (the County Courthouse)?
(http://www.aecom.com/deployedfiles/Internet/Capabilities/Design%20and%20Planning/images/DP_Justice_CourtsClay_County_mainimg.jpg)
I spent a few years of my childhood in Green Cove. Still have fond memories of going to kindergarten at Charles E. Bennet back when most of the roads in that area were still dirt! Spent a lot of time at spring park as well.
It won't be too long before the Flemming Island sprawl reaches GCS. Would be a small boost to the local economy but could easily ruin its charm.
I spent all of my Childhood , until about 18 in Green Cove Springs... I know of every one of these places, depicted in pictures... As happens to most cities, Green Cove Springs lost many beautiful and important Historic Landmarks.. The Site of the Current City hall, was once home to the Qui-si-Sana Hotel.. At 95 years old , it was deemed beyond repair ( I happen to know it was not that bad,but nonetheless it is gone..) , To the east of the Clay Theatre (vacant lot just beside it) was it's twin, known as the Cove Theater..demolished in the 1970s. I grew up going to First Baptist Church.. It looks much today as it always did. The site that is now the Clay County Council on Aging, was home to the Green Cove Springs Coca-Cola bottling plant, operated by my Great-Grandfather , Elliot Eli Geiger. Very nice presentation of Pictures.. The old Clay County Courthouse remains one of my favorite landmarks.. It is interesting that Jacksonville lost so much, yet a small town , such as Green Cove Springs, preserved many of their Significant Landmarks.
After the passing of both my parents, mostly life-long residents of the City, and my brief return there to care for them in their last days, I moved back to Jacksonville.. While Green Cove Springs is no longer home, it still has a special feel ...and it is still a pretty nice little town.. Great Presentation, MJ!!!
Well the Starbucks in Green Cove will close at the end of June.....sad for the city. Almost better to have never had them than to have had them & lose them. They are geeting 2 new "Sweepstakes" slot machine places though. Sigh.
Maybe GCS will get a Dunkin Donuts or something like that. Too bad for Starbucks.
What? No mention of how Middleburg was the original county seat? ; )
Does anyone know where I can get any pics of the saw mill that was at Governors Pointe?
Quote from: River General on July 11, 2011, 09:55:49 AM
Does anyone know where I can get any pics of the saw mill that was at Governors Pointe?
You might try searching Floridas memory.com or possibly look through Clay County Historic Archives.
QuoteDoes anyone know where I can get any pics of the saw mill that was at Governors Pointe?
I've seen it referred to as Dowling's Mill (was part of Shand's Lumber Co.) & there is a reference/photo of it in the "
Images of America" Clay County edition - you can probably pick it up @ Chamblin's or Barnes & Noble (Florida section). If I can dig mine out I'll upload.
A few years ago, I created a website for the purpose of posting pictures I've taken in Clay County. Occasionally, I'll pack up the camera and head out, seeking new areas of scenic or historical significance. If anyone knows of any additional areas that would make a nice pictorial in Clay County, please contact me.
http://www.claycountysounder.com/greencovesprings/saycheese.htm (http://www.claycountysounder.com/greencovesprings/saycheese.htm)
Quote from: NavyRet on June 20, 2012, 11:16:06 PM
A few years ago, I created a website for the purpose of posting pictures I've taken in Clay County. Occasionally, I'll pack up the camera and head out, seeking new areas of scenic or historical significance. If anyone knows of any additional areas that would make a nice pictorial in Clay County, please contact me.
http://www.claycountysounder.com/greencovesprings/saycheese.htm (http://www.claycountysounder.com/greencovesprings/saycheese.htm)
Navy Ret.. I know all of these places. Great Pictorial :)
Thanks, TimKin. If you know of any places I've missed in Clay County, deserving of a picture spread, please let me know. I have some days off approaching and looking for some new scenic material.
What Tim Said + 100.
Also retired Navy, the old Naval Air Station, Lee Field is begging to be photographed. The port side of NS Green Cove Springs, once had 400 warships at berth.
There is also a ton of 'ghost' places if one follows the old railroad grades. Gustafson's Dairy is another historic place which first opened in 1908.
Quote from: NavyRet on June 20, 2012, 11:32:31 PM
Thanks, TimKin. If you know of any places I've missed in Clay County, deserving of a picture spread, please let me know. I have some days off approaching and looking for some new scenic material.
It is a shame so many places in GCS are no longer, thanks to "progress"
For example:
The Navy Base ( Now Reynold's Industrial Park ) Which is nearly unrecognizable ,compared to when I was a kid. It was pretty much intact.
The Cove Theater (was right next door to the Clay Theater) Razed 30 years ago.
The QuiSiSana Hotel ( Current Site of the City Hall) about 12 years ago
Bartholf Dairy ( Later Wright's Dairy)
Green Cove Sundries ( Vacant lot at corner of Walnut / Magnolia )
Original Bank of Green Cove Springs Opposite Corner Walnut / Magnolia
One Structure in particular I cannot believe was left to go to rack and Ruin was in Penney Farms at the Corner of 218 and Hwy 16. Was the J C Penney Carriage house. Really stunning large brick structure. Shadowlawn Dairy ended up with it at some point and it was neglect and vandalized to the point that it was not movable. I believe the town of Middleburg actually entertained having the structure moved there and renovated to become their City Hall .. but it was too far gone by that time.
One you could shoot a pic of that still is there is Dr. Jensen's Former Residence ( Currently Broadus Raines Funeral Home )
I didn't see St. Mary's Church , its parsonage or many of the Historic homes left along the River front . Some pretty amazing old homes remain.
The First Baptist Church on Page one of your pictorial was originally my Church home years ago. Directly across the Street from it is another historic home ( I believe the Church saved it from demolition).
The Former Coca Cola Bottling Plant ( Now the Clay County Council on Aging) Was operated by my Great-great Grandfather, Elliot Eli Geiger. I remember as a kid the plant , not in operation but still had the machinery bottles, etc.
There are lots of others that will probably eventually pop into my mind, but looking at your pictures certainly takes me back.
I had forgotten about the time capsule which is placed on the grounds of the Original Clay County Courthouse/ Jail complex. The School, directly across the Street from it , is the original Clay County High School. Not sure of it's exact age, but I'm pretty sure it is approaching the century mark and was , at one time , two-story.
Yes, I remember the J.C. Penny house. We used to take our dog out there to run around before they tore it down. I should have gotten pictures back that, but didn't know I would take such an interest in the images of Clay County at that time. We still run the dogs in the field across the road, under the trees.
I've actually been around Lee Field a bit. You have to be careful taking pictures around there, because the boys over at the Pegasus Technologies compound get nervous when people with cameras start roaming around. I have some shots from the runway, back at the hangars and of one of the large hydrofoils that was out there. Still is, I believe. I also still have some shots of the North Florida Railroad Museum back there, along with many shots from the Military Museum of North Florida (I do their website).
I do have a few shots of St. Mary's and agree that some of the homes in the area are architectural treasures, worthy of focus. (I'd love to buy a home in that area).
Reynolds Park and surrounding areas would be ideal for some new industries to move into. I'm not sure why some haven't already taken advantage of many of the facilities already there. It may have something to do with the costs associated with fixing the places up, or possible some EPA issues.
I may revisit some of these areas soon.
Merry Christmas! I found this neat present (this site) under the tree today. I saw a reference to Starbucks closing in an older post. As far as I'm concerned, it was a god-send. The coolest independent coffee shop - Spring Park Coffee - took its place. I would rather see an independent small business with personality and onsite owners instead of a ubiquitous chain. Green Cove Springs is going to change significantly over the next decade with the construction of the First Coast Expressway, but I believe there is a committed group of people who will work hard to help that change be for the better. GCS is a unique place to visit. I'm glad I have that chance several times a month.
Spring Park Coffee house is great.
There is a bakery/Deli (cannot remember the name) going south on 17 that makes amazing food. Their Tropical Cake is a stunning bit of food. The place might be a candidate for the Hole-In-The-Wall series.
Quote from: kafka12358 on January 06, 2015, 07:13:08 AM
Spring Park Coffee house is great.
There is a bakery/Deli (cannot remember the name) going south on 17 that makes amazing food. Their Tropical Cake is a stunning bit of food. The place might be a candidate for the Hole-In-The-Wall series.
Would that be Cousin's Cafe? Its been a while. You may be speaking of another establishment.
I think it's Sweet Sensations. If I recall, they make quite a bit (sweets) for some of the better known JAX establishments - including European Street.
Quote from: blizz01 on January 19, 2015, 01:03:28 PM
I think it's Sweet Sensations. If I recall, they make quite a bit (sweets) for some of the better known JAX establishments - including European Street.
Gotya. That building/site was formerly a Union 76 Gas Station. I ll have to check it out when I visit the Cove again. :)
What is GCS like now? We've considered moving there but the consensus I got on another forum was to run, not walk, from the area. Of course, that is quite subjective and since I know little of the area, why would someone say that? Is it as bad as some people presented it to me or are some people just overly dramatic because it may not be as new and shiny as some other suburbs?
No2rdame,
Sorry this reply is almost a month after your question, but GCS is an all-around great place to me. I moved to Clay from Jacksonville 30 years ago and if I were doing it all over again, I would pick GCS over any other part of Clay. It is the county seat so it has a constant buzz of activity from all of the public traffic to the courthouse and admin building. It has one of the neatest parks anywhere along the St. Johns River (that is currently undergoing a major 2-year renovation). It has easy access to I-95 over the Shands Bridge and you can be in St. Augustine in about 35-40 minutes. Obviously, it's a haul from GCS to DT Jax. All the shopping you need (maybe not want) in GCS or Fleming Island (10 minutes north). Nice independent restaurants, just not enough of them. An uncertain, but definitely growing, future with the First Coast Expressway looping just south of town, and a couple thousand (so far) new homes planned in a couple of major developments that have not yet broken ground.
All-in-all, I would still pick GCS over any other part of Clay, but Fleming Island is a close second.
It is a great privilege, a lesson spanning decades, to finally realize the any previous attraction or draw to GCS was not warranted.
The local writers the town produced were a hoot. The column inches best tossed on to the Beltway swale. What an idiotic place.
Quote from: Edward on April 25, 2015, 11:34:46 AM
No2rdame,
Sorry this reply is almost a month after your question, but GCS is an all-around great place to me. I moved to Clay from Jacksonville 30 years ago and if I were doing it all over again, I would pick GCS over any other part of Clay. It is the county seat so it has a constant buzz of activity from all of the public traffic to the courthouse and admin building. It has one of the neatest parks anywhere along the St. Johns River (that is currently undergoing a major 2-year renovation). It has easy access to I-95 over the Shands Bridge and you can be in St. Augustine in about 35-40 minutes. Obviously, it's a haul from GCS to DT Jax. All the shopping you need (maybe not want) in GCS or Fleming Island (10 minutes north). Nice independent restaurants, just not enough of them. An uncertain, but definitely growing, future with the First Coast Expressway looping just south of town, and a couple thousand (so far) new homes planned in a couple of major developments that have not yet broken ground.
All-in-all, I would still pick GCS over any other part of Clay, but Fleming Island is a close second.
That's quite okay that you were a little late to respond, as you can see I'm even later in following up. After looking at all of the areas in Clay and St. Johns Counties that were within our price range and offered what we wanted, I have to say that GCS ended up being the winner. We moved in last month and I have been very pleased with the area. Sure, the town itself may have once seen better days, but there is still a great deal of charm to it and I can see how one day as the area continues to grow it will see a resurgence. As far as what I read in other forums, I'm not sure what the issues were. Every place has its own issues, but I have no regrets about picking GCS even if it is a bit farther of a commute for me.
Finally visited the Gustafson Dairy Farm. What a fun place!!
http://www.claycountysounder.com/images/gustafson/dairyfarm/saycheese.htm