Wow - this loosely reminds me of the whole Fleming Island push in the 90's.....
QuoteAtlantic Beach approves Pablo Island marketing concept for Beaches
ATLANTIC BEACH - The City Commission Monday became the first Beaches community to approve a resolution calling for the coastal area of Duval County to be marketed as San Pablo Island.
The commission unanimously approved the resolution that was proposed by Mayor John Meserve, who has sent copies of identical resolutions to both Neptune Beach and Jacksonville Beach councils for consideration.
"It's primarily a neater way of branding," said Meserve. "Most of the hotels seem pretty excited about it. It's a no-cost thing."
Meserve, who is also the executive director of the Fleet Landing retirement community in Atlantic Beach, said his company's marketing staff is researching the use of San Pablo Island in referencing the Beaches in the future on company letterhead, city logos and Internet sites.
The Neptune Beach City Council reviewed the proposed resolution July 6 but balked at moving on the measure. The council was split with some liking the concept while others, such as Councilman Eric Pardee, saying it would distance the barrier island from metropolitan Jacksonville, which is what most people outside the First Coast have heard of.
Jacksonville Beach Mayor Fland Sharp said he wants his council to review the resolution, but he's already said he's warming to the concept of using San Pablo Island as a new brand for the areas east of the Intracoastal Waterway.
Commissioner Carolyn Woods said she'd like to see more than just the Duval County Beaches community consider the San Pablo Island name.
Woods pointed out the current wording on the resolution only covers the geographic area through the Guana Preserve. She asked that the wording be changed to cover the land mass east of the Intracoastal all the way down to Vilano Beach and she also wants governments in St. Johns County to consider the resolution.
http://www.jacksonville.com/news/metro/2009-07-29/story/atlantic_beach_approves_pablo_island_marketing_concept_for_beaches
It'll still be always called Jax Beaches, no matter how they brand it.
Seems like another extension of referring to Jacksonville-proper residents as "townies," as if that were such a negative. When people from the beach ask where I live and I tell them Riverside, I'm typically met with a disapproving look and told they don't "cross the ditch."
If the three beaches communities want to secede, let them do it and cut off their resources from Duval County. Erect tolls right at the inbound end of each "ditch crosser," such as the bridges on Atlantic, Beach and JTB. Issue free transponders, yet charge nothing for Duval County townies.
If being associated with Jacksonville is so bad, cut the cord and lose the money.
I agree with JaxNole. Let them do it. Charge all those bigwigs from FNF, CSX, and Blue Cross $2 every time they want to drive to work.
It has always bothered me that they all live in Sawgrass, drive into Jax for their 9-5, and then head right back.
Hmm - I just wonder if folks in Ponte Vedra would want to be lumped in as well - maybe(?). Seems like they've been successful for the most part in creating a brand/image on they're own accord. I would think it could be beneficial to remain antonymous. If they could find a way to lump in Amelia Island too we could go toe to toe with Brunswick & "The Golden Isles". :)
Ponte Vedra would not stand for being lumped in with those lesser beaches. I have made the mistake before of saying that people from "North Ponte Vedra" live in Jax beach.....Not going to do that again. We should still make them pay the toll.
In London they have the Heraldic Dragons on either side of the road when you enter they City of London, maybe we could have Heraldic Manatees. They can raise my property tax for that project.
Uh hey y'all, it's just a name change for marketing purposes. "While staying on Florida's First Coast, don't miss San Pablo Island, and the unspoiled beaches of Jacksonville..."
Frankly, SAN PABLO is the historic name for the communities at the Beach. Jacksonville Beach was known as Pablo Beach into the 1900's. Also missing is the town of Ruby Beach, call these name changes a salute of history with a tad of romance.
OCKLAWAHA
Well then, give us our beloved Cowford back! ;)
At least South Jacksonville.
Good one JaxNole. That'll learn them! Then of course they would have to put a beach access fee on the townies, maybe an extra sales tax! This can only escalate to war!
(http://photos.igougo.com/images/p40018-Dallas-Central_Park_Frisco_Bridge.jpg)
Somehow "Pablo Island," sounds more like a place I would take the family to as opposed to "Cowford". BTW, y'all did know that Lake City was called "Aligator Town" in the pre-War of Yankee Aggression era? Frankly we could benefit from Cowford in several ways. Oklahoma has a monument called "Crossing the Red" (river). Within the bronze monument are several life size long horns and a hand full of cowboys. Could we not duplicate this with a true and unique monument of cattle being driven into the river crossing? "Cowford, You've got to feel the heritage..." (Just don't step in anything).
OCKLAWAHA
Looks like we may have a Wikipedia update opportunity:
In the United States' section of cities that have changed names throughout the course of history:
QuoteAlburquerque → Albuquerque, New Mexico
Charleston → St. Charles, Illinois
Charles Towne → Charleston, South Carolina
Clark → DISH, Texas
Cleaveland → Cleveland, Ohio
Cowford → Jacksonville, Florida
Dearborn → Chicago, Illinois
East Detroit → Eastpointe, Michigan
Fort Duquesne → Fort Pitt → Pittsburgh → Pittsburg → Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Fort Orange → Albany → Willemstad → Albany, New York
Gay Head, Massachusetts → Aquinnah, Massachusetts
Hot Springs, New Mexico → Truth or Consequences, New Mexico
Jernigan → Orlando, Florida
Lancaster → Lincoln, Nebraska
Losantisville → Cincinnati, Ohio
Marysville → Corvallis, Oregon
Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania → Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania
New Amsterdam → New York → New Orange → New York, New York
North Tarrytown, New York → Sleepy Hollow, New York
Pig's Eye → St. Paul, Minnesota
Plantation of Penacook → Rumford → Concord, New Hampshire
Providence → Anne Arundel Towne → Annapolis, Maryland
Sellstown → Dublin, Ohio
Sing Sing → Ossining, New York
Spokan Falls → Spokane, Washington
Swilling's Mill → Hellinwg Mill → Mill City → East Phoenix → Phoenix, Arizona
Terminus → Marthasville → Atlanta, Georgia
Vermilionville → Lafayette, Louisiana
Wineville → Mira Loma, California
Wintonbury → Bloomfield, Connecticut
Yerba Buena → San Francisco, California
BTW, there's already a Pablo Island in Montana and a San Pablo Island in the Philippines - I hope this doesn't confuse anyone. I obviously have too much time on my hands today. Something else, too - I suppose that all those fringe folks that are just west of the "ditch" - i.e. Kernan area and San Pablo (oh, the irony) won't be able to simply say that they live at the beach now! Islanders unite!
Good point. Maybe we should move the Heraldic Manatees inland a few miles to punish them for their years of treachery. Dissenters beware!
Quote from: Deuce on July 29, 2009, 10:01:51 AM
Good one JaxNole. That'll learn them! Then of course they would have to put a beach access fee on the townies, maybe an extra sales tax! This can only escalate to war!
That's fine with me. If I go to a beach, it's down south, starting with Flagler. Also, if the municipalities of the proposed San Pablo Island were able to increase the sales tax, it wouldn't affect me that much because most of my shopping is done on this side of the ditch.
Mayor Meserve is mistaken or was misquoted when stating this was a no-cost campaign. Staffers, collateral, design, studies, etc..., require resources which typically translate into paid goods and services.
Does anyone have a copy of the resolution?
Quote from: blizz01 on July 29, 2009, 10:53:04 AM
Looks like we may have a Wikipedia update opportunity:
In the United States' section of cities that have changed names throughout the course of history:
QuoteAlburquerque → Albuquerque, New Mexico
Charleston → St. Charles, Illinois
Charles Towne → Charleston, South Carolina
Clark → DISH, Texas
Cleaveland → Cleveland, Ohio
Cowford → Jacksonville, Florida
Dearborn → Chicago, Illinois
East Detroit → Eastpointe, Michigan
Fort Duquesne → Fort Pitt → Pittsburgh → Pittsburg → Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Fort Orange → Albany → Willemstad → Albany, New York
Gay Head, Massachusetts → Aquinnah, Massachusetts
Hot Springs, New Mexico → Truth or Consequences, New Mexico
Jernigan → Orlando, Florida
Lancaster → Lincoln, Nebraska
Losantisville → Cincinnati, Ohio
Marysville → Corvallis, Oregon
Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania → Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania
New Amsterdam → New York → New Orange → New York, New York
North Tarrytown, New York → Sleepy Hollow, New York
Pig's Eye → St. Paul, Minnesota
Plantation of Penacook → Rumford → Concord, New Hampshire
Providence → Anne Arundel Towne → Annapolis, Maryland
Sellstown → Dublin, Ohio
Sing Sing → Ossining, New York
Spokan Falls → Spokane, Washington
Swilling's Mill → Hellinwg Mill → Mill City → East Phoenix → Phoenix, Arizona
Terminus → Marthasville → Atlanta, Georgia
Vermilionville → Lafayette, Louisiana
Wineville → Mira Loma, California
Wintonbury → Bloomfield, Connecticut
Yerba Buena → San Francisco, California
Hogtown → Gainesville, FL
What's with some of this hostility toward the beaches? Sounds like a little Jax boosting gone awry.
Honestly, the Jax Beaches are kind of cruddy compared to a lot of other beach towns. I think any attempt at improving their image - even if it's just a simple rebranding - is a positive thing. It's not just positive for the beaches, it's positive for Jax as a whole. This isn't a zero sum game.
Quote from: Joe on July 30, 2009, 02:08:18 PM
What's with some of this hostility toward the beaches? Sounds like a little Jax boosting gone awry.
Honestly, the Jax Beaches are kind of cruddy compared to a lot of other beach towns. I think any attempt at improving their image - even if it's just a simple rebranding - is a positive thing. It's not just positive for the beaches, it's positive for Jax as a whole. This isn't a zero sum game.
I worked at the corporate office for a real estate brokerage on the Duval/St. Johns county line and the majority of people I worked and interacted with felt that way about Jacksonville. It's the snide comments and tonal instances. Then we have the attempt to form Ocean County.
If the beaches would rather be separate, let them be free!
This is interesting as in the Historical period, the beaches area was not an Island at all. The San Pablo River stopped just to the south of JTB. Tolomato river ran only as far north as the northern boundary of Guana WMA. ICW was constructed through the land mass and connected these two rivers in the modern period. So, what is the source on "San Pablo Island?"
They're and island now, and Jax Beach was named San Pablo Beach before.
Kinda like how Fleming Island calls itself an island when its surround by water 95%. (The stretch from Swimming Pen Creek to Black Creek is swamp).
Quote from: Shine on July 31, 2009, 09:13:25 AM
This is interesting as in the Historical period, the beaches area was not an Island at all. The San Pablo River stopped just to the south of JTB. Tolomato river ran only as far north as the northern boundary of Guana WMA. ICW was constructed through the land mass and connected these two rivers in the modern period. So, what is the source on "San Pablo Island?"
This is true, although it was always a wetlands so it kind of bends the rules of "islands".
If only someone could have spanned the generations we could have been forewarned about some of our city's worst habits. This canal connection between the Tolomato and the Guana Rivers, was first proposed by the Spanish in the 1500's! Guess which section of the US Intercoastal Waterway as the LAST to be completed? But of course darling, Jacksonville, who else?I really should have seen this coming on my last trip from Thermia, in the Klatu Nebula. Hee Hee!OCKLAWAHA
I'm all for it... as long as the make Ponte Vedra change back to Mineral City...
With all the gold, diamonds, and other gems, Mineral City is very fitting.
Quote from: Ocklawaha on July 31, 2009, 11:47:05 AM
Quote from: Shine on July 31, 2009, 09:13:25 AM
So, what is the source on "San Pablo Island?"
This is true, although it was always a wetlands so it kind of bends the rules of "islands".
OCKLAWAHA
Actually, its not bending the rules. What we often refer to as "hammocks" in the low country were referred to as "Islands" in the historical/modern period -- and those names persist on geological maps today. But, those are generally small tracts of land -- not like the area we are discussing. Again, would be interested in the source of this. If it is a historical name, there should be some documentation to support it.
I can never understand why people want to change the name of a town and go through the trouble of changing all the printed mater. You have to change addresses, signs, stationary (letter head is expensive), logos on city trucks, street names, maps, etc. I don't think a new name will necessarily revitalize anything.
Even if this does pass, it'll always be referred as The Beaches or Jax Beaches. You won't see any signs changing to San Pablo Island and that likes. Hell, the name sounds more like a residential neighborhood on San Pablo Road more than anything else.
QuoteKinda like how Fleming Island calls itself an island
Or, how Doctor's Lake calls itself a lake!
lake 1
Noun
an expanse of water entirely surrounded by land [Latin lacus]
Had a look at as many historical maps as I could lay my hands on -- never found any reference to the area being called San Pablo Island. May never have been a historical name -- just part of the local rumor mill.
Most of the uses were "Pablo" -- The Spanish called the waterway the San Pablo River -- English period, it becomes "Pablo Creek." Late 1800s Pablo Beach shows up. The only land mass or town I found called "San Pablo" was the town that used to be at San Pablo Road and Beach Blvd that was associated with the San Pablo rail station -- 1880 and still used.
Interesting side note, former Jacksonville City Councilman, Jerry Holland was interested in using "San Pablo" and "Pablo Creek" to brand the district on the west side of the ICW. The new library and super malls there now sport the San Pablo/Pablo Creek name.