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The Steamships of Jacksonville

Started by Metro Jacksonville, October 14, 2009, 06:05:00 AM

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Metro Jacksonville

October 14, 2009, 06:05:00 AM
The Steamships of Jacksonville



Metro Jacksonville takes a look at an industry that once gave downtown Jacksonville an international and cosmopolitan flair: The Steamships of Jacksonville.



Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2009-oct-the-steamships-of-jacksonville

BridgeTroll

#1
October 14, 2009, 06:59:16 AM
Great article!
In a boat at sea one of the men began to bore a hole in the bottom of the boat. On being remonstrating with, he answered, "I am only boring under my own seat." "Yes," said his companions, "but when the sea rushes in we shall all be drowned with you."

lindab

#2
October 14, 2009, 08:04:07 AM
I loved those images. Great story.

hooplady

#3
October 14, 2009, 11:21:46 AM
Thank you so much for posting this story!  My mom worked for Merchants & Miners in the '30's and had so many fond memories of her adventures.  If she had her way she would have continued forever, but proper ladies of that era got married and had children so that's what she did.  But every time she talked about her work aboard ship she got all misty-eyed...she died this year at the age of 92.

JeffreyS

#4
October 14, 2009, 12:41:46 PM
Condolences.
Lenny Smash

BridgeTroll

#5
October 14, 2009, 12:58:40 PM
What did she do Hoop?  Was she actually on the ships?  Do you remember any stories?
In a boat at sea one of the men began to bore a hole in the bottom of the boat. On being remonstrating with, he answered, "I am only boring under my own seat." "Yes," said his companions, "but when the sea rushes in we shall all be drowned with you."

hooplady

#6
October 14, 2009, 01:03:11 PM
BT,
I believe she was the equivalent of a stewardess...basically she helped the passengers.  This is one of those things I wish I had written down when she talked!  I know she loved visiting Jacksonville and she also remembered the original "waving girl" in Savannah.  She also said that she loved her job so much she didn't want to accept tips...which got her in lots of trouble with her co-workers.

It was only a couple of years ago that she took the AutoTrain down from Baltimore for a visit and drove across Florida to see one of her old shipmates in Sarasota.   She was pretty spry up to the very end!

hooplady

#7
October 14, 2009, 01:09:22 PM
Oh yeah...one funny story.  Mom was the oldest of seven and supported the family after my ne'er-do-well grandfather abandoned them during the Depression.  She was gone for weeks (months?) at a time with little or no communication.  Once when she came back to Baltimore she discovered that her mother had moved the whole brood - she had to go asking around to see where "home" was!

BridgeTroll

#8
October 14, 2009, 01:45:48 PM
Very cool... In her day this was the only way to "see the world" and was probably in the minority of people who actually travelled very far from home.  She got to see and do things and meet people she had read about but never really had any hope seeing or doing unless she had a job like hers.  No wonder she loved her job... My twenty year Navy career afforded me the same opportunity.  I went to places and did things most people will never, ever experience.
In a boat at sea one of the men began to bore a hole in the bottom of the boat. On being remonstrating with, he answered, "I am only boring under my own seat." "Yes," said his companions, "but when the sea rushes in we shall all be drowned with you."

wsansewjs

#9
October 14, 2009, 02:01:37 PM
This is one of my most favorite articles ever posted on MetroJacksonville.com It actually made me go register my new account and post it here. Now, I am hooked on.
"When I take over JTA, the PCT'S will become artificial reefs and thus serve a REAL purpose. - OCKLAWAHA"

"Stephen intends on running for office in the next election (2014)." - Stephen Dare

BridgeTroll

#10
October 14, 2009, 03:38:44 PM
Welcome wsan... this site contains many articles of similar quality... along with many discussions of these articles.
In a boat at sea one of the men began to bore a hole in the bottom of the boat. On being remonstrating with, he answered, "I am only boring under my own seat." "Yes," said his companions, "but when the sea rushes in we shall all be drowned with you."

Dog Walker

#11
October 14, 2009, 03:41:49 PM
There is a great model of the Fred & deBary on display at the downtown library right now.

When you look at place names on maps of this area, notice how many places have "landing" in them.  Up and down the St. John's, these were the places that the river steamboats stopped for people and goods in the days before good roads.  The St. John's was the highway.
When all else fails hug the dog.

stjr

#12
October 17, 2009, 10:49:28 PM
Great article.

Just think if Jax recreated an historic reproduction of the "City of Jacksonville" that plied the St. Johns River. 

What a unique tourist attraction.  It could do daytime historic tours, sunset cruises, and overnights to Palatka and Sanford, or travel to Savannah, Charleston, or St. Augustine as an ambassador of the city. 
Hey!  Whatever happened to just plain ol' COMMON SENSE!!

Ocklawaha

#13
October 17, 2009, 11:41:45 PM

"The City of Jacksonville" has a nice ring to it!

Quote from: stjr on October 17, 2009, 10:49:28 PM
Great article.

Just think if Jax recreated an historic reproduction of the "City of Jacksonville" that plied the St. Johns River. 

What a unique tourist attraction.  It could do daytime historic tours, sunset cruises, and overnights to Palatka and Sanford, or travel to Savannah, Charleston, or St. Augustine as an ambassador of the city. 

We nearly do stjr, there are two ships at the docks in Green Cove Springs, on the closed Naval Station, nee Clay County Port of Green Cove Springs. I understand they were built by Atlantic in Jacksonville but delivery never took place.

This is a subject I have squawked enough about that everyone should know it by heart. Cut deals with a major airline, Trailways, Annett, Greyhound, Disney Express Bus, and AMTRAK... Every adventurer comes in at JIA/JAX, on a single cruise-Florida tour ticket, they are delivered downtown to the river cruise port facility. They board one of the river cruisers for Sanford, two days on the water, overnight tied up at the downtown/waterfront hotel in Palatka. Day two finds them moving into the Port of Sanford, where they are met by a parade of Disney resort, Universal resort, etc... buses. The buses pull off and they head for 2-5 days of non-stop fun. At the end of it all, they again board the riverboats and head for Palatka. We lay our best meals, treats and honors. Once back in a real city (OURS) they are ready for  reserved seat or bedroom home on Amtrak. Mr. investor, give me a call, and we'll talk BIG BOATS!

They go home very lucky, they are among the few tourists since the 1800's to have really seen and experienced The Real Florida.

OCKLAWAHA

Dog Walker

#14
October 18, 2009, 11:11:58 AM
Ock, I can't make out the depths on the bows of those nice looking cruise boats.  Surely they aren't double digits?
When all else fails hug the dog.
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