LaVilla: Jacksonville's First Incorporated Suburb

[Metro Jacksonville]

LaVilla: Jacksonville's First Incorporated Suburb



 Although its not promoted as well as it can be and is often swept under the rug in many cases, our city has a rich and interesting history. One of the most interesting areas of town is LaVilla. While not much remains of this section of downtown, many significant events took place in what as Jacksonville’s original suburb.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/164

[j.scott barnard]

I seem to remember Houston street still had brick (cobblestone?) peaking through the asphalt in some areas. Wouldn\'t it be nice to go back to the old street, yet remodel the warehouses into modern lofts? It\'s enevitable, but perhaps not as soon as we all would like. Excellent photo essay.

[chas1445]

I enjoyed looking at the  pictures.  All of the places are familiar to me as an African American.  I grew up in Jacksonville in the 1940's and 1950's.  I attended Old Stantion High School.  I was saden to see how the place has changed.  The part of Ashley Street where all of the businesses was, are gone, but not from my memory.  It will always be there as long as I live.  Such places as the Strand, Frolic, and Rosevelt Thearters that I use to attend as a teenager.

[heights unknown]

I can relate with what Chas said as I grew up in LaVilla (as most of you know) in the early to mid 1960's (I was a very young Child). I attended old A. L. Lewis Elementary School, lived at 817 West Duval Street in a two story old Victorian style house (we rented a very large room in that house and shared a communal bath), never went to the Frolic Theater but the Roosevelt Theater was a block or two from my house, and at times I would go to the Strand Theater and the Ritz. I remember very well about those theaters, especially the Roosevelt. It cost a quarter back then to get into them all when I went to them and during the summer months, if you saved enough RC bottle tops, you could get in for free or at a reduced rate. Once you got into the theaters, the smell of popcorn, hot dogs, corn dogs, and everything else filled the air. The Roosevelt was very large and when you went in you were going downhill. The Roosevelt also had a restaurant called the Roosevelt Grill on the side of it where they served hamburgers, soul food, sea food, and other type of foods that is now commonly called "fast food." There was a large stage in front of the very large screen and usually they would give away prizes on that stage and/or provide some type of entertainment before the movie or movies started (they gave you ticket stubs with numbers on them and if they called your number you won a prize). I never won anything. Of particular note, and they don't do this anymore (I wish they would), there were cartoons on before every movie. After the cartoons they would then show the previews of upcoming movies, then they would show the movie. The Roosevelt and the Ritz were my favorite; the Strand was o.k. and I occasionally would go there, but it was too far away and on one thing that stands out in my memory about the strand more than anything else was the extremely salty popcorn. But on weekends the movie theaters were always packed, mostly with kids. I watched my first Godzilla Movies from those Theaters, the first "Blob" movie, "The Attack of the 50 Foot Woman," and others I could go on and on naming. Great memories!

HU

[Miss Fixit]

Last night the chef from Ashley Street Catering spoke to the Springfield Improvement Association and Women's Club about Clara White Mission and its various programs.  I was surprised to learn that there is a museum on the upper floors of the mission that is open to the public!  The museum contains Clara White's residence and other memorabilia.  We were also told that the organization has purchased a 5 story building adjacent to the mission and that apartments and ground floor office/retail/restaurant space are planned.

Does anyone know the latest on Brewster Hospital?  It appears to be empty, after more than $2 million and numerous arguments about its use.

[mtraininjax]

Stephen, per Jerry Spinks at the Historic Preservation, they were trying to find a tenant for the Brewster location, but with the courthouse up in the air, its been hard to find a good tenant and the fact that parking is a challenge.

GENOVAR’S HALL - How that place has not fallen in on itself is anyone's guess. Sad to see it deteriorate.

[mtraininjax]

Parking would be the only issue. As it is Emily and Jerry lead busloads of people through City Hall to show the history in the pictures, but there is plenty of parking there.

[Bativac]

Hey Heights Unknown, I wanted to mention that my grandfather owned the Roosevelt Grill. When he passed away back in the 1990s, dozens of his old regulars showed up at the funeral to pay their respects. We had to prop the doors to the church open. That place must have really been something.

[chas1445]

I have to agree with Heights Unknown about the four Theaters.  I believe that I am a little older than Heights Unknown.  When I first remember attending the Ritz. Roosevelt, Frolic, and the strand, it cost 10 cents to go in.  On the side of the Strand on Jefferson Street, there was a small eatery that served Hamburgers, and Hot Dogs for 10 cents.  My mother worked there in 1943.  One of the owners name was Spiro.  They eventually moved across the street to a larger place.  The Floric was closed a lot during that time.  When we had to make a choice, the Frolic was the last place we would chose to attend.  The Roosevelt was our favorite.  As previously stated by Heights Unknown, there was always something going on at the Roosevelt.  Next to the Roosevelt there was a large game room .  We use to call it Funland.  You could even dance in there until the manager made you stop.  At that time there were a lot of Bars on Ashley Street, but Manuel's Tap Room was the top of the line.  I went to school with Shirley Rivera.  We were in the same home room, and had classes together.  I did not go into Manuel's until I came home on leave.  I joined the Army in 1952.  I was in Ft. Jackson, four days before my 17Th birthday.  I can remember when they put the first 5 black police officers on the streets.  I also remember when they finished the swimming pool on 4Th and Jefferson, and opened it.  I will never forget that pool.  We had a lot of good times there.  The schools that I attended was the old Cookman Elementary school on Davis Street,  Davis Street Junior High School. and Old Stanton on Ashley Street.  I did not graduate, I dropped out and joined the Army.  Which was the largest mistake of my life.  I also attended Edward  Waters for a while in 1960 when I returned from the Army.  I grew up around 13Th and Moncrief where those fenced in brick houses are.  Going from 13Th and Moncrief toward 21st street, I lived in the 1st white house on the left, across the street from the Church.  We moved in it in 1944, 67 years ago.  I don't live in Jacksonville anymore, but I hope they do not let them do anymore areas as they did Ashley Street.  I believe in change.  But we need to have some of our history preserved.

[heights unknown]

I can relate with what Chas said as I grew up in LaVilla (as most of you know) in the early to mid 1960's (I was a very young Child). I attended old A. L. Lewis Elementary School, lived at 817 West Duval Street in a two story old Victorian style house (we rented a very large room in that house and shared a communal bath), never went to the Frolic Theater but the Roosevelt Theater was a block or two from my house, and at times I would go to the Strand Theater and the Ritz. I remember very well about those theaters, especially the Roosevelt. It cost a quarter back then to get into them all when I went to them and during the summer months, if you saved enough RC bottle tops, you could get in for free or at a reduced rate. Once you got into the theaters, the smell of popcorn, hot dogs, corn dogs, and everything else filled the air. The Roosevelt was very large and when you went in you were going downhill. The Roosevelt also had a restaurant called the Roosevelt Grill on the side of it where they served hamburgers, soul food, sea food, and other type of foods that is now commonly called "fast food." There was a large stage in front of the very large screen and usually they would give away prizes on that stage and/or provide some type of entertainment before the movie or movies started (they gave you ticket stubs with numbers on them and if they called your number you won a prize). I never won anything. Of particular note, and they don't do this anymore (I wish they would), there were cartoons on before every movie. After the cartoons they would then show the previews of upcoming movies, then they would show the movie. The Roosevelt and the Ritz were my favorite; the Strand was o.k. and I occasionally would go there, but it was too far away and on one thing that stands out in my memory about the strand more than anything else was the extremely salty popcorn. But on weekends the movie theaters were always packed, mostly with kids. I watched my first Godzilla Movies from those Theaters, the first "Blob" movie, "The Attack of the 50 Foot Woman," and others I could go on and on naming. Great memories!

HU

HU, did you rent from Miss Ruby, Miss Jewel or Miss Alma on Duval?

I was a very small kid (8 years old) and can't remember the Lady's first name, but the Woman who we paid rent to was Ms. Jones and she also lived in a huge part of the house on the right side center; I don't know what Ms. Jones first name was, or whether she owned that house, but we paid rent to her Stephen.

HU

[heights unknown]

Hey Heights Unknown, I wanted to mention that my grandfather owned the Roosevelt Grill. When he passed away back in the 1990s, dozens of his old regulars showed up at the funeral to pay their respects. We had to prop the doors to the church open. That place must have really been something.

It was. It was always packed, people coming in and out; and the smell of all that food, I can still remember it. My Mother used to send me two blocks to the Roosevelt Grill to get her seafood (she still loves shrimp any way, shape or form), and whatever I wanted. I also remember some guys stopping me (kids) and stealing my money from me one day. But the Roosevelt Grill was "off the chain," as they say. Around that same area I remember the El Chico Lounge, and you could hear juke boxes blaring from 10 or more locations at once on Ashley Street, 60's music back then (Aretha, Supremes, Sam and Dave, Temptations, Four Tops, and I could go on and on), and, I never will forget a very pretty Jewish and Black girl I met whose Parents owned a tavern/store on Davis Street, a block up from the Roosevelt Grill; there also was a drug store on the corner of Ashley and Davis right next to the Roosevelt Theater and Grill (how in the world is all of this coming back?). Great memories!

[heights unknown]

I have to agree with Heights Unknown about the four Theaters.  I believe that I am a little older than Heights Unknown.  When I first remember attending the Ritz. Roosevelt, Frolic, and the strand, it cost 10 cents to go in.  On the side of the Strand on Jefferson Street, there was a small eatery that served Hamburgers, and Hot Dogs for 10 cents.  My mother worked there in 1943.  One of the owners name was Spiro.  They eventually moved across the street to a larger place.  The Floric was closed a lot during that time.  When we had to make a choice, the Frolic was the last place we would chose to attend.  The Roosevelt was our favorite.  As previously stated by Heights Unknown, there was always something going on at the Roosevelt.  Next to the Roosevelt there was a large game room .  We use to call it Funland.  You could even dance in there until the manager made you stop.  At that time there were a lot of Bars on Ashley Street, but Manuel's Tap Room was the top of the line.  I went to school with Shirley Rivera.  We were in the same home room, and had classes together.  I did not go into Manuel's until I came home on leave.  I joined the Army in 1952.  I was in Ft. Jackson, four days before my 17Th birthday.  I can remember when they put the first 5 black police officers on the streets.  I also remember when they finished the swimming pool on 4Th and Jefferson, and opened it.  I will never forget that pool.  We had a lot of good times there.  The schools that I attended was the old Cookman Elementary school on Davis Street,  Davis Street Junior High School. and Old Stanton on Ashley Street.  I did not graduate, I dropped out and joined the Army.  Which was the largest mistake of my life.  I also attended Edward  Waters for a while in 1960 when I returned from the Army.  I grew up around 13Th and Moncrief where those fenced in brick houses are.  Going from 13Th and Moncrief toward 21st street, I lived in the 1st white house on the left, across the street from the Church.  We moved in it in 1944, 67 years ago.  I don't live in Jacksonville anymore, but I hope they do not let them do anymore areas as they did Ashley Street.  I believe in change.  But we need to have some of our history preserved.

Yeah Chas; I think you've got me by quite a few more years, but I'm quickly trudging towards dustiness. Yep, a quarter to get in those theaters when we lived there, I'm talking 1965, 66, and 67; we left Jacksonville in the late summer of 1967 and I cried when we left because me and that half Jewish and Black Girl were getting hot, and yes, at that young age (I was about 9 or 10 when I met her)...she was so cute. I too remember a crapload of bars, taverns, stores in and around Ashley, Davis, and especially in that crux of Ashley and Davis, that's where most of the activity was sprawling eastward out towards downtown. I can still remember people hanging out, going in and out of bars, taverns, shops, businesses in that area, loud talking (you know us black folks were given quite a set of lungs and vocal chords), and just a flurry of activity back then; that area I guess you could have called the downtown of the black community in Jacksonville; don't get me wrong there were others, but that one had all of the drama, suspense, and activity! Everytime I visit Jax, I drive around those areas, remembering, reflecting, but now it's all quiet, no activity, silenced.

HU

[heights unknown]

STEPHEN: I could never go inside the El Chico Lounge because I was too young but it (the El Chico Lounge) was a bar and grill right down the street, on the other side of the street, from the Roosevelt Theater on Ashley Street going east towards downtown. It had a big bright neon sign outside with a Mexican Man with a large sombrero/hat on, with a cactus right next to him. Me and some friends, without our parents knowledge, would go and try and peek into some of those bars, grills and lounges, but everytime we tried the grown ups would shoo us away (LOL). So I can't really remember what it looked like inside, but I do remember the big sign outside with the mexican/spanish feel to it. Also understand that back then, Jax was a flurry of activity with neon signs either on top or out front of banks, bars, night clubs, stores and other businesses; I do remember the numerous neon signs, something which has almost disappeared from Jax since about the early 70's I think. But that sign in front of the El Chico Lounge was a brightly lit up neon sign as well.

HU

[chas1445]

Yes, Manuel Rivera was Shirley Rivera's father.  At the time they owned a Brick home on 8Th street, about 2-3 blocks off Davis Street traveling west on 8Th street on the right side as you go under I-95.  There was a 2 story Brick home on the same side just before you get to the Riveras home that I was told belonged to Bishop Tooks.

I can not remember Spiro's last name.  However, he had a partner by the name of Gus.  They both lived in Springfield, right across the street from the Springfield Pool in Springfield Park. 

[BridgeTroll]

More stories PLEEEEEESE!