Back in Time: The Subtropical Exposition

[jaxboy]

I remember back in the 1950's, a fish processing plant that used to be located a block east of the old train terminal and a half block south of Bay St. which, when the wind was right, would broadcast its odor directly into the noses of all train passengers. This must have been just what new arrivals to Jacksonville needed to form a first opinion of our city. If that wasn't enough, a northeast wind would give us the delightful smell of the pulp mills. We must remember, though, that Jacksonville at one time was the largest city in Florida and an industrial center that was also the only developed tourist destination around the turn of the last century. Middle and south Florida, at that time, was mainly rural and not suited for the tourist trade until the 1920's land boom.