Urban Living in Jacksonville: St. Johns Park

[Metro Jacksonville]

Urban Living in Jacksonville: St. Johns Park



Metro Jacksonville takes a stroll through St. Johns Park.

Read More: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2015-jun-urban-living-in-jacksonville-st-johns-park

[Adam White]

Very interesting. Do people still refer to the area as St Johns Park? I'd never heard that before - I always assumed the area was called "Fairfax" (I think someone must've told me that once) - though I'd guess that Fairfax refers to Fairfax Manor, which (according to the article) was a different development.

One other (minor) question: I must be missing something, but how is Herschel Street a linear park?

Edit: after posting this, I searched Metro Jacksonville and found another story about the area. Apparently Fairfax Manor is the bit on the other side of Herschel Street near the water.

[Charles Hunter]

So St. Johns Park extended (extends?) as far as San Juan Avenue?  Never knew that, always thought the Blanding / Cassat area was part of Lake Shore.

By the way, that Crispers on page 3 has "closed permanently". 

[acme54321]

According to topo maps Roosevelt was actually cut through St. John's Park pre-1950.  Pretty interesting because that would make it a very early "expressway" type of road, maybe the first in town? 

http://historicaerials.com?layer=T1950&zoom=15&lat=30.285975156568287&lon=-81.71854019165039

[thelakelander]

^Great site! Yes, it looks like the initial 4-lane Roosevelt was built around 1950, up to Post and College. Then upgraded to a partial expressway over the next decade. 1950s. The last segment completed was the part between McDuff and I-10 in 1960. Seems like the last major addition associated with it, that really impacted St. Johns Park, was the completion of the Blanding/Edgewood interchanges around 1971.

[thelakelander]

One other (minor) question: I must be missing something, but how is Herschel Street a linear park?

A portion of the wide ROW is a linear green space with a winding sidewalk/path running through it.

[Adam White]

Thanks Lake. I wondered that after re-reading the story (as there was a picture of some of the grass). I've not been over there in a few years, but I didn't remember the bit of grass being that extensive.