Somewhere about the age of 7 we moved into our Crystal Springs home. Our parents were the kind that would do what they could do themselves to save money. They were not people of means so saving money was important. They both wanted more not less in life so they both equally worked hard to do themselves what many would have the money to do using contractors and the like.
Alec and Geneva Vaughan bought the property on Crystal Springs road in the 1960’s. It was a 10 acre undeveloped plot on the Westside of the city. My father worked as a Civil Service worker so he didn’t make more than government wages. Mama was a stay-at-home Mom; totally her focus.
She was known to shop at the thrift stores and could be found on the bent aisle area trying to save a buck. The thing was, that both of my parents had visions of grandeur. They both wanted certain things in life and besides a Christian home, which was number one, it was to live life to the fullest.
Sometime after purchasing the land, building a home(Jim Walter) and starting a tiny( 2 cows, 1 horse, 5 chickens) farm, they decided to build their own pool and all this while Daddy worked full time with the Navy. With shovel in hand for every member of the family, we dug our own pool. We did. Over time, we carved out of the soil of Duval County property, a 20 x 40 sized Olympic pool with filter and all. It was rectangle, built directly behind our home and had a depth from 3-6 1/2 feet.
Many parties and events were held with that swimming pool. Stay tuned because there is more.
For some time now I’ve been noticing a train logo flag with the name “Rail Yard District”. I rode the neighborhood and turns out it’s west of downtown in the Beaver Street, near the train depot and convention centre area. It includes such addresses as:
The old Farmers Market 1810 West Beaver Street, Jacksonville, Florida 32209
Eco Relics, a salvage store living in a former rail depot.-106 Stockton Street, Jacksonville, Florida 32204
Shot gun houses east of the viaduct on the North side of Beaver Street.
The actual “rail yard”.
The old viaduct and rail yard with trains n’ all, east of the Farmers Market on west Beaver Street.
There are some 75-100 businesses in this area and although much of the area has been neglected since the 1970’s, its making a come back with new business and opportunity.
Visiting 1810 Beaver Street was a treat while growing up. Our small family lived on Lowell Avenue only a couple of miles from the market. We spent many a day there, picking up fruit, tasting the samples provided and walking away with greens and corn for a Sunday dinner.
Farmers Market photo
The Farmers Market is one of the oldest markets in Florida. It began in 1938. From dawn to dusk you can find vendors of all kinds selling produce, including honey, corn, onions, greens, watermelons, oranges, apples, berries, squash, a variety of beans, sugar cane, and more. On Apple Maps, it indicates the hours to be 7am-5pm. This is a big man’s delight and a dieters haven. In 2019, the Jacksonville Farmers Market won the “Jax Best” seal so congrats and with that it touts having over a million visitors each year.
1938-ish. Fl Memory
It’s located in the Rail Yard District on West Beaver Street. Back-in-the-day, one of my best friend’s family, the Napoli’s had a bay. We spent a lot of time helping set up things, shine the produce and sit and wait for customers. Well, mostly we played. Ha! Fun times though, for sure.
Visit Jacksonville indicates that the “Where Jacksonville Begins” has the “largest urban park system in the entire nation”. Wow! Be proud fellow citizens. Jacksonville already is known for being the largest city by landmass in the U. S. A. , for having the beautiful St. Johns River where “The Cowford” began in 1822(former name of Jax) and has about 25 mies of sandy white beaches. So Jacksonville is quite the city! To add to its beauty, it has an extensive park system.
Emerald Trail
Here is a short list of these destinations:
Fort Caroline National Park, Kingsley Plantation, Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, Huguenot Memorial Park, Riverside Park, Memorial Park Stockton Park, Losco Regional Park, Mandarin Park, Riverside Park, Talbot Islands State Parks including Little Talbot and Big Talbot, Dutton Island Preserve, Yellow Bluff Fort, Fort George State Park, Hannah Park, Fort Family Regional Park (Baymeadows), James Weldon Johnson Park (Formerly Hemming Park).
Now, That’s something to brag about but wait until this is added! By 2029 an almost 30 mile park will be added to that list. Called, “ The Emerald Trail”, it will span in and around the city turning and wind along paths, transform dead spots, vacant areas, shared bike paths, travel under bridges, by the river and more.
Hogans Creek
Those involved, along with the city government is Path Foundation, JTC Running, Kaizen landscaping, Giving Forward Community Endowment, Community Foundation and even individual donors like you.
Hogan Street
Places that you’ve known before as eye sores will be transformed into beautiful flora and fauna and in a matter of hours you will be able to bike, walk or trail this new Jacksonville park.
Pay attention. That park may wind by your home or school. It is is slated as a park to encourage “healthy lifestyles” and will be a touchstone to 17 schools, 17 parks, Hogans Creek, McCoys Creek, downtown Jacksonville and the St. Johns River.
McCoy’s Creek
Not an ordinary park for a unique city.
Northbank near Waters St.
See you tomorrow,
Sources- Emerald Trail photo- JTC Running, Visit Jacksonville, Giving Forward, Community Foundation, Kaizen, Path Foundation
This week, I visited the First Baptist Church of Augusta. It was the site of the founding church of the Southern Baptist Convention. Also visited was the first Baptist Church in Georgia which is in Appling.The interesting thing about both is that they tie to Jacksonville; sort of….
The First Baptist Church of Augusta, located at 802 Greene Street began in 1817 with a “Praying Society”. It expanded and in 1821 a brick building was dedicated . The fellowship continued and in 1845, the Southern Baptist Convention was established. A historical marker is outside of the church with this inscription:
In March 1817, eight men and two women meeting in an Augusta home formed “The Baptist Praying Society of Augusta” – the forerunner of the First Baptist Church. Two months later the society was constituted a church under the leadership of the first minister, Wm. T. Brantley, this property was purchased in 1870. A church on this site was dedicated May 26, 1821. In 1845, after serious friction arose in the national Triennial Convention, 327 delegates from eight southern states and the District of Columbia met here to form the Southern Baptist Convention. This building was erected in 1902.
The first Baptist Church of Georgia, Kioke Baptist Church, is located in Appllng, outside of Augusta. It began with a meeting house in 1772 with the Rev. Daniel Marshall as pastor. It held church meetings at least 45 years before the First Baptist Church of Augusta
In Jacksonville, Florida, there is a historic building at 218 West Church Street less than a block from the Historic Hobson, the First Baptist Church, built after the Great Fire of Jacksonville. The “Florida Baptist Building” was designed by the Jacksonville famous, Henry John Klutho. In January of 1984, it was designation a U. S. National Register of Historic Places. It is now being repurposed to have apartments and living quarters for residents. It was there that Southern Baptist Convention business was conducted, newspapers for the Southern Baptist Convention were written and more.The photo below is the original rendering by Klutho.(credit:unknown).
When Kioke Church, the oldest Baptist church in Georgia, built its beautiful current facility, it asked the Southern Baptist Convention founding Church, the First Baptist Church of Augusta which was in disrepair since they changed their facility to another location, to give them some of the stained class windows from their former church in downtown Augusta. They did and today, those beautiful windows can be seen in their lovely facility in Appling, Georgia. The former church where the Southern Baptist Church was formed is in total disrepair but their former windows are seen in beautiful display in Appling.
In Jacksonville, The building once used by the Southern Baptist Convention in Jacksonville, which through the years has moved to another location in Duval County, is being repurposed to house others and create living and retail space.
In all, the Church is alive and well although the facilities have changed, God remains The I AM.
