GOING, GOING, GONE:  FERRY BOATS

(Source of picture: Florida State Archives)

Here's a fantastic-looking float in the form of a ferryboat.  The picture comes from a Jacksonville parade from the late 1920s or early 1930s.  The scene is looking up Laura Street from its intersection with Church Street.  The Jacksonville Journal headquarters was located behind the St. James Building (now city hall).  If you stand today where the photographer took this photo, you will be looking into the First Baptist Church complex of buildings.  

The little advertisement below dates from the same time period as the photo.  It asked the public to take a ferry instead of crossing the Acosta Bridge downtown.  The ad comes from the newspaper, Jacksonville American, of February 6, 1932.  During the early years of the original Acosta span, the bridge did charge tolls. 

CLICK HERE FOR ANOTHER FERRYBOAT PICTURE

THE FERRIES' FATE -- As this picture shows, Jax residents honored the role of ferryboats in their city's history.  When the photo was snapped, ironically, ferries were already beginning to lose their jobs to bridges.  

In Jacksonville, the first automobile bridge across the St. Johns River opened in 1921.  It was eventually named the Acosta Bridge, and it stood at the location of the present-day span by that name.  The second St. Johns bridge was the Main Street Bridge, which started its service in 1941.

Prior to the competition from bridges, ferryboats carried a heavy load, lugging people & cargo across the river.  The boats chugged between between the downtown area and South Jacksonville.  During the early 1900s, the ride took about 7 1/2 minutes, which some school kids used to finish their homework.  Over the years, the riders knew the names of the local boats by heart.  These vessels included Dixieland, Ravenswood, Mechanic (aka "the Elephant"), Armsmear (aka "the Shoofly"), and Commodore Barney.  

BURIAL ON THE SOUTHBANK -- A number of the boats ended up buried in South Jacksonville.  A favorite dumping ground for the old vessels was in the vicinity of today's Southbank Riverwalk.  In 1905, the waterfront was bulkheaded and filled with earth & debris.  Rising on the spot was Dixieland Park, which featured ostriches, alligators, & carnival rides.  The remnants of the ferries served as part of its foundation.  Standing in the vicinity of this location now is the Hilton Hotel. 

The last ferryboat in downtown Jacksonville ended its service on a dark & foggy night.  At a quarter to midnight, February 15, 1938, the gates closed for good at the Main Street ferry terminal.  This structure was located at the site of today's The Landing, the well-known marketplace that draws both tourists & locals.  The last vessel?  The Duncan U. Fletcher, named after a Jax mayor & US senator.