The Great Jacksonville Fire of 1901

[Dan B]

http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/ufdc/?m=hd1J&i=180267

[stjr]

Great article and excerpt on the Market Street Horror.  The pix remind me a bit of those of Dresden, Germany, after it was bombed in WWII.  Someone should make a movie and/or documentary on this momentous event.  I can't imagine that every city in America didn't take note of this tragedy and revise their fire and building codes.

I also can't help but wonder how this fire changed the "personality" and "future" of Jax, for better or worse.  Did the fabric of our economy change?  Did our politics change? Did the demographic makeup of the city change?  How traumatized were the locals and did that change their attitudes toward decision making?  Did "class" and/or racial relations change?  What effect did it have on the transportation of the city and the growth beyond Downtown?  Did the fire create more opportunities than it destroyed?  Did the destruction create our lack of appreciation and appetite for disposable structures for the next 100 years of our long history by focusing the populace on starting anew and destroying much of its past including records?  Did it focus the City on short term results over long term ones in our haste to rebuild, a momentum that may still exist today?  Would make a great thesis for a post-graduate history major!

Interestingly, despite the horror described in the "Acres of Ashes" book, "only" 7 perished in the entire fire per the historic marker.  I wonder if they ever fully accounted for everyone and whether blacks were accounted for separately from whites in those days.

FYI, a related MJ thread with more info and a link to the Jacksonville Fire Museum can be found at:

Historic Fire Department Pix at Jacksonvillefiremuseum.com

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php/topic,5676.0.html

[iloveionia]

Ennis,
I really like the caption under the Hogan's Creek photo.  I'd say 100 years is a long enough to "make good." It saved us, now it is time for US to save it.  I see potential as many do. 
I am sorry many of Klutho's building were razed in the 80s.  Shame on Jacksonville.  I am glad however about Fresh Ministries building restoration on Main, and I just love the Klutho house on West 9th just off Main and the duplex adjacent (needs love) that were part of the movie studios. 
Nicole

[Ocklawaha]

I fail to see this as a unique disaster, in fact standing some of those photos next to the same scene's today reveals that we swept up the ashes, but downtown looks about the same today as Post 1901 Jacksonville.

OCKLAWAHA

[stjr]

I fail to see this as a unique disaster, in fact standing some of those photos next to the same scene's today reveals that we swept up the ashes, but downtown looks about the same today as Post 1901 Jacksonville.

Ock, well said.  The wrecking ball has destroyed more of our history at this point than the great fire.  There are immeasurably more 2,000+ year old structures remaining today from the ancient Mayans, Incas, China, Greece, Rome, and the Middle East than from Jacksonville's short history.  In a few years, our past may be nothing more than a memory of the old geezers frequenting MJ! 

[Wacca Pilatka]

Interestingly, despite the horror described in the "Acres of Ashes" book, "only" 7 perished in the entire fire per the historic marker.  I wonder if they ever fully accounted for everyone and whether blacks were accounted for separately from whites in those days.

FYI, a related MJ thread with more info and a link to the Jacksonville Fire Museum can be found at:

Historic Fire Department Pix at Jacksonvillefiremuseum.com

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php/topic,5676.0.html

In Bill Foley and Wayne Wood's "The Great Fire of 1901," it's stated as likely that more than 7 perished in the fire just as you suspected.  I believe that's noted in the section on the Market St. Horror.

Incidentally, that's an outstanding book, well worth reading and available at the library (or for sale at the Historical Society offices and Chamblin's).  It collects many of the personal stories from "Acres of Ashes" and other sources and I love Foley's writing.  He was a great Jacksonville treasure.

[Wacca Pilatka]

When Napoleon Bonaparte Broward ran for mayor of Jacksonville, he began getting rid of the black law enforcement replacing them with white men, which made him into a viable statewide politician.  I don't think he really cared about race one way or another, but he was passionate about political advancement.

Stephen, do you have a recommendation for where I could read more about this?  I am always looking for good Jax history book recommendations.  I haven't read "Jacksonville After The Fire" by Jim Crooks; is this covered in there?  About all I know about Broward is the little bit of material on him in the Ft. George Island section of Architectural Heritage.

[Wacca Pilatka]

I have heard that commercial fishermen, from downriver, came in their fishing boats to ferry people away from the fire.  I would guess their smaller boats wouldn't be as effected by the "fire storm" winds as a sailing vessel.

There's also a great story of how the proprietor of the Title & Trust Co. of Florida (I think I have that company name right; its office is on Forsyth across from the Florida Theatre, on the same side of the street), who held copies of most of the property records in Duval County, was able to carry his records to the river in advance of the approaching fire, commandeer a small boat, and carry them across the river to safety.  Because the courthouse burned, his resources were the primary source of establishing title to property afterward.

[Dan B]

I dont believe Broward was ever the Mayor. JET Bowden was mayor around the time of the fire. Broward was the Sheriff of Duval before the Spanish American War, but lost office in the mid 1890s.

He was later appointed to the statehouse for one term, before eventually deciding to run for Governor.

Here is a list of preconsolidation Mayors for Jax.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mayors_of_Jacksonville,_Florida

[stjr]

Here is a list of preconsolidation Mayors for Jax.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mayors_of_Jacksonville,_Florida

Dan, thanks for posting.  This list is interesting.  The City of Jax should include this on the City's official web site.

In fact, the COJ web site should have an archival tab on their home page that provides a great overview of the City's history, historical accounts, images, maps, facts and figures, and info on all the officials who have served it, elected or appointed.  Also, links to neighborhood, State, and other historical societies, library and museum collections, historic info on the web (such as Wikipedia, Metro Jax, etc.), and historic books and documents available for further research.

Adam Hollingsworth, are you reading this?  I am sure the Jax historical society and others would be happy to volunteer in the effort.

Maybe this would further historic preservation in Jax as well.  Every City Council member and City official should have to read the section before implementing or voting on policies affecting preservation of our history.

[rjp2008]

The fire this, the fire that...everything with the fire....

At some point, Jax has to stop dwelling on it so much. Leave it in history, where it belongs. Move on. To it's credit, the city has. But sadly, it seems like it's still clung to as "we should've been this kind of city but the fire ripped us off" Yes, it was terrible. It's a growing city now, has some direction, I just think the fire needs to be left in the past where it belongs. Move the city forward.

[JeffreyS]

I don't find many people who even know much about it much less dwell on it.

[Dan B]

The fact is, the Fire pushed Jacksonville to become a modern city. Prior to the fire, it was predominantly wooden structures, and many of the streets were still unpaved.

Honestly, in a sort of back handed way, the fire may have been the best thing to ever happen to Jax!

[ac]

^
I'd agree, if we hadn't systematically destroyed many of the buildings that cropped up in the wake of the fire only to leave empty lots.

We've set ourselves back in the intervening century.

[billy]

Didn't Klutho come here because of the fire?