Charlie Ed Craddock’s Lodge Eggmont constructing at Ashley & Jefferson streets, was thought-about to be the house of the bolita massive home in 1936. | Ritz Theatre & Museum
Bolita (Spanish for Little Ball), was a kind of unlawful lottery playing common within the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in Cuba and amongst Florida’s working class Hispanic, Italian, and Black residents. Bolita got here to Tampa’s Ybor Metropolis within the Eighteen Eighties. By the Forties, the sport was taken over by Tampa mafia boss Santo Trafficante, Sr.
Bolita was massive enterprise in Jacksonville’s Black neighborhoods. Estimated at a complete of $500 million gambled on the sport yearly, it might have been Jacksonville’s most worthwhile unlawful enterprise by the Nice Melancholy. On the town, the enterprise was managed by the Trafficante related James “Charlie Ed” Craddock. Craddock’s golf equipment, bars and taverns have been protected by the native police, mayor and different metropolis officers. Additionally the proprietor of Jacksonville’s famed Two Spot evening membership, Craddock was so profitable that in 1942, he paid the federal authorities $35,000 in again taxes.
In 1936, bolita stations in LaVilla have been positioned at Raymond’s Place at Ashley & Jefferson streets, Machin’s Place at Beaver and Davis streets and Manuel’s Faucet Room. Raymond was mentioned to be the son of a former cigar producer, drove round in a Packard coupe. Manuel Rivera, who was identified to park his lengthy inexperienced Auburn outdoors, had two guards that have been by no means that distant. There have been additionally two bolita stations Out East on Florida Avenue (A. Philip Randolph Boulevard), together with Machin’s East Facet at Florida Avenue and First Avenue.
The bolita massive home in 1936. | College of Florida
Because of @uflib for sharing some #Jax historical past throughout a latest Gainesville analysis journey.