Historical past of the S-Line City Greenway
In 1886, the Jacksonville Belt Railroad was constructed between Springfield and the Jacksonville Terminal space in LaVilla to attach the Fernandina & Jacksonville Railroad to the Florida, Atlantic & Gulf Railroad. The railroad was acquired by the Seaboard Air Line Railroad (SAL) system in 1902. Throughout a lot of the twentieth century, many factories and mills operated alongside the hall because the railroad made for environment friendly transportation of products and delivery of uncooked supplies. Early industrial firms included Aetna Iron & Metal Firm, Dawkins Constructing Provide Firm, Dorsey Firm Bakery, Florida Machine & Foundry, Flowers Baking Firm, Graham-Jones Paper Firm, Moore Dry Kiln Firm, Nationwide Merchandise Firm (Pic N’ Save), Pittsburgh Plate Glass, and Winn & Lovett.
In 1967, the SAL merged with long-time rival Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) to kind the Seaboard Coast Line (SCL) Railroad. Since 1986, a lot of the unique SCL community has been a part of CSX Transportation. Unique traces owned by the SAL turned referred to as the S-Line over time. Strains owned by the ACL turned referred to as the A-Line.
Deserted in the course of the Nineteen Eighties, the previous railroad was transformed into the S-Line City Greenway within the mid-2000s as a product of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s City Pathways initiative. The City Pathways Initiative was established to hyperlink community-based advocates and professionals throughout the nation working to encourage bodily exercise, lively transportation and recreation choices in neighborhoods surrounding city pathways.
Companions of Jacksonville’s first devoted city bike path included the Metropolis of Jacksonville Parks and Recreation Division, the Blue Basis for a Wholesome Florida and the Durkeeville Historic Society. Funding was supplied by the Blue Basis for a Wholesome Florida and the Kresge Basis.
The aim was to create a 4.8-mile linear city park that would function a catalyst to enhance the encompassing neighborhoods by connecting faculties, parks and different neighborhood property. At this time, the S-Line City Greenway serves as an anchor for Groundwork Jacksonville’s bold Emerald Path challenge. Here’s a earlier than and after take a look at this historic city transportation thoroughfare.
Images: Earlier than & After
The Winn and Lovett Grocery Firm’s headquarters and warehouse was initially in-built 1919. Winn & Lovett ultimately grew to grow to be Winn-Dixie and a Fortune 500 firm. | Florida Reminiscence
Lately occupied by Load King Manufacturing, which closed in 2024, the 247,501 sq. foot industrial complicated at 1357 West Beaver Road is presently obtainable on the market or lease. | Ennis Davis, AICP
The Seaboard Air Line railroad crossing at Kings Highway in 1943. | Florida Reminiscence
The S-Line City Greenway pedestrian crossing at Kings Highway in April 2025. | Ennis Davis, AICP
The fifth & Cleveland Municipal Incinerator on the intersection of West fifth Road and Cleveland Road circa Nineteen Seventies. | Metropolis of Jacksonville
The intersection of West fifth Road and Cleveland Road in the present day. After its closure, the fifth & Cleveland Incinerator was demolished and the contaminated industrial web site was used as a neighborhood baseball area in Durkeeville. It was later redeveloped into the MaliVai Washington Youth Heart at Emmett Reed Park. | Ennis Davis, AICP
A freight prepare passes via Durkeeville in the course of the Nineteen Seventies. The Durkeeville public housing growth might be seen within the background. In-built 1937, Durkeeville was the second public housing challenge in-built Florida underneath the federal Public Works Administration. The outdated Durkeeville initiatives have been changed by The Oaks at Durkeeville in 1999, as Florida’s first redevelopment underneath the HOPE VI program. | Metropolis of Jacksonville
Strolling alongside the S-Line City Greenway via Durkeeville in the present day. | Ennis Davis, AICP
Wanting south on the Emmett Reed Group Heart in the course of the Nineteen Seventies. | Metropolis of Jacksonville
Strolling south in direction of the Emmett Reed Group Heart in Durkeeville in the present day. | Ennis Davis, AICP
Kids strolling throughout the tracks in Durkeeville in the course of the Nineteen Seventies. Mount Herman Elementary College dominants the background. | Metropolis of Jacksonville
An April 2025 view of the Mount Herman Distinctive Scholar Heart. | Ennis Davis, AICP
Wanting west from Springfield’s Liberty Road in 1943. American Bakeries (left) and Aetna Iron & Metal Firm (proper) services dominant the background. American Bakeries was shaped in 1910 with the merging of the Highland Baking Firm, Martin Cracker and Sweet Firm, and the Huston Biscuit Firm. Through the Nineteen Twenties, American Bakeries constructed this Merita Bread bakery alongside the S-Line in Springfield’s warehouse district. The Aetna Iron & Metal Firm specialised within the reducing and becoming of iron and metal. The title “Etna” (and its various spellings “Aetna” and “ tna”) derived from the nymph Aetna in Greek mythology, after whom the volcano Mount Etna in modern-day Sicily is alleged to be named. | Florida Reminiscence
The same view from Liberty Road in April 2025. The American Bakeries plant was demolished within the early 2000s. The Aetna Iron & Metal Firm ceased operations in 1945. Previous to its closing a couple of years in the past, the plant had been occupied by Southland Recycling & Shredding. | Ennis Davis, AICP
Wanting south in direction of Springfield on Liberty Road in 1943. Setzer’s basic workplace and distribution heart is situated on the left. Based by Benjamin Setzer in 1910, Setzer’s Supermarkets ultimately grew right into a 40 unit chain, with shops throughout North and Central Florida by the point it was bought to Meals Truthful Shops in 1958. The warehouse on the best was constructed for the Sherwin-Williams Firm in 1930. Sherwin-Williams was based by Henry Sherwin and Edward Williams in Cleveland, OH in 1866. | Florida Reminiscence
Wanting south in direction of Springfield on Liberty Road in April 2025. After the sale of Setzer’s Supermarkets, Benjamin Setzer used his Springfield constructing as the overall workplaces and distribution heart for his subsequent chain, Pic N’ Save. At its peak, Pic N’ Save employed over 3,000 in 40 shops all through Florida and Georgia. Competitors from class killers like Walmart, a reluctance to spend money on new expertise and household disputes led to the corporate’s downfall in 1996. A portion of this warehouse was demolished in 2017. Now part of the Phoenix Arts & Innovation District, the previous Sherwin-Williams Firm warehouse was lately rehabilitated into an occasion area known as Emerald Station. | Ennis Davis, AICP
Editorial by Ennis Davis, AICP. Contact Ennis at edavis@moderncities.com