Jacob Brock and shipyards employees. Brock established the shipyard that ultimately turned Merrill-Stevens and the Jacksonville Shipyards throughout the 1850s. | Florida Reminiscence
Wanting southeast throughout the St. Johns River from Bishop Kenny Excessive College lies what was as soon as the Merrill-Stevens Firm shipyards. The property might not appear like a shipyard by any means, nevertheless it as soon as housed a bustling shipbuilding operation established throughout World Battle I. The Merrill-Stevens Firm, forerunner to downtown’s Jacksonville Shipyards, had a southside shipyard location on the present website of Bishop Kenny Excessive College. The Assumption Catholic College and Assumption Catholic Church, close to Bishop Kenny, have been additionally a part of the Merrill-Stevens southside shipyard.
Fort San Nicholas was a Spanish army put up established in 1784 on the current website of Bishop Kenny’s athletic fields. The Spanish army put up was used for patrolling that space alongside the St. Johns River. It was quickly destroyed in 1796 in a raid by John H. McIntosh of Georgia. In its last years of operation, Fort San Nicholas operated primarily to forestall smuggling. Francis S. Hudnall later acquired the land and established a farm referred to as the Hudnall Farm.
Merrill-Stevens, traces its starting to the 1850s with a shipyard established by Jacob Brock. In 1877 Alonzo Stevens acquired Brock’s shipbuilding enterprise after his demise. In 1885, James Eugene and Alexander Merrill joined Stevens to kind Merrill-Stevens Engineering Firm. The Merrill-Stevens shipbuilding enterprise and shipyard was situated on East Bay Avenue close to the Maxwell Home Espresso plant. The enterprise title was modified to Merrill-Stevens Firm in 1906 and the Merrill-Stevens Shipbuilding Company throughout World Battle I. Finally renamed Merrill-Stevens Dry Dock & Restore Firm, the corporate offered the downtown shipyard and relocated to Miami within the Nineteen Fifties. Now named RMK Merrill-Stevens, the corporate operates two shipyards in Miami. In 1963, its unique Jacksonville shipyard turned Jacksonville Shipyards, Inc. or JSI. JSI completely closed in 1992, shedding 200 employees. At the moment solely its wharfs stay and function a house to the USS Orleck Naval Museum.
The Jacksonville Shipyards. | Florida Reminiscence
Throughout the St. Johns River was Merrill-Steven’s southside shipbuilding yard the place its World Battle I ships have been constructed close to South Jacksonville. The Transport Act of 1916 created the USA Transport Board to advertise a United States service provider marine and regulate American industrial delivery. Congress enacted the Transport Act to reform the American maritime business and to raised reply to the delivery shortages on account of World Battle I. The Transport Board enacted its Emergency Fleet Company as a part of the USA Transport Board on April 16, 1917 to amass, preserve, and function service provider ships for the warfare calls for. The Merrill-Stevens Shipbuilding Company was one in all many American shipbuilding corporations to participate within the warfare calls for from the Transport Board.
On December 19, 1917, the Emergency Fleet Company entered right into a monetary settlement with the Merrill-Stevens Shipbuilding Company to fulfill the American warfare calls for of World Battle I. Out of this monetary settlement Merrill-Stevens constructed a number of ships at its second shipyard on the website of the Hudnall Farm, which was southeast throughout the river from their fundamental yard on Bay Avenue. The second shipyard was situated on the present-day website of Assumption Catholic College, Assumption Catholic Church, and Bishop Kenny Excessive College. The Merrill-Stevens southside shipyard was 80 acres with ten buildings, together with its administration constructing, generator constructing, sample constructing, and workplaces. The Merrill-Stevens southside shipyard opened on Might 17, 1918 able to construct ships for the American effort in World Battle I. Sadly, there was a housing scarcity for the employees on the new Merrill-Stevens shipyard. That housing scarcity led to the Transport Board’s building of a $750,000 housing venture referred to as Fletcher Park in present-day San Marco. By 1918 Merrill-Stevens employed 3,839 folks, making it the biggest employer in Jacksonville on the time.
Assumption Catholic College was previously the Merrill-Stevens Administration Constructing. | College of North Florida
The Merrill-Stevens Administration Constructing on the southside shipyard was designed by Jacksonville architect Henry J. Klutho. Klutho designed many new buildings within the Prairie College structure model throughout Jacksonville’s reconstruction following the Nice Fireplace of 1901. Klutho’s last Prairie-style constructing was the Merrill-Stevens Administration Constructing. It’s the solely remnant of the World Battle I shipyard that also stands at this time and is now the Assumption Catholic College.
The Merrill-Stevens southside shipyard constructed over 9 ships throughout World Battle I. Some sources say over 20 ships have been constructed throughout World Battle I however that determine might embrace ships constructed instantly after the warfare. The ships have been initially small freighters of composite materials however have been later manufactured from metal. The ships constructed throughout World Battle I have been the Pink Cloud, Apalachee, Botsford, and Kanabec. Instantly after the warfare, a number of extra ships have been constructed, together with the Wekika, Ashbee, Jacksonville, Chickamauga, and Pinellas.
Hull 100 (Apalachee) was delivered in September 1918. Apalachee was a composite ship, which was a wood vessel with structural metal integrated to stiffen the hull, and was a 5750-ton cargo ship. | Florida Reminiscence
The Works Progress Administration (WPA) throughout the Nice Melancholy introduced renewed curiosity within the Merrill-Stevens Administration Constructing. The (WPA) was shaped in 1935 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal financial program and employed tens of millions of People to work on public works initiatives corresponding to constructing bridges, parks, and faculties. One such program of the WPA that assisted unemployed ladies was the stitching room initiatives. The stitching room initiatives gave unemployed ladies the chance to earn between $35-$50 a month by stitching articles of clothes for males, ladies, and youngsters. Between 1939 and 1941 a WPA stitching room used the previous Merrill-Stevens Administration Constructing. It was one of many largest stitching rooms in Florida throughout the New Deal.
Assumption Catholic Church was established in 1923 together with a faculty and rectory on Gary Avenue in present-day San Marco. The college opened with 110 college students. In 1948 Assumption Catholic Church, led by Father James Cloonan, acquired land from the previous Merrill-Stevens southside shipyard, together with the administration constructing. Klutho’s unique brick façade was stuccoed over and a few of his unique ornamentation was misplaced. The unique cover over the entrance entrance was left intact. The brand new Assumption Catholic College opened in September 1949 with 317 college students. The elementary faculty operated below the management of the Sisters of St. Dominic from Adrian, Michigan. In 1954 Assumption Catholic Church constructed its present-day church adjoining to Assumption Catholic College.
Central Catholic Excessive College was established in 1952 on the 55-acre property behind Assumption Catholic College and in 1953 was rededicated as Bishop Kenny Excessive College. In 1983 the shipyard’s dry dock basins have been crammed in to create the varsity’s athletic fields.
At the moment, the land that Bishop Kenny occupies is unrecognizable the place it as soon as had a World Battle I shipyard. Assumption Catholic College has the final remnants of that World Battle I shipyard within the renovated Klutho’s Merrill-Stevens Administrative Constructing, thereby preserving that architectural legacy of the bygone shipyard for future generations.
Further Historic Pictures and Aerials
July 28, 1918 article from the Tampa Tribune. Senator Duncan U. Fletcher was a number one determine in shipbuilding for the warfare effort in Florida.
From a write-up on Fort Saint Nicholas by Arlington resident, F. W. Bruce ca. 1924: ‘In 1917, the Merrill Stevens firm started building of what was designated the ‘South Facet Shipyard.’ which was afterwards absorbed by the U. S. Transport Board. For the development of the plant, the author was appointed Chief, and occupied that place till after building of ships for WW I started.’ | Florida Reminiscence
Hull 99 (Pink Cloud) was delivered in August 1918. Pink Cloud was a composite ship, which was a wood vessel with structural metal integrated to stiffen the hull, and was a 5750-ton cargo ship. | Florida Reminiscence
Hull 100 (Apalachee) was delivered in September 1918. Apalachee was a composite ship, which was a wood vessel with structural metal integrated to stiffen the hull, and was a 5750-ton cargo ship. | Florida Reminiscence
The Chickamauga was launched in 1920 on the Merrill-Stevens southside yard. The Chickamauga was later renamed to the Malchace and was sunk by a German U-boat on April 9, 1942 off Cape Lookout, North Carolina.
An aerial view of Assumption Catholic College and the previous Merrill-Stevens property in 1952. The Merrill-Stevens basins nonetheless stay with a number of boats current. Assumption Catholic College virtually seems to be just like the capital letter E within the decrease heart of the {photograph} on Atlantic Boulevard. | College of Florida
Aerial view of Assumption Catholic College, Assumption Catholic Church, and Bishop Kenny Excessive College in 1970. The Merrill-Stevens basins nonetheless stay. | College of Florida
An aerial view of Assumption Catholic College, Assumption Catholic Church, and Bishop Kenny Excessive College in 2024. The Merrill-Stevens boat slips have been crammed in and the tennis courts and baseball subject have been constructed over them.| Google Earth
Editorial by Andrew R. Nicholas. Comply with Andrew on Twitter at arnicholas