Jacksonville Terminal
1000 Water Road
Ray Charles Robinson arrived in Jacksonville by practice. His 126-mile practice journey began in Greenville, Florida and ended at LaVilla’s Jacksonville Terminal. On the time, the Jacksonville Terminal was the most important passenger railroad station within the South. Thousands and thousands of railroad passengers handed by way of the LaVilla station’s concourse or platforms every year, together with the Duke and Duchess of Windsor in 1941 and each president between Warren G. Harding and Richard Nixon. Visitors on the practice station peaked in 1944, a yr earlier than Charles’ arrival, when almost 40,000 trains handed by way of the terminal, carrying almost 10 million passengers. To assist operations of such a big facility, the Jacksonville Terminal Firm employed greater than 2,000 two thousand folks, making it the second-largest employer within the metropolis on the time.
The Jacksonville Terminal’s segregated Black ready room in 1921 | State Archives of Florida
Fred and Lena Mae Thompson Residence
752 West Church Road
Following the demise of his mom, Charles made up his thoughts to give up college and transfer to the large metropolis of Jacksonville as a result of he thought he was prepared for the world and the experiences that got here with that. Fred and Lena Mae Thompson, mates of his household, gave him the proper alternative and excuse to maneuver to city after they agreed to let him reside with them.
The Thompsons lived in an upstairs house at 752 West Church Road in LaVilla. Charles slept in his personal room close to the kitchen. Fred confirmed Charles round LaVilla and shortly he memorized his means round city with out utilizing a cane or information canine by being attentive to little issues like drainage pipes, sewers, and cracks within the sidewalk. At residence, Charles and the Thompsons listened to radio exhibits like Grand Ole Opry, Internal Sanctum, Suspense, and The Shadow.
The Thompson residence was positioned at 752 West Church Road. At the moment, that is the placement of the LaVilla Faculty of the Arts. | 1961 Sanborn Map of LaVilla
St. Pius V Catholic Church
Southeast nook of West State and Lee Streets
Throughout his time in Jacksonville, Ray Charles spent appreciable time at St. Pius V Catholic Church in LaVilla. Initially the Black Catholics on the town had been part of the Immaculate Conception Parish. Restricted to facet doorways, not having the ability to serve on the alter or sing within the choir resulting from racial discrimination, Black parishioners determined to ascertain their very own parish for his or her group.
As one parishioner expressed it, “We’re sick and bored with being facet door, again pew Catholics. If we’re going to share equally in His Kingdom of Heaven, why can’t we share equally in His Kingdom on earth?”
On February 27, 1921, a brand new constructing for the St. Pius V Catholic Church was devoted on the nook of State and Lee Streets. Throughout his time in Jacksonville, Charles was recognized to go to this web site. A lot of the world within the neighborhood of St. Pius V was razed for the development of Interstate 95 through the late Nineteen Fifties and early Nineteen Sixties. Because of the world’s deterioration, the parish relocated to a brand new web site in Durkeeville in 1961.
St. Pius V Catholic Church was positioned on the southeast nook of West State and Lee Streets. The positioning is a vacant lot adjoining to the Ritz Pocket Park as we speak. | 1961 Sanborn map of LaVilla.