Durkeeville: North of West 8th Street
When the Jacksonville Brewing Company began operations in 1914, Durkeeville north of West 8th Street was largely undeveloped. Significant growth occurred in this area during the 1930s, 40s and 50s. The subdivisions, largely Durkeeville and Grand Boulevard, built in this area largely came as a result of the city’s rapidly growing African-American middle class and a lack of land in built-out nearby Sugar Hill. By the 1970s, Sugar Hill was virtually erased by the construction of Interstate 95 and the incremental expansion of what is now UF Health Jacksonville.
The intersection of Fairfax Street and West 12th Street. The residences in this image were built in 1954 (right) and 1947 (left).
African-American architect George Patterson designed and built this residence for his family at 1584 West 12th Street in 1952.
1444 West 10th Street was built in 1948.
1459 West 10th Street was built in 1945.
Looking east down West 9th Street from the intersection of West 9th and Barnett streets.
1458 West 11th Street was built in 1948.
1478 West 11th Street was completed in 1953.
These West 12th Street residences were built in 1946 (left) and 1949 (right).
1225 West 8th Street was completed in 1940.
1219 and 1211 McConihe Street were both completed in 1938.
1147 McConihe Street was completed in 1939.
1911 Durkee Drive East was completed in 1958.
1197 Durkee Drive North ws completed in 1941.
1165 West 9th Street was completed in 1964.
1168 West 9th Street was completed in 1940.
1145 West 8th Street was completed in 1948.
1157 West 8th Street was completed in 1937.
1125 West 8th Street was completed in 1944.
Looking down West 12th Street, just east of Myrtle Avenue.
1243 West 12th Street was built in 1950.
1105 West 12th Street was built in 1947.
The first brew from Durkeeville’s <ahref=”https://www.moderncities.com/article/2016-dec-waretranz-bringing-life-back-to-old-jax-beer-brewery-/page/”>Jax Brewing Company</a> hit the market on May 16, 1914. By 1943, production had increased to 100,348 barrels annually and the Jax Beer label and trademark cockatoo dominated the Florida, Georgia and South Carolina drinking scenes. However, due to the high cost of aluminum cans and the rising revenues of the company’s cold storage operation, the Jax Beer copyright to New Orleans-based Jackson Brewing Company in 1956.
In late 2016, WareTranz took over the former massive brewery on West 16th Street. WareTranz provides warehousing, transportation, cross-docking and trailer-product re-work through the reuse of the old brewery’s 235,000 square feet of space.
1598 West 17th Street was completed in 1956.
This residence at 1464 West 14th Street was completed in 1930.
The St. Pius V Catholic School was established in 1921 by the Diocese of St. Augustine to serve Jacksonville’s African-American Catholic community. St. Pius is located at 1470 West 13th Street.
Traveling east on West 13th Street near its intersection with
2306 Moncrief Road features a row seven brick duplex buildings and a corner store dating back to 1914.
Durkeeville South of 8th Street