The Space In-between: Hansontown

1. A 10’ alley separates buildings at the intersection of Clay and State Streets. Once called State Street Lane, it’s a left over remnant of Hansontown’s narrow 19th century street grid. Sanborn maps indicate 12 frame shotgun houses were located on this alley between Clay and Broad Streets.

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4. The Grand Lodge Knights of Pythias building at 1040 Broad Street. Broad Street is one of several wide streets constructed over the razed 19th century neighborhood.

5. For much of its history, Hansontown’s residents were easily accessible to the rest of the city. Prior to 1936, Jacksonville Traction Company streetcar lines operated on State, Davis, Hogan/Pearl and Main Streets. Today, this area is served by the JTA Flyer Bus Rapid Transit system.

6. The Central Baptist Institutional Church at 524 W 3rd Street, was established in 1889 as the Main Street Baptist Church. It was renamed when the congregation relocated to 3rd Street (formerly Missouri Avenue) in Hansontown.

7. The Jacksonville Housing Authority’s Hogan Creek Tower was a part of the Hogans Creek urban renewal project that became reality.

8. Hansontown and Sugar Hill have been highly underutilized since their wholesale mid-20th century destruction. While there is not much Jacksonville can do to recapture the past, urban core advocates should certainly take note of their location. This area offers vast amounts of underutilized property, mass transit accessibility and park space within walking distance of UF Health Jacksonville, Springfield and downtown.

9. The Jacksonville Housing Authority’s Hogans Creek Tower overlooks the ruins of H.J. Klutho’s Hogans Creek Promenade.

10. The urban renewal of Hansontown included the construction of new wide bridges over Hogans Creek, on Broad and Pearl Streets in 1974.

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12. The First Florida Credit Union at West 1st Street and Jefferson Street.