Gone but not forgotten in Jacksonville! (University, Palatka: movie theater, inspection, gym)

[majormadmax]

Wow, I am glad to see this thread taking off like it has! I still get email notifications about posts, but have been too busy to add any myself until now.

I also remember Crossroads, we used to surf there in the late 70s/early 80s. I don't recall any driving on the beach but my memory is not that great. I do remember when that stretch of A1A was pretty much undeveloped until you hit Vilano, when we go back there these days I am sadden to see how much it has grown. Still, at least we had a chance to enjoy it before it was developed and those are some great memories.

Beaches Coliseum? Holy cow, I remember it but that's about it!

Greaseman? The guy has to be about 100 years old! Seriously, I recall listening to him when I was a kid. He was with WAPE from 75-82, and I left for the USAF in 81. Anyhow, I Wiki'd him and see that Douglas Tracht is 58. It also states he moved to WFYV-FM a month ago. Kinda old to be a shock jock, but I guess it pays the bills...

Keep it coming!

Cheers! M2

[Florida Ex-Pat]

Ok, I was able to dig up some more old pics from home-

Also, I think that the other name for the crossroads was 'Mikler's Landing' or Mikler's or something like that.




Here is the sign that used to be there at the South Ponte Vedra Beach entrance- I have not been able to find it the past few times I have been home.






This is where we used to enter the beach, south of 'the Crossroads' and where the telephone poles crossed over. With a nice new blue Mercedes Benz 240D. In the distance ahead of the car, you can see the road takes a dip, if I remember right, on the far side of that depression is where all the kids used to paint the road with grafitti.






Here's one I found taken at Anastasia before they made the whole area a state park from the old surf shop near the Light house all the way to the ocean as it is now. Check out the vintage Toyota Carolla ;-) This is somewhere around 1985 or 1986.






And finally, here is another one taken from the old bridge on Roosevelt at Ortega. I see now that it must have been around Christmas time when I took these :-) 1986.

[Parkerclassof72]

YES, Fla Ex-Pat, Mickler's Landing was the name I was trying to remember. Thanks.
Great photos. I had a Corolla similar to the one in the 3rd photo.
Your shot of the sign rang a bell, and I just found a photo I have of it taken in 1972. I'll post it here in a few minutes when I scan it. I'll also post one taken that same day on the porch of that wonderful country store that used to be on A1A.

[Parkerclassof72]

In the spring of my Sr year, 1972, myself, three other guys, and 2 girls rode our bikes to St Aug. one Sat. The first photo is our bikes parked in front of the historical sign. The second was taken that same day on the porch of the country store. I'm the farthest from the camera.
Can you imagine six seventeen years olds riding their bikes today from Arlington to St Aug.?

[dcarlo]

In response to ParkerClass of 72--You have some of the same memories I do. I loved the beach and the old putt-putt and Goony Golf. I am so glad they kept the big Dino.Any one remember Nichol's Alley with the wet t shirt contests. Back then I worked at Riverside Hospital, which by the way is now a Starbucks and Publix. I graduated in 74 from FJC's high school program. I attended Ruth N. Upson, John Gorrie(does not exsist as a school anymore) and Robert E. Lee high school. My best friend in school was Rhonda Prevatt.She now lives in Pembroke Pines and I am in Watertown,NY. Does any one remember Pee Wee's at Jacksonville Beach. It was a small diner on the boardwalk. Now there is a great wing place on the boardwalk called "Buckets" and they have a roll of paper towels at every table. Cinotti's Bakery use to be on 1 st ST but is at another location now.How about the Sea Clusion Lounge? They had a great seafood buffett for Happy Hour.

[dcarlo]

Originally Posted by dadzilla57

I remember when Keys Chile Parlor was downtown, and Ralph's Dry cleaners was at 8th & Main.
There was a bottle club next door to Key's Chile Parlor.
The best to offer was Chile with 2 no beans.
I remember eating it from the green paper cup it came in with a spoon brought from home and sweating in the back of the car from the spices.
Is Key's Chile still available in a can?
Wow was it ever the best!

I remember Keyes Chillie---Last time I saw it in a can I was at South of the Border,Dillon SC/NC border. We try to hit that little tourist trap evry year on our way to FL.Remember the Robert Meyer Hotel had a roof top Pool. That was awesome. And the Marlin lounge that was also in the Robert Meyer.Sears was a fantastic store. Three cosmetic counters, A bakery, a smoke shop, a diner and the Jean Ribault Restaurant was up stairs.Sears had a huge candy counter and made fresh carmel corn all day.They also had an extensive Garden Shop.

[dcarlo]

Originally Posted by Florida Ex-Pat

I don't remember a slide at Regency, but I do remember one at Gateway, and then it seems like there were a couple of reports about someone putting razor blades on them and they closed down- it seems like the one at Gateway just sat there abandoned for a couple of years before it was torn down- I seem to remember it back by the Holiday Inn- I worked at the Monkey Wards there for like a minute in like '80 or '81 lol. Ohhhh and the Ice cream shop at Gateway- Was that a Carvelles? or maybe Baskin & Robbins- I can't remember-

Speaking of Ice Cream......How about 'Dapper Dans' in 5 points!

I will post those pics I threatened to share this afternoon ;-)

There was a slide at Regency, Gateway and Cassat Av. But the one At Regency was the biggest!!

[Parkerclassof72]

dcarlo, I remember Cinotti's. Before my friends and I were old enough to drive, one of our moms would drop us off at the boardwalk in the morning, and another would pick us up in the afternoon. We always went to Cinotti's for a snack. Attached is a photo of me and my best friend at the beach in 1968 (and 40 years later, he's still my best friend).

[Parkerclassof72]

dcarlo, where was Nichol's Alley? The name rings a bell .....

Does anyone remember that huge nightclub/bar on the Arlington Expressway? It had several rooms, a game room, a couple of mini-restaurants - what was the name?

The Brew Barrel on Justina Rd was where we learned how to play foosball.

There was a nightclub on Cesery just south of the Expressway called Londonaire East. When I was nineteen, I frequently took my sixteen year old girlfriend in there. She never got carded. What's the statute of limitations on "contributing to the delinquency....." .

On University Blvd N, there was a little dive called the Chatterbox. Drank way too many beers there in the mid ' 70's.

[Florida Ex-Pat]

Wow....

At the risk of this thread getting ugly and racist, I wanted to share this that I just found. Hopefully we can discuss what or if this means anything to the members here without it getting that way-

Current and Local and Breaking News for Denver, Colorado and the surrounding area : Rocky Mountain News

and

Orlando Sentinel - A Jacksonville school named for a Confederate general (and KKK leader) may finally get new moniker by


My Sister graduated from Forrest in '74- She went to school with some of the members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Molly Hatchett- I seem to remember going to a dance at Forrest that Skynyrd played at. My 1st girlfriend graduated from NFB in '80.

I see the issue and agree that now that it is apparently a black population school, that they should have the right to change the name (I think the students should decide). However, there is also some history there- not so much the 'Southern History' that I am reading about, but Jacksonville history- I mean yeah, this part of the world was Confederate during the civil war, and yeah, that was an ugly time in our countries history, but these were real human beings that fought and died for what they believed in as well, so I guess I'm torn. My family lost members on both sides of the conflict.

I went to Stonewall Jackson Elementary in Cedar Hills- I don't even know if that school is still there- I also have no idea if he was in the KKK, but it sure wouldn't surprise me. As well, we had Robt. E. Lee High, where my grandfather graduated from in 1926 or so.

I don't know- when I think of these schools, I really don't think of racisim and all that- I just think of places where my family and friends went to school- I think it's a shame to have to change all that hundreds of years later to keep from hurting the feelings of people that probably have no connection to the events, but as I said I can see their point.

Here's an idea- after tomorrow they can rename it Barack H. Obama High ;-)