Gone but not forgotten in Jacksonville! (Country Club, Homestead: YMCA, to move, nicest)

[shewolf884]

I think that the Gary you were talking about, who play semi/pro football in Jax might have been Gary Thomas.

[Dan N]

I grew up in the Northside from Springfield to Trout River. In the 60's While in elementary school at Beulah Beal a Saturday would come up and my friends and I could walk down to 8th and Main. There was an old movie theatre, The Capitol I think. For just some change we could go to the movies, popcorn, drink, candy, etc. and have a great time. I lived close to Berriers Ice Cream, around 8th and Silver. Mrs. Marie Berrier lived in the red brick home right next to the ice cream shop. You had the Krystal's up on Main St. and it backed up to Kirby Smith Jr. High School. I later went there for Jr. High.

You could walk around neighborhoods like that without fear. We played football, army, etc. and had a blast. I've driven through that area recently just to see the changes and it's really gone downhill. I live about 30 miles from there now, suburb to Jax. but I still have fond memories of those days as a kid.

[judeK]

Who remembers a fantastic restaurant located at 39 7th street in Atlantic Beach right on the ocean called "Le Chateau"?


Le Chateau restaurant and bar was elegant. Silk brocade billowing on the ceiling of the main dining room provided beauty and mystery. Breathtaking! Well-spaced chandeliers punctuated the cloth. A large window overlooked the sea with lights at night so diners could see the waves while sitting at well-appointed tables. Delicious food prepared and served by an excellent staff satisfied the eye as well as the palate. The patio at the entrance alerted patrons that this was no ordinary place. The upstairs was originally living quarters, but eventually became a banquet room reached by a staircase with wrought iron rails.

Le Chateau back in the day was where just about every high school prom attendee took his special lady to dinner either before or after the prom.

Le Chateau was demolished in 1985 and replaced with the Le Chateau Condominiums.

[doubleb58]

Originally Posted by pacalifa

I would like to hear from "Florida PADI College" students who graudated from the college
early 1970's to 1991. I was the president/owner of college, and Underwater Designers
Co. 4591 St. Johns Avenue and 13637 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville, Florida. My wife is looking
up previously graduates from the college. I really miss it!

Best regards,
Paul J. Califano, Owner/President
Florida PADI college
Underwater Designers Co.
Jacksonville, Florida

Paul I graduated from the college in 1978 you then hired me to work on college staff and manage St. Johns dive shop, your brother Joey was my boss. Please contact me at doubleb@luvfishing.com or call 850-925-9954. My name is Bradley Wright would love to hear from you!

[bookooc]

Originally Posted by judeK

Who remembers a fantastic restaurant located at 39 7th street in Atlantic Beach right on the ocean called "Le Chateau"?


Le Chateau restaurant and bar was elegant. Silk brocade billowing on the ceiling of the main dining room provided beauty and mystery. Breathtaking! Well-spaced chandeliers punctuated the cloth. A large window overlooked the sea with lights at night so diners could see the waves while sitting at well-appointed tables. Delicious food prepared and served by an excellent staff satisfied the eye as well as the palate. The patio at the entrance alerted patrons that this was no ordinary place. The upstairs was originally living quarters, but eventually became a banquet room reached by a staircase with wrought iron rails.

Le Chateau back in the day was where just about every high school prom attendee took his special lady to dinner either before or after the prom.

Le Chateau was demolished in 1985 and replaced with the Le Chateau Condominiums.

I do! I was just thinking about it, and wondered what happened to it. I went there for my 1973 Terry Parker prom dinner. Took weeks to save for it. Our prom was at the Jax Beach Civic Center, which I fear is not there anymore either.
Jax has changed so much since I got a job and moved away. I live in ATL area now, but come to Amelia Island with my son at least once a year. Thankfully it is very much the way it was when I was a teenager, watching the girls "streak" that summer of 72 or 73.

I also loved Flips in Arlington, pinball, Cherry Limeades. We would skip out at lunch from Parker to spend 20 precious minutes there.
One of my favorite memories.
Rick

[Heepster74]

Originally Posted by convextech

I remember Slippery Dip. Wasn't that over there on Beach near (or was once) where the big orange T-Rex is now?

The orange T-Rex is where Goony Golf was. There we're go carts we would go ride after partying all evening. Got tossed out a couple times.

Slippery dip was on the other side of the street past the old Zares store I think

[ChucksPlace]

My father said he moved to a subdivision in 1950 called "Mayfair" because it was outside the city limits on Beach Boulevard and he didn't want to pay city taxes. This was before consolidation. The 21 Mayfair bus was the end of the line. At the time they were putting in some new apartments called Mayfair Village. Jax Liquors (Trednicks) put their home office next to Southgate Plaza which might have been the first shopping center in Jacksonville. Eventually Lums opened next door. My dad's real estate theory is to buy a house near a new Winn Dixie and near a Catholic Church (Assumption) because that is where the population growth will be heading. He was right for the first 20 years.

Southgate Plaza had a W T Grants, Thom McAn's Shoe Store, Lerners, National Shirt Shop and a Wolfies Delicatessen. Wolfies later turned into a Morrison's Cafeteria. We used to go to the Big Moooo which was a soda shop (building still there at 2001 Schumacher Avenue and Beach Boulevard)

St. Nicholas became a historic district once the gun shop replaced the A&P. The old train depot on Linden was moved to Beach Boulevard next to Havana Jax Restaurant in a city park. How many people know that the law office across from Assumption Church used to be Dr. Miller's Sanatorium.

[ChucksPlace]

There was also an S&H Green Stamp redemption center in a shopping center on University Boulevard and Terry Road in 1982.

[rainroosty]

Does anyone remember Chicken Unlimited?
Getting shark's teeth on Ponte Vedra beach?
The Armadillo bar in Jax Beach?

[Golfballs01]

Red Giant, Thank you so much for not only bringing back so many vivid memories, but especially the Par 3 course on Beach Blvd. I have searched for any road maps that show the course on it to no avail. I remember it like yesterday. It was the course that I learned the game of golf in March 1970 while accompanying my grandfather and his retired buddies every Tuesday morning. I not only have score cards from there but I vividly remember every single hole, the layout, and the yardage. It's hard to believe that there's a Sam"s Wholesale there now. I remember the two twin brothers that owned and operated it. The teaching guy was named Smitty. From there, I upgraded to the Dunes Golf Course and Jacksonville Beach course. I also have a great number of score cards from there. I've Google Earthed the city looking for the Ft. George course that used to exist and there's no sign of it. It seems that Pine Lakes off of Main St. no longer exists either. You can still see the tree line and layout of Pine Lakes and Dunes off of McCormick Road though. I remember Ft. Caroline Rd. near the fort, had what we titled the "Thrill Hill" Many people lost their lives on that hill so they trimmed it way down. I remember Regency Square mall started with JC Penney at one end and May Cohens at the other end. There was a strip mall next to it wit a Big Star grocery store, Ani Tiques restaurant, Levi's, Big & Tall, National Health Spa, and a cleaners at the end. There was a Giant Slide behind the mall next to the water tower. Gosh, Barnett Bank was the big guy in the area. We used to ride on the sand dunes behind the mall. St. Johns road was a dirt road until Sandalwood school was built. I went to Brookview elementary school 1 thru 6, then Sandalwood 7 thru 12, graduating in 1978. I remember Nick's pizza and the boardwalk at the beach as well. There was the green bridge for foot traffic over Beach Blve so you could drive onto the beach. We used to park in the parking area that was next to the Holiday Inn. When we wanted to go to a pool, there was Bennets Hotel at Atlantic and 3rd street. There was the Royal Palm theater on one side and Neptune across the street. K A Hannah Park was a treat too. I still have a pair of plastic tiger printed plastic boxing gloves that you could get from Exxon when you filled up. They were to hang over the rear view mirror. We used to eat at the Milligans Hamburger restaurant at Mayport and Atlantic, A&W on Atlantic just west of St. Johns Bluff, The Krystal Burgers in St. Nicklaus where burgers were 5 cents each. We went to church at Emanuel Baptist Church on St. Johns Bluff next to the Armory Guard building. We used to go roller skating at Skate Land near San Marco, and then Roller Drome on Lone Star at Mill Cove Rd.
Later, we got our first sky scraper Gulf Life, then AT&T and Independent Life. Well, I could go on. I just know that I would really love to get my hands on a map that shows the Par 3 course on Bch Blve. That would mean the world to me.