User:R.Blecher/sandbox

Summary:

Brooklyn, Jacksonville was a suburban and now a business area near Downtown Jacksonville. Brooklyn was home to Buffalo Soldiers during the American Civil War, its street lined with streetcars, or commonly known as trolleys, and was the "final frontier" for Downtown, Jacksonville.

History:

Founded in 1801 by Phillip Dell, Brooklyn was originally named Dell’s Bluff. Dell’s Bluff was an 800-acre plantation farm. In March 1863, during the Civil War, Brooklyn was home to The Buffalo Soldiers. In 1887, years after the Civil War, the land and the surrounding area was purchased by Miles Price. Then following his purchased, a few years later he sold Brooklyn to the developers from Downtown, Jacksonville. After the purchase, Brooklyn became a high life area that contained thousands of people, a multitude of homes, and businesses. As of 2009, Downtown has redeveloped Brooklyn from suburban to central hub for business.

Features:

The Buffalo Soldiers :

These are Buffalo Soldiers, which were the nickname for black only troop during the American Civil War

In 1863, Buffalo Soldiers occupied Brooklyn and held Camp Forester during the invasion from the confederates. Before the reconstruction of Brooklyn there was remains of Civil War life of the Buffalo Soldiers. The soldiers made their lives here by setting up make-shift houses and being part of the cultural community. Brooklyn was in high contention since it was the closest to harbors. During the fight on Camp Forester, the Buffalo Soldiers along with other Union troops were able to hold on to the Fort and the city.

August Buesing :

August was a German immigrant that lived in Brooklyn. He was famous for being a pharmacist, writing books on health, settling a black only neighborhood, and fighting for equal rights. He owned a pharmacy/grocery shop in Brooklyn. Besides publishing books on health and equality he was most famous for his development of SilverTown. SilverTown was a predominately black community where every black person had an equal chance at life. Buesing was an advocate for peace and equal rights for women and blacks in 1878 all the way until his death in 1918. He worked until his death and fought for equal rights. SilverTown was interesting not only for it being a equal opportunity neighborhood, but because it was split in have by a swamp.

Reggie Bridges and His Unofficial Museum of Brooklyn, Jacksonville:

In 1964, after Hurricane Dora Reggie Bridges and his family moved to Brooklyn, Jacksonville. Reggie along with a few family members created one of the first radio stations for Brooklyn. WATG, We are The Greatest, was the name for his radio show. In 1978, Reggie's little brother died and it was only Reggie and his father. Throughout Reggie's child hood his parents would take pictures and keep little mementos. When Reggie's father died in 1999, Reggie decided to keep his child hold home and use it as a museum. Throughout the house you can see little pictures of him and other pictures of buildings. In the house is the whole history of Brooklyn, Jacksonville form its bustling night life to the Reggie's own personal schooling life. Before 2005, the city was already trying to buying land through eminent domain. Reggie was the biggest advocate for keeping the neighborhoods as is and make it a historical district. Reggie and the city came to an agreement that the houses would not be touched. During the new age, 2005 era, of redevelopment the city started to uptake the houses and left Reggie's. Reggie is now 61 and he says when he passes he wants every single bit of this house, from the old Brooklyn churches pamphlets to his child hood poster boards, to be kept in a new home, or as he eluded to a museum for Brooklyn, Jacksonville.

This is what a streetcar looks like.

Streetcar Project Rise and Fall:

In the early 1900’s city officials decided to put in streetcars, or trolleys, throughout Brooklyn and River City. It was a success until 1936 when personal mobile cars were the new technology. Before Brooklyn developed the up to sixty miles of street car lines the paths were originally made for horse-drawn carriages. The creation of this public transport system started a boom in the population for Brooklyn and the surrounding area of River Side which lead to over sixty thousand people living in the city. Once personal automobiles became popular in the later 1930's to early 1940's the street cars that once helped people move through the city became obsolete.

Redevelopment Project:

From 1950-2010 the population dropped drastically and in 2005 the city started the redevelopment program. England-Thims & Miller inc. was the spear head for the redevelopment. According to England-Thims & Miller only sixty people lived in 16 blocks. So, the city of Downtown along with ET&M inc. decided that it was better to redevelop Brooklyn into a business. The redevelopment program involved creating and updating flood control and storm-water facilities, redoing all the roads in Brooklyn, and updating the city's utilities control centers. The also start to buy up the foreclosed houses and other government own land to build businesses and other commercial properties. As of 2018, Brooklyn, Jacksonville is now considered the central business hub for downtown Jacksonville.