A few weeks ago, lawyer Ed Booth was working in his office at Independent Square on a Saturday afternoon. He looked out the window to check on the progress of the Laura Street project and something caught his attention.
Booth observed evidence of a brick street about three feet below ground level, revealed by excavation and rainfall. Since he’s also the president-elect of the Jacksonville Historical Society, Booth grabbed his camera and headed downstairs to make a visual record of the find.
According to historian Joel McEachin, the City’s principal historic planner, what the heavy equipment and heavy rain uncovered most likely dates to 1900-10. At that time, Laura Street ended in an industrial area of docks and warehouses. In the 1950s, a bulkhead was put in place to make way for the municipal parking lot where the Landing now stands. McEachin said that’s likely the last time anyone saw the brick street until Booth looked out his window.
McEachin also said that streets constructed of brick were considered state-of-the-art in the early 20th century. The material used to pave old Laura Street would be “vitrified brick,” meaning a glaze had been applied during the manufacturing process to make it waterproof and almost indestructible.
Soon after Booth photographed the urban archaeology, the exposed brick was covered again, and that’s a good thing, said McEachin.
“I think it’s great that they reburied it. That means it’s still preserved,” he said.
“I’m always on the lookout for historical artifacts,” said Booth. “It was fun to see the streets that our ancestors used to walk.”
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