Jacksonville Pop-Up History Book
Jax Pop-Up History Books are a series of events designed to bring attention to the forgotten history buried in our own back yard. They help to make little known historical events come alive. Jax Pop-Up History utilizes social media to spread the word about the secret story telling of historic moments in Jacksonville. These events are designed to encourage young professionals to connect with the history of our city.
To be notified about the next Pop-Up Event and for more information, go to www.facebook.com/jaxpopuphistory
Past Pop-Up History events:
The History of Beer in Jacksonville
In the fourth installment of Jax Pop Up History, we drank to history at an event focusing on the Bold City’s bygone brews. You can see pictures and hear a recap of the event on WJCT’s website.
Silvertown is Celebrated at Intuition Ale Works
The third Jax Pop Up History Book was held at Intuition Ale Works at 720 King Street. A crowd of 175 people gathered to hear the story of this forgotten little town from the 1880s which was swallowed up by the growing Riverside neighborhood. Historian Wayne Wood performed a one-man illustrated play, portraying August Buesing, the eccentric German immigrant who founded the all-black Silvertown. Click here for more information about Silvertown.
Intuition Ale Works, which unveiled its new Silvertown ale for this event, is situated in the very heart of this long-lost Jacksonville suburb.
The new Silvertown logo, designed by artist Mike Barnhart, adorned the popular Silvertown T-shirts which also went on sale that night.
Bawdy Behaviour – The Naughty History of Houston Street
This second Pop-Up History Book celebrated a colorful era in Jacksonville’s past when bordellos lined Houston Street in LaVilla. In 1915, J.E.T. “Just Easy Times” Bowden was elected mayor on a pro-prostitution platform, delivering a speech in Hemming Plaza while prostitutes in red, skin tight outfits circled the crowd on horseback. Event coordinator Mike Field introduced the program to an audience of nearly 200 people on Wednesday, September 19 at Dos Gatos.
Eyewitness Speakers Tell of 1944 Fighter Plane Crash in Riverside
The first Jax Pop Up History Book was on Saturday, July 21st at the corner of Post and James Streets to commemorate the Great Airplane Crash of 1944. This little-known event occurred when two Army pilots buzzed a home on Post Street and crashed, destroying much of a 10-block area. Three people were killed, including both pilots, and 18 buildings were damaged or destroyed.
Nearly 200 people attended this event, including eight eyewitnesses who described the event from their childhoods.
