Just west of downtown and nearly a mile in length, the Honeymoon Yard is where the CSX Transportation (CSX), Florida East Coast (FEC), and Norfolk Southern (NS) railroads converge. However, the name Honeymoon predates this important junction. Honeymoon was the name of Colonel Lucius Augustus Hardee’s mid-19th century residence. Employing many of his ex-slaves, Hardee built the lavishly landscaped Honeymoon estate to replace his 748-acre Rural Home Plantation that was destroyed during the Civil War.
By the early 1890s, several railroad companies terminating in Jacksonville operated small isolated passenger depots. Seeing the need for a larger single terminal, railroad magnate Henry Flagler formed the Jacksonville Terminal Company in 1893. Prior to the opening of the first Union Depot at Bay and Stuart Streets, Flagler purchased most of Honeymoon to construct a railyard for Jacksonville’s new passenger terminal. In 1896, the railyard at Honeymoon was expanded to accommodate the sorting, storage and cleaning of passenger sleeping cars.
At its peak in 1944, nearly 40,000 trains, carrying 10 million passengers, passed through the station and Honeymoon Yard. At the time, the terminal had become Jacksonville’s second largest employer with 2,000 workers. The conglomeration of railroads heading into the Jacksonville Terminal resulted in the surrounding area’s rise as the place for heavy industry. By the 1920s, the land surrounding Honeymoon Yard had become home to many factories and mills as its many rail lines made for efficient transportation of goods and shipping of raw materials. Early industrial tenants included Florida Machine & Foundry (iron and brass castings), Moore Dry Kiln Company (dry kilns), Florida Cotton Oil Company, Farris & Company Meat Packers (slaughterhouse), Gress Manufacturing Company (lumber) and the National Transportation & Terminal Company (naval stores).
Wholesaling activity was bolstered by the development of the Railway Express Agency (REA). During World War I, the United States Railroad Administration (USRA) consolidated the country’s largest express companies to form the REA. Taking advantage of the city’s rail infrastructure, the REA opened a large packaging facility on Myrtle Avenue in 1925. With capacity for 250 railcars, it was believed to be the largest REA yard in the country. The REA was much like today’s UPS. Virtually everything was shipped by REA as “LCL” (less than car load) or a full carload. Items included fruit, fish, flowers, bicycles, coffins, zoo animals, pets, racehorse’s motion picture film, anything and everything.
Myrtle Avenue may be considered the mixed-use epicenter of the industrial and wholesaling areas surrounding the Honeymoon Yard. This corridor is dominated with century-old commercial and industrial buildings with limited or no setbacks to the street.
While many local turn-of-the-century urban core industrial and wholesale districts have become obsolete and largely abandoned, Beaver Street continues to live with major operations such as BSF, Load King, Main Metal Recycling, Preferred Freezer Services, White Wave Foods and others that significantly contribute to the city’s tax base and economic might.
Stockton Street developed out as an industrial corridor before World War II. A vital connection between Riverside and Beaver Street.
Time and change has brought a new industry to Honeymoon Yard. Always a major railroad junction, Honeymoon Yard may also be the internet backbone of Jacksonville. Here, major internet and communication fiber optic lines installed along those century old rail lines also converge. Today, several telecom data centers operated by companies like Worldcom Network Services can be found along Dennis Street.
The Glass Factory is a historical, industrial event space built in 1936 offering 26,000 square feet for rent for weddings and special events.
Mixon Studios is a multi-tenant studio and working production facility for artists.
Engine 15 Brewing operates a brewery, taproom and outdoor beer garden.
The Jacksonville Farmers Market is North Florida’s largest and oldest farmers market with up to 100+ farmers/vendors selling retail and wholesale items.
Eco Relics is a unique retail and wholesale operation selling architectural salvage, discount building materials, antiques and vintage relics. The business is already a regional destination, routinely selling to customers throughout the Southeast.
Dignity U Wear is a human services charity providing the new clothing necessary for children and families in need to succeed in school and the workplace.
Condaxis Coffee is a coffee roaster offering retail and wholesale sales of coffee and related services.
Beaver Street Fisheries is a leading wholesale seafood and meat supplier for food service, wholesalers, retailers, distributors and national chain accounts.
