What Remains of the Philips Community Today

1. In years gone by, the railroad tracks often separated the upper- or middle class neighborhoods from those of the lower class. Historically, the Florida East Coast railroad corridor served as a barrier between South Jacksonville’s white neighborhoods and the rural Philips community.

2. Extended through the Southside during the early 1960s, hundreds of thousands pass through Philips on a daily basis, not realizing the 19th century rural community that Jacksonville’s sprawl engulfed, still exists behind noise barrier walls.

3. Unlike the mid-20th century inner ring suburbs that engulfed it, Philips contains a network of streets on Right-of-Way as narrow as 20 feet in width. Prior to the late 20th century, most of its streets were still unpaved.

4. Interstate 95 passes over San Diego Road, making the street the only one that connects both sides of Philips today.

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6. Despite being over a century in age and without much protection for historic preservation, Philips is still home to several small early 20th century residential structures.

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12. Douglas Anderson School of the Arts opened as public school 107 in 1922. It served as an elementary, junior and high school for African Americans living south and east of the St. Johns River. It was renamed in honor of Douglas Anderson (1884-1936) in 1941. For many years, Anderson operated the only buses serving the black communities of Duval County. During the 1960s, it was the San Diego campus of Florida Junior College. Of interesting note, Douglas Anderson’s father, Samuel, served as a representative to the Florida Legislature. He introduced a Bill that later was accepted to fence railroad tracks to prevent the slaughtering of cattle by passing trains.