Reclaiming Jacksonville:: Stories Behind the River City's Historic Landmarks

Jacksonville has hundreds of buildings that have withstood the test of time. Enhanced with stunning color photography, Reclaiming Jacksonville is a must-have for every resident.
Jacksonville's lasting landmarks tell only a portion of its history. Dozens of other buildings have been abandoned and left to wither, turning into shadows of their former grandeur. Each place has a rich and storied history that belies modern appearances, like the Annie Lytle Elementary School, now known as the most haunted landmark in the city, and the Jacksonville Brewing Company, which had to come up with a creative way to stay afloat (think ice cream) when Prohibition hit. Join local writers Ennis Davis and Robert Mann as they go behind the scenes of fourteen crumbling but ethereally beautiful structures to reveal their true pasts.

Originally from Winter Haven, Florida, author Ennis Davis graduated from Florida A&M University in 2001 with a bachelor of architecture degree and has since been employed in the fields of architecture and planning. In 2006, he co-founded the award-winning MetroJacksonville.com, an online media entity focusing on quality of life issues impacting Jacksonville.

Robert Mann is a retired transportation consultant from Jacksonville who attended Oklahoma State University. Mann is an author and historian with several books and many magazine articles to his credit. He is the father of the plans for rebuilding the Jacksonville Traction Company streetcar system, a concept he first took to the city in 1980. He has used his storytelling skills to address many community groups both locally and internationally.