Historic Arlington Town Center Ferry Landing

Historic Arlington Town Center Ferry Landing. . , Ferry service from Jacksonville and Arlington began in 1914 and was Sponsored by the Alderman Company. The service gave access to 1,100 acres of plantation land bought and subdivided by the company in 1913 and provided the impetus for growth and home building. Prior to the start of ferry service, this site served as a public boat landing much as it does today. , Service originally consisted of two ferries, the Arlington and the Fairfield, capable of loading eight automobiles at a time. The landing and ticket offices were located at the foot of Eleven Street in Jacksonville area known as Fairfield and St. Johns Street – now Arlington Road in Arlington. The river crossing was one and one forth miles with a fifteen minute operating schedule. The ferry office had a telephone and was the message center for regular commuters. , By 1924 the ferry slip area had become the town center of Arlington. There were two general stores, Bradshaw’s and Frieseke’s and a garage and a gas station. Arlington’s first post office which began at Bradshaw’s store had its own building and had a bakery located in the rear, ice cream treats could be purchased at Hayes Ice Cream Shop. The waterfront provided river access for the Seaboard Dredging Company on the north side of the landing and J Olson and Son Boat Building and Marine Railway on the south. Philips turpentine processing plant located just south of Olson’s Shipyard sent barrels of turpentine to the city municipal docks by way of the ferry. , The ferry service was sold to Capt. Anson Marg and remained in operation until 1933. Service resumed briefly in 1940, but was limited and with the exception of industrial activity, the community center gravitated to the Crossroads. The opening of the Mathews Bridge in 1953 provided the link to downtown Jacksonville, a need that was limited by the Arlington Ferry and Land Company. , (Photos and captions not legible)