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Continuing our sojourn in Jacksonville, Florida, circa 1910. "Bisbee Building and Bankers' Row." 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size.
The 10-story building just beyond the Rathskeller is the Atlantic National Bank. It's still there and is in much better condition than the Bisbee. There was a race between it and the Bisbee for the title as Jacksonville's first skyscraper, but Bisbee already had its first tenants when what is now called 121 Atlantic Place was completed in October 1909.
This is Forsyth Street looking west. The Bisbee Building housed the Florida National Bank for many years. The building with the arches was Barnett National Bank and the next white building on the right was the Atlantic National Bank. Florida National and Atlantic became part of Wells Fargo Bank and Barnett became part of Bank of America.
It's nice that the bankers can run down to the Rathskellar for a beer - it's only a block away. That's back when they really did have "bankers' hours."
Love how the Southern Fixture and Supply Co. fitted their awning around the streetlight.
That awning attached to the Southern Fixture and Supply business has a neat cutout to accommodate the globe street light.
Currently the Bisbee Building (part of the Laura Street trio including the Marble Bank and Florida Life buildings) is in sad disrepair.
Interesting building, according to this article in the Prairie School Traveler it was originally constructed to be only twenty-six feet wide as a narrow skyscraper ten stories high, emphasizing its height. After all the offices were rented before construction was finished, the owner, William A. Bisbee, directed the architect H. J. Klutho to double its size.
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