I can't think of one area of London that would be properly described as
"downtown", unless it's where the Houses of Parliament are
located...but then what about the West End? Knightsbridge? And then...
When I think of downtown, it's where we used to go to see a movie or go
shopping. When my sisters were young, we would get dressed up to catch
a ride on the city bus with our mom on special occasions (birthdays,
Christmas shopping, etc.), and spend the day shopping "downtown". Lunch
would be at the sandwich counter at Woolworth's. where a hamburger was
for a young child was something divine! At Christmas my dad would drive
us downtown to see the window decorations in the department stores. The
Soldier's Memorial is in the city park, and I remember older men
playing checkers while we waited for the bus to take us home. Before I
got married and moved away with my husband, it is where I worked at the
courthouse. It is the oldest part of the city...where Jacksonville
began. There was a city fire here in 1901 which destroyed most if not
all of downtown. It was rebuilt. After WWII, the city began expanding
and suburbs sprang up farther from the city. My mom and dad left the
downtown apartment where they lived and bought a house in the outskirts,
but when anything important needed to be done, it was handled downtown.
When shopping malls brought the movie theatres and stores to the
suburbs, downtown became less necessary. More people left and the city
has expanded even more. We came back to Jacksonville about 15 years ago
and moved further from the city center than where my parents lived. A
lot of the business of downtown can be done over the internet. Going
downtown is not something you have to do anymore. There are at least
three major shopping malls closer to where I live than downtown.
However, I still go downtown regularly...for church. Our church was
damaged in the fire and rebuilt. In the 1930's Grest Depression, it had
the distinction of being the church with the largest debt in the SBC.
We have long since paid the debts and operate now on a cash only policy.
Our church grew, and continues to grow.
Lately, there has been an interest in downtown property again, and the
area is picking itself up. Live theatre, unique shops, a new courthouse
and city hall have all been an improvement. Old houses are being
restored and there seems to be an appreciation for downtown Jacksonville
again. It reminds me of the way we take things for granted until we are
about to lose them.
Debbie in Florida
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