Florida Historical Markers Programs - Marker Detail

Description: The McCoys Creek Improvement Project was a civic and transportation plan developed by Jacksonville City Engineer Joseph E. Craig in 1928. At the time, the McCoys Creek area was a breeding ground for mosquito-borne illnesses. Developed to reduce hazards and to control flooding at the railroad yard north of South Myrtle Avenue, the McCoys Creek Improvement Project was also intended to foster economic development and beautify the area with increased green space. The project included paving McCoys Creek Boulevard, straightening the creek, and constructing eight bridges (Edison, Fitzgerald, Hollybrook, King, McCoys Creek, Smith, South Myrtle, and Stockton) in the North Riverside neighborhood between 1929–1940. The project was influenced by the City Beautiful Movement, an architecture and planning initiative aimed at improving the infrastructure of city centers. The movement originated in response to poor conditions in metropolitan areas where tenement housing resulted in overcrowding and sanitation problems. Additionally, the City Beautiful Movement focused on eliminating health hazards by increasing access to clean water supplies and sanitary sewage disposal.