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Local & Family History in Jacksonville, Florida

 

 

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  MYSTERY IMAGE OF THE MONTH:

 

                    

                        A RIVER CITY BORDELLO QUEEN?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Source of images: Florida Photographic Collection, Florida State Archives)

 

 

 

 

 

Just who was the unidentified lady sitting on the chair in this old Jacksonville photo?  Was she Cora Taylor Crane, the town's most colorful brothel madam?  Cora is best known today for having been the consort or common-law wife of literary giant Stephen Crane.  A picture of her from 1899 is provided in the upper right-hand corner.  Do you notice a strong resemblance between the two women? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The image of the white-gloved lady was discovered by the website manager of JacksonvilleStory.com.  It came from the online Florida Photographic Collection, maintained by the State Archives.  The image dates from sometime during the 1900s, according to the Archives.  Early in the twentieth century, Cora was in her late thirties.  Would you say that the unknown person in the photo could have been about this age?  You help be the judge for this little mystery in Jax history!

 

 

 

 

 

 

LOOSE WOMEN & GUNRUNNING -- One of the most offbeat love affairs in First Coast history involved Cora & Stephen Crane.  The author, who penned "The Open Boat" and The Red Badge of Courage, took Cora as his partner during the 1890s.  She proved a fascinating character, maybe even serving as the world's first female war correspondent.  Before Stephen could try to find happiness with her, however, he would have to survive the Florida sinking of a ship smuggling arms to Cuba.  CLICK HERE to see what happened!

 

 

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