Jacksonville Architecture

The T. G. Murphy Iron Works was established in 1878, and its buildings were destroyed in the 1901 Fire. A new complex of buildings was constructed in 1901-1902, including this one, which was a foundry and pattern-making shop. By 1914 the Murphy Iron Works had become the largest and oldest machine works and foundry in Florida. According to a newspaper article of the day, the firm had "modern equipment for making all kinds of iron, brass, steel and aluminum castings and heavy machine tools." This structure is the sole remnant of the T. G. Murphy complex and is typical of many turn-of-the- century Jacksonville industrial buildings. Ornamentation of the building is minimal, including brick corbeling at the roofline with a dentil course beneath and segmental arches over the windows and doors. Perhaps most noteworthy are the iron stars (located above the second story windows), which secure the tie rods that run through the building for support.