Jacksonville Architecture

Damon Greenleaf came to Jacksonville from New York two years after the Civil War and established a jewelry store on Bay Street. In 1880 J. H. Crosby joined the company, which later became known as Greenleaf & Crosby Co. Webb's Historical, Industrial and Biographical Florida described the store in 1885 as "a perfect museum of ancient and modern art," with "a magnificent display of diamonds and costly articles of jewelry" and a "display of antiquities interspersed with artistic specimens of modern brica-brac." Its museum of Florida curiosities included flamingo plumes, seashells, coral, pink curlew wings, and alligator heads, eggs, and teeth. In the back of the store was a collection of rare birds and animals, presumably in cages.

After the 1901 Fire destroyed their store, the jewelers moved two blocks further down Bay Street to a new location. Twenty-five years later they were ready to move again. The Jacksonville Journal reported in its May 11, 1926, edition that the Greenleaf & Crosby Company planned to erect a six-story building on the northwest corner of Laura and Adams Street. The building was to have been designed in such a manner that it could be expanded to twelve stories at a later date. Prior to the issuance of the building permit in November, the company apparently decided to have the full twelve stories erected on the southern half of the building, instead of both halves of the structure being six stories. Although the architects' design (see drawing above left) indicates an intention eventually to build both halves of the building to the twelve-story height, the plan was never completed, and the northern half remains only two-stories high. The Laura and Adams street facades are extensively decorated with terra-cotta panels depicting griffins, eagles, urns, and floral motifs. The lower facade is highlighted by engaged pilasters and a grand two-story vaulted entrance. The building is well maintained and is one of the finest downtown works of Marsh and Saxelbye.