The Coastal
  • Development
    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Whataburger adding third new Jax location

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Whataburger now open in St. Johns, coming soon in Middleburg

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: East San Marco tenants revealed

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Homespun Kitchen expanding to Riverside

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Vagabond Coffee joining VyStar Tower; Dreamette to Springfield

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Great Greek nears St. Johns opening; Hwy 55 Burgers coming to Westside

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Purple Roots now open at Tinseltown

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Fire museum on the move; Dreamette to San Marco

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: JU adding downtown College of Law

  • History
    • All
    • Jax Evolved
    Florida Times-Union building

    Story of a Building: The Florida Times-Union Building

    Edgewood Bakery

    Remembering Edgewood Bakery: Once a Murray Hill Staple, Now an Empty Building

    jacksonville university

    A Brief History of Jacksonville University

    history of Ed wAters College

    A Brief History of Edward Waters College

    Worman's bAKERY AND DELI

    Remembering Worman’s Bakery and Deli

    Before Normandy Mall, There Was the Loew’s Normandy Drive-In Theatre

    Before Normandy Mall, There Was the Loew’s Normandy Drive-In Theatre

    Green Turtle Restaurant in Jacksonville, fl

    Remembering Joe Adeeb’s Green Turtle Restaurant

    San Marco Theater, San Marco, Jacksonville, FL

    Story of a Building: San Marco Theatre

    Sun-Ray Cinema building Five Points Jacksonville FL

    Story of a Building: Sun-Ray Cinema Building

  • Jax Evolved
    VyStar at 100 West Bay Street, Jacksonville, FL

    JAX EVOLVED: VyStar Reinvigorates the Former Life of the South Building

    JAX EVOLVED: San Marco Preservation Society Now Occupies South Jacksonville City Hall

    JAX EVOLVED: San Marco Preservation Society Now Occupies South Jacksonville City Hall

    Old St. Luke's Hospital jacksonville fl

    JAX EVOLVED: Old St. Luke’s Hospital Building Now Houses Jacksonville Historical Society

    Paul Davis Restoration, formerly Chevrolet Parts Depot, Springfield, Jacksonville, FL

    JAX EVOLVED: Paul Davis Restoration Gives Life to Old Chevrolet Parts Depot

    Old St. Andrew's Church building, Jacksonville, FL

    JAX EVOLVED: Old St. Andrew’s Church Building

    Novel Coworking / Groover-Stewart Drug Company Building, 25 N. Market Street, Jacksonville, FL - Image copyright 2020 Google

    JAX EVOLVED: Groover-Stewart Drug Company Building Now Houses Novel Coworking

    Dyal-Upchurch Building, Jacksonville, FL

    JAX EVOLVED: Downtown Jacksonville Adaptive Reuse Collection

    The Barnett, Jacksonville, FL

    JAX EVOLVED: The Barnett’s Long Journey to Redevelopment

    JAX EVOLVED: Brewster Hospital to North Florida Land Trust, LaVilla, Jacksonville, FL

    JAX EVOLVED: From Brewster Hospital to North Florida Land Trust

  • More
    • Culture
      • All
      • Art
      • Hidden Gems
      • Local Quirks
      • Music
      • Shopping
      Local Producer Alex Moye Releases New Album, “All I Need”

      Local Producer Alex Moye Releases New Album, “All I Need”

      Jacksonville Jazz Fest to Return This Fall

      Jacksonville Jazz Fest to Return This Fall

      Green Turtle Restaurant in Jacksonville, fl

      Remembering Joe Adeeb’s Green Turtle Restaurant

      Dockless Mobility Program Brings E-Scooters to Downtown Jacksonville

      Dockless Mobility Program Brings E-Scooters to Downtown Jacksonville

      MURAL SPOTLIGHT: Riverside Park Place by Jason Tetlak

      MURAL SPOTLIGHT: Riverside Park Place by Jason Tetlak

      “Jax River Jams” Concert Series Coming to Riverfront Plaza in April

      Sugar Ray, Quad City DJ’s Highlight Jax River Jams Lineup

      Art Notes - Jacksonville, FL

      ART NOTES: Jazz Discovery Series 2021 Kicks off Friday Night

      “Jax River Jams” Concert Series Coming to Riverfront Plaza in April

      “Jax River Jams” Concert Series Coming to Riverfront Plaza in April

      Joseph E. Lee Jacksonville's first black attorney

      Joseph E. Lee Was Jacksonville’s First Black Lawyer – and He Didn’t Stop There

    • Community
      Prati Italia Jacksonville FL

      How the Prati Italia Team Survived the Pandemic

      Jax-Based SipClean Debuts New Canned, Non-Alcoholic Rosé

      Jax-Based SipClean Debuts New Canned, Non-Alcoholic Rosé

      Cowford Chophouse Partners with JAMS for 2021 MOO-VE IT 5K

      Cowford Chophouse Partners with JAMS for 2021 MOO-VE IT 5K

      Taverna Meals for Medical Workers Jacksonville Baptist Health

      Taverna Gives Back to First Responders with “Meals for Medical Workers”

      Local Companies Anact, SurfearNEGRA Join Forces to Address Aquatic Inequality

      Local Companies Anact, SurfearNEGRA Join Forces to Address Aquatic Inequality

      The Pitman Sisters, TikTok video stars from Jacksonville, FL

      How “The Pitman Sisters” Became TikTok Famous During COVID-19

      Local Women in Cannabis, Jacksonville, FL

      Breaking the “Grass Ceiling”: Local Women in Cannabis

      Urban Mining Jacksonville FL

      How Urban Mining Utilizes Donations to Provide Computers for Local Kids

      Cowford Chophouse Teams Up with Jacksonville Arts & Music School for 4th Annual MOO-VE IT 5K

      Cowford Chophouse Raises Over $18,000 for Jacksonville Arts & Music School

    • Food + Drink
      • All
      • Beer
      • Reviews
      Southern Italian Deli Market Jacksonville FL

      Cugino’s Sausage Launches The Southern Italian Deli & Market

      Prati Italia Jacksonville FL

      How the Prati Italia Team Survived the Pandemic

      Crazy Beans Coffee Makes Debut Inside JRTC at LaVilla

      Crazy Beans Coffee Makes Debut Inside JRTC at LaVilla

      Green Turtle Restaurant in Jacksonville, fl

      Remembering Joe Adeeb’s Green Turtle Restaurant

      Dochi, Jacksonville, FL

      Japanese Donut Pop-Up Shop Dochi Coming to Town Center

      Jax-Based SipClean Debuts New Canned, Non-Alcoholic Rosé

      Jax-Based SipClean Debuts New Canned, Non-Alcoholic Rosé

      Taverna Meals for Medical Workers Jacksonville Baptist Health

      Taverna Gives Back to First Responders with “Meals for Medical Workers”

      The Homestead Restaurant, Jacksonville Beach, FL

      Long Before Taco Lu, There Was The Homestead Restaurant

      Norikase Jacksonville

      BENTO Group to Debut Norikase Concept in Jacksonville

    • Hidden Gems
    • Local Quirks
    • Lists
    • Sports
    • 904VIEWS
    • Seven Bridges
    • Music
No Result
View All Result
Subscribe
The Coastal
  • Development
    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Whataburger adding third new Jax location

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Whataburger now open in St. Johns, coming soon in Middleburg

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: East San Marco tenants revealed

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Homespun Kitchen expanding to Riverside

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Vagabond Coffee joining VyStar Tower; Dreamette to Springfield

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Great Greek nears St. Johns opening; Hwy 55 Burgers coming to Westside

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Purple Roots now open at Tinseltown

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Fire museum on the move; Dreamette to San Marco

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: JU adding downtown College of Law

  • History
    • All
    • Jax Evolved
    Florida Times-Union building

    Story of a Building: The Florida Times-Union Building

    Edgewood Bakery

    Remembering Edgewood Bakery: Once a Murray Hill Staple, Now an Empty Building

    jacksonville university

    A Brief History of Jacksonville University

    history of Ed wAters College

    A Brief History of Edward Waters College

    Worman's bAKERY AND DELI

    Remembering Worman’s Bakery and Deli

    Before Normandy Mall, There Was the Loew’s Normandy Drive-In Theatre

    Before Normandy Mall, There Was the Loew’s Normandy Drive-In Theatre

    Green Turtle Restaurant in Jacksonville, fl

    Remembering Joe Adeeb’s Green Turtle Restaurant

    San Marco Theater, San Marco, Jacksonville, FL

    Story of a Building: San Marco Theatre

    Sun-Ray Cinema building Five Points Jacksonville FL

    Story of a Building: Sun-Ray Cinema Building

  • Jax Evolved
    VyStar at 100 West Bay Street, Jacksonville, FL

    JAX EVOLVED: VyStar Reinvigorates the Former Life of the South Building

    JAX EVOLVED: San Marco Preservation Society Now Occupies South Jacksonville City Hall

    JAX EVOLVED: San Marco Preservation Society Now Occupies South Jacksonville City Hall

    Old St. Luke's Hospital jacksonville fl

    JAX EVOLVED: Old St. Luke’s Hospital Building Now Houses Jacksonville Historical Society

    Paul Davis Restoration, formerly Chevrolet Parts Depot, Springfield, Jacksonville, FL

    JAX EVOLVED: Paul Davis Restoration Gives Life to Old Chevrolet Parts Depot

    Old St. Andrew's Church building, Jacksonville, FL

    JAX EVOLVED: Old St. Andrew’s Church Building

    Novel Coworking / Groover-Stewart Drug Company Building, 25 N. Market Street, Jacksonville, FL - Image copyright 2020 Google

    JAX EVOLVED: Groover-Stewart Drug Company Building Now Houses Novel Coworking

    Dyal-Upchurch Building, Jacksonville, FL

    JAX EVOLVED: Downtown Jacksonville Adaptive Reuse Collection

    The Barnett, Jacksonville, FL

    JAX EVOLVED: The Barnett’s Long Journey to Redevelopment

    JAX EVOLVED: Brewster Hospital to North Florida Land Trust, LaVilla, Jacksonville, FL

    JAX EVOLVED: From Brewster Hospital to North Florida Land Trust

  • More
    • Culture
      • All
      • Art
      • Hidden Gems
      • Local Quirks
      • Music
      • Shopping
      Local Producer Alex Moye Releases New Album, “All I Need”

      Local Producer Alex Moye Releases New Album, “All I Need”

      Jacksonville Jazz Fest to Return This Fall

      Jacksonville Jazz Fest to Return This Fall

      Green Turtle Restaurant in Jacksonville, fl

      Remembering Joe Adeeb’s Green Turtle Restaurant

      Dockless Mobility Program Brings E-Scooters to Downtown Jacksonville

      Dockless Mobility Program Brings E-Scooters to Downtown Jacksonville

      MURAL SPOTLIGHT: Riverside Park Place by Jason Tetlak

      MURAL SPOTLIGHT: Riverside Park Place by Jason Tetlak

      “Jax River Jams” Concert Series Coming to Riverfront Plaza in April

      Sugar Ray, Quad City DJ’s Highlight Jax River Jams Lineup

      Art Notes - Jacksonville, FL

      ART NOTES: Jazz Discovery Series 2021 Kicks off Friday Night

      “Jax River Jams” Concert Series Coming to Riverfront Plaza in April

      “Jax River Jams” Concert Series Coming to Riverfront Plaza in April

      Joseph E. Lee Jacksonville's first black attorney

      Joseph E. Lee Was Jacksonville’s First Black Lawyer – and He Didn’t Stop There

    • Community
      Prati Italia Jacksonville FL

      How the Prati Italia Team Survived the Pandemic

      Jax-Based SipClean Debuts New Canned, Non-Alcoholic Rosé

      Jax-Based SipClean Debuts New Canned, Non-Alcoholic Rosé

      Cowford Chophouse Partners with JAMS for 2021 MOO-VE IT 5K

      Cowford Chophouse Partners with JAMS for 2021 MOO-VE IT 5K

      Taverna Meals for Medical Workers Jacksonville Baptist Health

      Taverna Gives Back to First Responders with “Meals for Medical Workers”

      Local Companies Anact, SurfearNEGRA Join Forces to Address Aquatic Inequality

      Local Companies Anact, SurfearNEGRA Join Forces to Address Aquatic Inequality

      The Pitman Sisters, TikTok video stars from Jacksonville, FL

      How “The Pitman Sisters” Became TikTok Famous During COVID-19

      Local Women in Cannabis, Jacksonville, FL

      Breaking the “Grass Ceiling”: Local Women in Cannabis

      Urban Mining Jacksonville FL

      How Urban Mining Utilizes Donations to Provide Computers for Local Kids

      Cowford Chophouse Teams Up with Jacksonville Arts & Music School for 4th Annual MOO-VE IT 5K

      Cowford Chophouse Raises Over $18,000 for Jacksonville Arts & Music School

    • Food + Drink
      • All
      • Beer
      • Reviews
      Southern Italian Deli Market Jacksonville FL

      Cugino’s Sausage Launches The Southern Italian Deli & Market

      Prati Italia Jacksonville FL

      How the Prati Italia Team Survived the Pandemic

      Crazy Beans Coffee Makes Debut Inside JRTC at LaVilla

      Crazy Beans Coffee Makes Debut Inside JRTC at LaVilla

      Green Turtle Restaurant in Jacksonville, fl

      Remembering Joe Adeeb’s Green Turtle Restaurant

      Dochi, Jacksonville, FL

      Japanese Donut Pop-Up Shop Dochi Coming to Town Center

      Jax-Based SipClean Debuts New Canned, Non-Alcoholic Rosé

      Jax-Based SipClean Debuts New Canned, Non-Alcoholic Rosé

      Taverna Meals for Medical Workers Jacksonville Baptist Health

      Taverna Gives Back to First Responders with “Meals for Medical Workers”

      The Homestead Restaurant, Jacksonville Beach, FL

      Long Before Taco Lu, There Was The Homestead Restaurant

      Norikase Jacksonville

      BENTO Group to Debut Norikase Concept in Jacksonville

    • Hidden Gems
    • Local Quirks
    • Lists
    • Sports
    • 904VIEWS
    • Seven Bridges
    • Music
No Result
View All Result
The Coastal
No Result
View All Result

Henry J. Klutho, The Architect Who Almost Single-Handedly Redesigned Downtown Jacksonville

by The Coastal
September 26, 2018
in History
Henry J. Klutho, The Architect Who Almost Single-Handedly Redesigned Downtown Jacksonville

via Wikimedia Commons

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Following the Great Fire of 1901, downtown Jacksonville had been largely reduced to an empty wasteland. The rebuilding effort would inevitably be lengthy and complicated – a reality that prompted many to flee to other growing areas to the south.

But there was one man who couldn’t wait to arrive in Jax.

Henry J. Klutho was born in the small town of Breese, IL, in 1873. The son of German immigrants, Klutho began dabbling in architectural study when he moved to St. Louis at age 16.

Soon, he would move to New York to serve as an apprentice at the city’s architectural firm. He even spent time overseas in Europe observing its classical architecture before heading right back to work in New York.

In 1901, he came upon an article in The New York Times about a huge fire that had destroyed much of Jacksonville, FL. Feeling inspired, he completed his work in New York and quickly moved south.

Upon his arrival in Jax, Klutho immediately began networking with local businessmen and politicians, who were eager to rebuild and regrow the hundreds of city squares that had burned to a crisp just months earlier.

You MightAlso Like

Florida Times-Union building

Story of a Building: The Florida Times-Union Building

Edgewood Bakery

Remembering Edgewood Bakery: Once a Murray Hill Staple, Now an Empty Building

jacksonville university

A Brief History of Jacksonville University

history of Ed wAters College

A Brief History of Edward Waters College

Klutho’s ambition and the locals’ desperation made for a perfect marriage, and within a year Klutho had designed his first building in Jacksonville: the Dyal-Upchurch building.

Many other projects would follow in quick succession as Klutho became the city’s most esteemed architect. During his first decade in Jax, Klutho designed the Morocco Temple, the Seminole Hotel, a new city hall building, and the Carnegie Library among many others.

A few years into his new life in Jacksonville, Klutho met and befriended fellow architect Frank Lloyd Wright during a business trip in New York. Wright and his associates were pioneering a new style of architecture referred to as Prairie School style; it was characterized by strong horizontal lines, open floor plans, and the incorporation of natural materials into the construction process.

Prior to meeting Wright, Klutho’s style was more classical, using many design elements that were intentionally subverted by Wright and his associates. Wright’s philosophies would strongly influence Klutho, who began incorporating elements of Prairie School design into his work.

Klutho’s biggest achievement came in 1910, when he was commissioned to design a new commercial building along the north side of Hemming Park. In addition to designing the four-story building, Klutho also acted as the project’s construction manager.

The building opened its doors in 1912 and was dubbed the St. James Building. It housed Cohen Brothers department store and other small shops, and it also featured two stories of office space above the stores. Klutho occupied one of those offices himself for several years.

Klutho’s work, while crucial and reliable, never received the level of local appreciation that it has after his death in 1964. Many of the buildings he designed were torn down or critically altered over the years, including renovations to the St. James Building that prompted Klutho to move out.

Today, many of the Klutho projects that are still standing have been placed on the National Register of Historic Places, giving them added protection against demolition or further disfiguring of the original structure. This includes the Dyal-Upchurch building, the St. James Building, the Carnegie-Bedell Building, and two-thirds of the Laura Street Trio among others.

Klutho Park in Springfield, which he helped design, is named in his honor.

And his grand St. James Building project, though altered over the years, still stands along Hemming Park and now serves as our city hall building.

While it’s tragic that Klutho died before his works started receiving proper historical recognition, it’s clear that the work he did following the city’s great fire will remain a prominent feature of downtown Jacksonville for years to come.

Share110TweetSendShareShare
Previous Post

THE J FILES: Jacksonville’s Contribution to the ’90s Miami Bass Scene

Next Post

Congaree and Penn Hosts Oktoberfest Celebration to Benefit Jaguars Foundation

The Coastal

The Coastal is a local magazine in Jacksonville, FL, founded in 2015 to bring you stories about the past, present, and future of the First Coast.

Related Posts

Florida Times-Union building

Story of a Building: The Florida Times-Union Building

Edgewood Bakery

Remembering Edgewood Bakery: Once a Murray Hill Staple, Now an Empty Building

jacksonville university

A Brief History of Jacksonville University

history of Ed wAters College

A Brief History of Edward Waters College

Worman's bAKERY AND DELI

Remembering Worman’s Bakery and Deli

Before Normandy Mall, There Was the Loew’s Normandy Drive-In Theatre

Before Normandy Mall, There Was the Loew’s Normandy Drive-In Theatre

Next Post
Oktoberfest at Congaree and Penn

Congaree and Penn Hosts Oktoberfest Celebration to Benefit Jaguars Foundation

Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Development and Construction News Every Saturday - The Coastal

Building Up Jax: Apartment complex planned at Beach and Kernan; Jumbo Shrimp extend lease

Jacksonville Icemen

Jacksonville Icemen Begin Training Camp Ahead of 2018-19 ECHL Season

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

LATEST POSTS

Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday
Development

Building Up Jax: Whataburger adding third new Jax location

Whataburger adding Mandarin location Whataburger isn't done with its expansion in the Jacksonville area. The burger chain, which recently debuted...

Read more
Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

Building Up Jax: Whataburger now open in St. Johns, coming soon in Middleburg

Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

Building Up Jax: East San Marco tenants revealed

Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

Building Up Jax: Homespun Kitchen expanding to Riverside

Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

Building Up Jax: Vagabond Coffee joining VyStar Tower; Dreamette to Springfield

The Coastal

© 2015-2021 Cowford Media / The Coastal Jacksonville LLC. All rights reserved.

Browse by Section

  • News
  • Culture
  • History
  • In the Community
  • Food + Drink
  • Sports
  • About

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Development
  • Culture
  • History
    • Jax Evolved
  • In the Community
  • Food + Drink
  • Sports
  • About
    • Contact Us
    • Submit Your Story
    • Advertise

© 2015-2021 Cowford Media / The Coastal Jacksonville LLC. All rights reserved.