JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville-based filmmaker will feature a screening of her documentary called “Moncrief Springs,” which highlights the rich history of Northside and how race and politics impact the tourism industry.
Florida is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, home to beautiful beaches, the nation’s oldest city, and the “Most Magical Place on Earth.”
Recently, Travel Lemming, an online travel guide, ranked Jacksonville No. 29 on its list of the 50 Best Places to Travel in 2024. Must-see destinations in town included the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens, the Florida Theatre and Jacksonville Beach.
But there’s a valuable tourism area nestled in Jacksonville’s Northside that’s relatively unexplored.
Last summer, Marty Lewis, host of National Geographic’s “Black Travel Across America,” visited Jacksonville to learn about the city’s rich Black history, and that’s when she met local filmmaker Dana Maule.
Maule, a Jacksonville native born and raised on the Northside, wants to investigate how tourism impacts urban communities and the preservation of Black history.
Lewis agreed to work with Maule on the project as the film’s host.
“I want to give the Northside PR and create a responsibility amongst Jacksonville’s citizens to be accountable for the care we put into every neighborhood,” Maule said.
She hopes the visibility the film provides will create equity within the community.
“The mission is to create equity and remind people that investing in the Northside is investing in Jacksonville,” Maule said.
According to Visit Jacksonville, tourism has a $3.9 billion economic impact on the River City. This includes money spent on hotels, attractions, restaurants, tour companies and more. Along with being responsible for handling the tourism services for the Tourist Development Council, Visit Jacksonville is also one of the film’s sponsors.
The documentary shines a spotlight on historically significant sites within the Moncrief-Myrtle Corridor, like Holley’s Barbecue, where curly fries are said to have originated, and the Brentwood Golf Course that was racially integrated through the efforts of the “Brentwood Four.” The film also emphasizes the natural beauty of Moncrief Creek and the Ribault River.
Moncrief is said to be named after French pawnbroker Eugene Moncrief, who escaped to Florida during the French Revolution. Throughout history, the neighborhood has been home to a horse-racing track, a luxury resort and a spring that served as a swimming pool for Black people during segregation.
RELATED | The Lost Story of Jacksonville’s Moncrief Park
Maule said she wants the documentary to act as a bridge between the community and its leaders.
“I would just want to hold more people accountable, all of us, those who live on the Northside, our council people, our business leaders -- hold them more accountable for making sure they circle the dollars back into the Northside, so that we can amplify them better,” Maule said.
She said she hopes to see a change in how the community moves and works as a collective to protect and preserve their neighborhood.
The 30-minute film will be featured Thursday, June 27 at 5 p.m. at the Ritz Theatre & Museum.
If you’d like to register for Thursday’s screening, click on this link.
Click here to show your support for “Moncrief Springs: The Movie.”