The
Casa Marina Hotel & Restaurant webpage provides the following history about this historic hotel:
"The Casa Marina Hotel enjoyed notoriety since it opened onto an expanse of the Jacksonville beaches in 1924 when every postcard of the era announced 'world's finest beach' and it has remained an alluring landmark of Florida history ever since. There have been many forgotten moments in the vast drama of the 1920's, but the mystery of the Casa Marina is that she must have seen it all. Originally known as the town of 'Ruby' (circa 1884), and two years before the hotel was built , Lt. General James H. Doolittle broke the transcontinental speed record during his distinguished military career. He flew from San Diego to Florida in less than 24 hours and by the time he landed, the town had been renamed 'Pablo Beach', already enjoying the international celebrity limelight."
"The Grand Opening of the Casa Marina on Saturday, June 6, 1925 was unquestionably the height of Florida 's first land boom. It took place the same day that the town was renamed Jacksonville Beach, while 200 guests dined and danced in the grand 'salon' surrounded by wisteria and the romance of the moonlit sky. Its construction and Spanish-Mediterranean design brought a 'first' to the beach...a fireproof building composed of stucco, concrete, tile and an automatic sprinkler system."
"1920's in Jacksonville were 'hot'. The Jacksonville train terminal opened in 1919 and everybody who was anybody came southward to Florida : the Duke & Duchess of Windsor, John D. Rockefeller and Presidents Harry S. Truman and F.D.R. Rumor claims that these celebrities including Jean Harlow and Al Capone were guests at the hotel in its early years."
"Prohibition and the famous gangsters were an integral part of Florida 's history. 'Machine Gun' Kelly reportedly lived undercover in Ortega, preferring to dine 'at the beach'. The Casa Marina was two-stories tall and had sixty rooms, big enough for guests to remain anonymous. The railroad brought people southward and Jacksonville Beach was the most alluring tourist town in Northeast Florida . Its boardwalk, dance casinos, dining, amusement rides and wide beaches were known throughout America . It had grown from having a once weekly mail service arriving by boat from Jacksonville during Victorian days to being known as the 'playground' for the 'rich & famous'!"
"The movie industry boomed in Jacksonville long before Hollywood and the 'greats' made guest appearances: Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Laurel & Hardy, Mary Pickford and Clara Bow."
"As the early years turned into the War Years of World War II (1939-1945) the United States government appropriated the Casa Marina for military housing. What followed was a succession of owners who were passionate about the restoration and remodeling of the Casa Marina into private residences and an assortment of businesses...a 37-room apartment building, restaurant, tearoom, vintage clothing store and proposed cultural center/haven for environmentalists!"
"The 'grand lady' finally took a well-deserved rest and closed until 1991. By this time, a veranda and 3rd-story penthouse had been added to the original structure as the Casa Marina just waited for its 'time'."
"Today, celebrating its 80 th Anniversary, the Casa Marina Hotel & Restaurant offers 24 stunning bedrooms and parlor suites individually decorated to represent the distinctive and changing eras of its rich history. The salon-inspired Casa Marina Restaurant is reminiscent of oceanfront fine dining anywhere in the world."