Gator Bowl Stadium pictures

[PeteU]

I was interested to see if there were any good pictures of the old Gator Bowl Stadium in Jacksonville (before it was rebuilt in 1994-95 to host the Jaguars). I found a few good ones:

The Gator Bowl as it was in 1961, before it was totally enclosed. The end zone grandstand on the right side of the picture looks too long for its own good:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8f/Gator_bowl_jacksonville_fl_1961.jpg


Another aerial view of the Gator Bowl from 1954:
http://fpc.dos.state.fl.us/rfisher/RF00191.jpg



The Gator Bowl scoreboard from 1963:
http://www.chapelhillmemories.com/uploads/Image/1963_UNC_Gator_Bowl_Scoreboard.jpg


The Gator Bowl exterior:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c9/GatorBowlStadium.jpg



(Thanks to wikimedia.com, floridamemory.com, chapelhillmemories.com, and flickr.com user Slimeface for these and the below pictures.)

[PeteU]

Shots of the Gator Bowl grandstand when the stadium first opened in 1948:
http://fpc.dos.state.fl.us/rfisher/RF00352.jpg
http://fpc.dos.state.fl.us/rfisher/RF00350.jpg

A picture of the Gator Bowl under construction. It appears they utilized a portion of a previously existing stadium in the new stadium, hence the overly long endzone grandstands in the other pictures:
http://fpc.dos.state.fl.us/rfisher/RF00118.jpg

The Gator Bowl back in 1993, right before it was torn down and rebuilt.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2119/2086579241_8975d7b7b8.jpg

One notable thing--the upper deck on the west side of the stadium was the only thing that was kept between the Gator Bowl Stadium and Jacksonville Municipal Stadium. I was surprised to find out that there was something remaining of the old stadium in the new stadium.

[PeteU]

Gator Bowl press box:
http://fpc.dos.state.fl.us/rfisher/RF00349.jpg

A view of the Arlington Expressway and Mathews Bridge back in 1959. The Gator Bowl is visible on the right, as is Wolfson Park, the former home of the Jacksonville Suns:
http://fpc.dos.state.fl.us/reference/rc13568.jpg

Gator Bowl in the 1970s. Note the north end has been fully enclosed:
http://fpc.dos.state.fl.us/prints/pr05327.jpg

The Gator Bowl in 1981. The stadium has now been fully enclosed, but the west Upper Deck has yet to be built. Also visible are Wolfson Park and the Veterans Memorial Coliseum:
http://fpc.dos.state.fl.us/commerce/c800962.jpg

[PeteU]

Another picture of the Gator Bowl with the West side Upper Deck, circa 1982:

http://i348.photobucket.com/albums/q344/Tommy_Carcetti/Gator-Bowl1982_200.jpg

(Thanks to aeropicphoto.com)

[PeteU]

Here's a satellite picture of the Gator Bowl from MRSMaps.com which actually was taken in January 1994, when the Gator Bowl was being demolished and Jacksonville Municipal Stadium was being built. As you can see, the only remaining portion of the stadium is the west end. The lower deck would eventually be demolished, with the upper deck being the only portion of the old stadium being salvaged.

Amazingly, the field looks to have remained as is. If you look in carefully, you can actually see the lines from the football field where the last Gator Bowl game was played.

http://i348.photobucket.com/albums/q344/Tommy_Carcetti/gb2.jpg