Jacksonville, Florida

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City of Jacksonville
Flag of City of Jacksonville
Flag		 Official seal of City of Jacksonville
Seal
Nickname: Jax
Motto: Where Florida Begins
Location in Duval County and the state of Florida
Location in Duval County and the state of Florida
Coordinates: 30°19′10″N 81°39′36″W / 30.31944, -81.66
Country United States
State Florida
County Duval, Nassau
Government
 - Mayor John Peyton (R)
Area
 - City 885 sq mi (2,264.5 km²)
 - Land 767 sq mi (1,962.4 km²)
 - Water 116.6 sq mi (302.1 km²)
Elevation 16 ft (6 m)
Population (2006)[1]
 - City 794,555
 - Density 1,048.7/sq mi (404.89/km²)
 - Metro 1,348,381
Time zone EST (UTC-5)
 - Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
Area code(s) 904
FIPS code 12-35000GR2
GNIS feature ID 0295003GR3
Website: http://www.coj.net

Jacksonville is the largest city in the state of Florida and the county seat of Duval County.GR6 Since 1968, Jacksonville has been the largest city in land area in the contiguous United States; this resulted from the consolidation of the city and county government, along with a corresponding expansion of the city limits to include almost the entire county.

In 2007, Jacksonville ranked as the United States' twelfth most populous city, with 794,555 residents.[2] It is the principal city in the Greater Jacksonville Metropolitan Area area, a region with a population of 1,277,997,[3] the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state, as of the 2006 Census Bureau estimates. Jacksonville is the third most populated city on the East Coast, after New York City and Philadelphia.

About 25 miles (40 km) south of the Georgia border, Jacksonville is in the First Coast region of northeast Florida and is centered on the banks of the St. Johns River. The settlement that became Jacksonville was founded in 1791 as Cowford, because of its location at a narrow point in the river across which cattle were once driven. The city was renamed in 1822 for Andrew Jackson, the first military governor of the Florida Territory and eventual seventh President of the United States.

Contents

Main article: History of Jacksonville, Florida
Aerial view in 1893
Aerial view in 1893

The history of Jacksonville spans hundreds of years. The first settlement in the area, called Ossachite, was made over 6,000 years ago by the Timucua Indians in the vicinity of modern-day downtown Jacksonville.[4]

European explorers first arrived in 1562, when French Huguenot explorer Jean Ribault charted the St. Johns River. René Goulaine de Laudonnière established the first European settlement at Fort Caroline two years later. On September 20, 1565, a Spanish force attacked Fort Caroline from the nearby Spanish settlement of St. Augustine, and killed all the French soldiers defending it (except Catholics).[citation needed] The Spanish renamed it Fort San Mateo. After the initial destruction of Fort Caroline, St. Augustine became the most important settlement in Florida.

Jacksonville in 1864
Jacksonville in 1864

Spain ceded Florida to the British in 1763, who then gave control back to Spain in 1783. The first permanent settlement in modern Jacksonville was settled as "Cowford" in 1791, at a narrow point in the St. Johns River where cattlemen could ford their livestock across. The Florida Territory was ceded to the United States in 1821, and in 1822, Jacksonville's current name had come into use. U.S. settlers led by Isaiah D. Hart authored a charter for a town government, which was approved by the Florida Legislative Council on February 9, 1832.

During the American Civil War, Jacksonville was a key supply point for hogs and cattle leaving Florida and aiding the Confederate cause. The city was blockaded by the Union, changing hands several times. Though no battles were fought in Jacksonville, the city was left in a considerable state of disarray after the war.

During Reconstruction and the Gilded Age, Jacksonville and nearby St. Augustine became popular winter resorts for the rich and famous. Visitors arrived by steamboat and later by railroad. The city's tourism, however, was dealt major blows in the late 1800s by yellow fever outbreaks and the extension of the Florida East Coast Railway to south Florida.

A view of Jacksonville in 1909
A view of Jacksonville in 1909

On May 3, 1901, downtown Jacksonville was ravaged by a fire that was started at a fiber factory. Known as the "Great Fire of 1901", it was one of the worst disasters in Florida history and the largest ever urban fire in the Southeast; it destroyed the business district and rendered 10,000 residents homeless in the course of eight hours. It is said the glow from the flames could be seen in Savannah, Georgia and the smoke plumes in Raleigh, North Carolina. Famed New York architect Henry John Klutho was a primary figure in the reconstruction of the city. More than 13,000 buildings were constructed between 1901 and 1912.

Motion picture scene at Gaumont Studios, 1910
Motion picture scene at Gaumont Studios, 1910

In the 1910s, New York-based moviemakers were attracted to Jacksonville's warm climate, exotic locations, excellent rail access, and cheap labor. Over the course of the decade, more than 30 silent film studios were established, earning Jacksonville the title "Winter Film Capital of the World". However, the city's conservative political climate and the emergence of Hollywood as a major film production center ended the city's film industry. One converted movie studio site (Norman Studios) remains in Arlington; It has been converted to the Jacksonville Silent Film Museum at Norman Studios.[5]

During this time, Jacksonville also became a banking and insurance center, with companies such as Barnett Bank, Atlantic National Bank, Florida National Bank, Prudential, Gulf Life, Afro-American Insurance, Independent Life and American Heritage Life thriving in the business district. The U.S. Navy also became a major employer and economic force during the 1940s, with the construction of three naval bases in the city. Jacksonville, like most large cities in the United States, suffered from negative effects of rapid urban sprawl after World War II.

A simulated-color satellite image of Jacksonville, taken on NASA's Landsat 7 satellite.
A simulated-color satellite image of Jacksonville, taken on NASA's Landsat 7 satellite.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 874.3 square miles (2,264.5 km²), making Jacksonville the largest city in land area in the contiguous United States; of this, 757.7 square miles (1,962.4 km²; 86.66%) is land and 116.7 square miles (302.1 km²; 13.34%) is water. Jacksonville completely encircles the city of Baldwin. Nassau County lies to the north, Baker County lies to the west, and Clay and St. Johns County lie to the south; the Atlantic Ocean lies to the east, along with the Jacksonville Beaches. The St. Johns River divides the city. The Trout River, a major tributary of the St. Johns River, is located entirely within Jacksonville. The city is almost three times the area of New York City but with just under 800,000 people, Jacksonville has a low population density.

Jacksonville has a humid subtropical climate, with mild weather during winters and hot weather during summers. High temperatures average 64 to 91 °F (18-33 °C) throughout the year.[6] High heat indices are not uncommon for the summer months in the Jacksonville area. High temperatures can reach mid to high 90s with heat index ranges of 105-115 °F. The highest temperature ever recorded in Jacksonville was 105 °F (43 °C) on July 21, 1942. It is common for daily thunderstorms to erupt during a standard summer afternoon. These are caused by the heating of the land and water, combined with extremely high humidity.

During winter, the area can experience hard freezes during the night. Such cold weather is usually short lived. The coldest temperature recorded in Jacksonville was 7 °F (-14 °C) on January 21, 1985, a day that still holds the record cold for many locations in the eastern half of the US. Even rarer in Jacksonville than freezing temperatures is snow. When snow does fall, it usually melts before touching the ground, or upon making contact with the ground. Most denizens of Jacksonville can remember accumulated snow on only one occasion—a thin ground cover that occurred a few days before Christmas of 1989.

Jacksonville has suffered less damage from hurricanes than most other east coast cities. The city has only received one direct hit from a hurricane since 1871, although Jacksonville has experienced hurricane or near-hurricane conditions more than a dozen times due to storms passing through the state from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean.[7] The strongest effect on Jacksonville was from Hurricane Dora in 1964, the only recorded storm to hit the First Coast with sustained hurricane force winds. The eye crossed St. Augustine, with winds that had just barely diminished to 110 mph (180 km/h), making it a strong Category 2 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale.

Rainfall averages around 52 inches a year, with the wettest months being June through September.

Weather averages for Jacksonville, Florida
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °F 64 67 73 79 84 89 91 89 86 79 73 66 78
Average low °F 42 44 50 55 63 69 72 72 69 60 51 44 58
Precipitation inch 3.7 3.2 3.9 3.1 3.5 5.4 6.0 6.9 7.9 3.9 2.3 2.6 52.4
Average high °C 18 19 23 26 29 32 33 32 30 26 23 19 26
Average low °C 6 7 10 13 17 21 22 22 21 16 11 7 14
Precipitation cm 9.4 8.1 9.9 7.9 8.9 13.7 15.2 17.5 20.1 9.9 5.8 6.6 133
Source: USTravelWeather.com[8] July 19, 2007

Main article: Neighborhoods of Jacksonville, Florida

As the largest city in land area in the contiguous United States, Jacksonville’s official website divides the city into six major sections:[1]

Sections of Jacksonville
Sections of Jacksonville
  • Greater Arlington (Arlington) is situated east and south of the St. Johns River and north of Beach Blvd.
  • North Jacksonville, officially considered to be everything north of the St. Johns & Trout Rivers and east of US 1.
  • Northwest Jacksonville is located north of Interstate 10, south of the Trout River and surrounds the downtown section.
  • Southeast Jacksonville (Southside), referring to everything east of the St. Johns River and south of Beach Blvd.
  • Southwest Jacksonville (Westside) consists of everything west of the St. Johns River and south of Interstate 10.
  • Urban Core (Downtown) includes the south & north banks of the narrowest part of the St. Johns River east from the Fuller Warren Bridge and extending roughly 4 miles north and east.

With the rapid growth in the eastern part of Duval County, the Intracoastal/Beaches/Ponte Vedra area is viewed by many as a major section as well, but is not generally included in a Jacksonville list since they lie outside of the Jacksonville city limits. There is also a distinct part of the city known as "Eastside" which those unfamiliar with Jacksonville's overall geography sometimes mistakenly regard as one of the major divisions of town, rather than the localized neighborhood which it is.

Today, what distinguishes a "section" of Jacksonville from a "neighborhood" is primarily a matter of size and divisibility. However, definitions are imprecise, and sometimes not universally agreed upon. Each of these sections not only encompasses a large area, but also, each is divided into many neighborhoods. Each of these neighborhoods, in turn, has its own identity.

Each of these sections is divided into many neighborhoods. Some of these neighborhoods, such as Mandarin and Dinsmore, had existed previously as independent towns or villages, prior to consolidation, and have their own histories.

Jacksonville, Florida, ca. 1910
Jacksonville, Florida, ca. 1910

Jacksonville is home to a number of annual cultural events. The Jacksonville Jazz Festival is held every April and is the second-largest jazz festival in the nation.[citation needed] Other popular music festivals include The Spring Music Fest, a free concert sponsored by the city that features some of today's most popular artists, Planetfest, featuring a variety of modern rock artists, and Springing the Blues, a free outdoor blues festival held in Jacksonville Beach.

The Jacksonville Film Festival is held every May and features a variety of independent films, documentaries, and shorts screening at seven historic venues in the city. Past attendees of the festival have included director John Landis and Academy Award nominee Bill Murray and winner Graham Greene, both of whom were awarded the Tortuga Verde Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Art Walk, a monthly outdoor art festival, is sponsored by Downtown Vision, Inc, an organization which works to promote artistic talent and venues on the First Coast.

Every July 4 is the Freedom, Fanfare & Fireworks celebration, one of the nation's largest fireworks displays, held at Metropolitan Park and on the surface of the St. Johns River. A very large fireworks display is also held at Jacksonville Beach, centered on the rebuilt pier. The Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair is held every November at the Jacksonville Fairgrounds & Exposition Center, featuring an array of carnival rides, live entertainment, agriculture and livestock. Other annual cultural events include the Great Atlantic Seafood and Music Festival in March, the Blessing of the Fleet Parade of Boats and the Jacksonville International Boat Show in April, the World of Nations Celebration in May, and the Jacksonville Light Parade in November.

Jacksonville Museum of Modern Art (JMoMA) opened its 60,000-square-foot (6,000 m²) facility in 2003, located adjacent to the Main Library downtown. Tracing its roots back to the formation of Jacksonville's Fine Arts Society in 1924, the museum features eclectic permanent and traveling exhibitions. In November 2006, JMOMA was renamed Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville (MOCA Jacksonville) to reflect their continued commitment to art produced after the modernist period.

The Museum of Science & History (MOSH) is found on Jacksonville's South Riverwalk, and features three stories of hands-on science and local history exhibits, including the Alexander Brest Planetarium.

The Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens holds a large collection of European and American paintings, as well as a world-renowned collection of early Meissen porcelain. The museum is surrounded by three acres of formal English and Italian style gardens, and is located in the Riverside neighborhood, on the bank of the St. Johns River.

There are also several historical properties and items of interest in the city, including the Klutho Building, the Old Morocco Temple Building, the Palm and Cycad Arboretum, and the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center.

See also: List of Jacksonville parks

Buildings from right to left are the Modis Building, the Bank Of America, and the Suntrust.
Buildings from right to left are the Modis Building, the Bank Of America, and the Suntrust.

Jacksonville operates the largest urban park system in the United States, providing services at more than 337 locations on more than 80,000 acres (320 km²) located throughout the city.[9] Jacksonville gathers significant natural beauty from the St. Johns River and Atlantic Ocean. The Jacksonville Beaches area is a center of recreation and nightlife, and the many parks around the city have received international recognition. The city center includes the Jacksonville Landing shopping center and the Riverwalk. Downtown Jacksonville has a memorable skyline with the tallest building being the Bank of America Building, constructed in 1990 with a height of 617 ft (188 m). Other notable structures include the 37-story Modis Building (once, with its distinctive flared base, the defining building in the Jacksonville skyline), originally built in 1972-74 by the Independent Life and Accident Insurance Company, and the Riverplace Tower which, at 28 floors, is the tallest precast, post-tensioned concrete structure in the world.

The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens boasts the second largest animal collection in the state. The zoo features elephants, lions, and, of course, jaguars (with an exhibit, Range of the Jaguar, hosted by the owners of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Delores and Wayne Weaver), as well as a multitude of reptile houses, free flight aviaries, and many other animals. The Jacksonville Arboretum and Gardens broke ground on their new center in April, 2007 and expects to open in early 2008. This will be the first such facility on the first coast and is staffed by volunteers.

The Florida Theatre
The Florida Theatre

The Florida Theatre, opened in 1927, is located in downtown Jacksonville and is one of only four remaining high-style movie palaces built in Florida during the Mediterranean Revival architectural boom of the 1920s.

The Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts consists of three distinct halls: the Jim & Jan Moran Theater, the Jacoby Symphony Hall, and the Terry Theater. It was originally erected as the Civic Auditorium in 1962 and underwent a major renovation and construction in 1996. It is also the home of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1949.

The Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena, which opened in 2003, is a 16,000-seat performance venue that attracts national entertainment, and also houses the Jacksonville Sports Hall of Fame. It replaced the outdated Jacksonville Coliseum that was built in 1960 and demolished on June 26, 2003.

The Alhambra Dinner Theatre, located on the Southside near UNF, offers regular shows in which the audience eats while sitting in a half-square configuration around a stage. Numerous smaller, independent theaters are also available, such as Theatre Jacksonville in San Marco and Players by the Sea at the Beach.

Jacksonville is also home to The Teal Sound Drum and Bugle corps. A junior drum and bugle corps that competes in Drum Corps International Division II competition.

In the early 1900s, New York-based moviemakers were attracted to Jacksonville's warm climate, exotic locations, excellent rail access, and cheaper labor, earning the city the title of "The Winter Film Capital of the World". Over 30 movie studios were opened and thousands of silent films produced between 1908 and the 1920s, when most studios relocated to Hollywood, California.

Since that time, Jacksonville has been chosen by a number of film and television studios for on-location shooting. Notable motion pictures that have been partially or completely shot in Jacksonville since the silent film era include Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking (1988), Brenda Starr (1989), G.I. Jane (1997), The Devil's Advocate (1997), Ride (1998), Why Do Fools Fall In Love (1998), Forces of Nature (1999), Tigerland (2000), Sunshine State (2002), Basic (2003), The Manchurian Candidate (2004), Lonely Hearts (2006), Monster House (2006), Moving McAllister (2007), Rockett (2007), Throwing Stars (2007), and Glad All Over (2008).

Notable television series or made-for-television films that have been partially or completely shot in Jacksonville include Intimate Strangers (1986), Inherit the Wind (1988), Roxanne: The Prize Pulitzer (1989), A Girl of the Limberlost (1990), Orpheus Descending (1990), Pointman (1995), Saved by the Light (1995), The Babysitter's Seduction (1996), Sudden Terror: The Hijacking of School Bus #17 (1996), First Time Felon (1997), Gold Coast (1997), Safe Harbor (1999), The Conquest of America (2005), and Super Bowl XXXIX (2005).

James Weldon Johnson, a leading African American activist, was born in Jacksonville in 1871.
James Weldon Johnson, a leading African American activist, was born in Jacksonville in 1871.
Main article: List of people from Jacksonville, Florida

Main article: Jacksonville Public Library (Florida)

The Jacksonville Public Library had its beginnings when May Moore and Florence Murphy started the "Jacksonville Library and Literary Association" in 1878. The Association was populated by various prominent Jacksonville residents and sought to create a free public library and reading room for the city.[10]

Over the course of 127 years, the system has grown from that one room library to become one of the largest in the state. Now featuring twenty branches - from the 54,000 sq ft (5,000 m²). West Regional Library (located on Chaffee Road in the western part of the city) to smaller neighborhood libraries like Westbrook and Eastside (located in the central part of the city) - the Library annually receives nearly 4 million visitors and circulates over 6 million items. Nearly 500,000 library cards are held by area residents.[11]

On November 12, 2005, the new 300,000 sq ft (30,000 m²). Main Library opened to the public. The largest public library in the state, this opening was a historic event for the library system and the City of Jacksonville. It marks the completion of an unprecedented period of growth for the system under the Better Jacksonville Plan.[12] It adds to the city's architectural and cultural landscape and provides a gathering place downtown for the entire community. The new Main Library offers specialized reading rooms, public access to hundreds of computers and extensive collection of books and other materials, public displays of art, and special collections ranging from the African-American Collection to the recently opened Holocaust Collection.[10]

Like most US cities its size, Jacksonville is home to a number of professional sports teams, and, again like most cities its size, most of these teams do not compete in the "major leagues". The exception to this rule is the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL), which has been a source of significant civic pride since 1995. Jacksonville also is home to two universities, a four year college, and the fourth largest community college in the United States; all of these institutions field teams as well, garnering varying levels of public attention. Additionally, a number of college sports events are held on an annual basis in Jacksonville by teams and conferences not located within the city.
One of the most popular sporting events is the annual Gate River Run, the US National Championship 15K since 1994 and largest 15K race in the country. The 13,000+ recreational runners -- some running for the first time -- are joined by a few thousand more supporters, spectators and volunteers who make this Jacksonville's largest participation sporting event [2]
. The AT&T Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament is an annual event held in July. The first contest was held in 1981 and it has grown to be the largest Kingfish tournament in the United States. Participation is limited to 1,000 boats that compete for over $500,000 in prizes, attracting approximately 30,000 spectators.

Club Sport League Venue
Jacksonville Jaguars Football National Football League (NFL) - AFC Jacksonville Municipal Stadium
Jacksonville Suns Baseball Southern League - Southern Division Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville
Jacksonville University College Baseball NCAA - Atlantic Sun Conference Alexander Brest Field
Jacksonville Barracudas Hockey Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) Jacksonville Ice
Jacksonville Jam Basketball American Basketball Association (ABA) UNF Arena
Jacksonville Dixie Blues Women's Football Women's Football League Episcopal High School
Jacksonville Breakers Women's Ice Hockey Florida Women's Hockey League Jacksonville Ice
Jacksonville University College Football NCAA – Pioneer Football League D.B. Milne Field
Edward Waters College College Football NAIA – Florida Sun Conference Earl Kitchings Stadium
Jacksonville University College Basketball NCAA – Atlantic Sun Conference Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena
Edward Waters College College Basketball NAIA – Florida Sun Conference James Weldon Johnson Gymansium
University of North Florida College Basketball NCAA – Atlantic Sun Conference UNF Arena
University of North Florida College Baseball NCAA – Atlantic Sun Conference UNF Harmon Stadium
University of North Florida College Lacrosse Florida Lacrosse League - Division II (FLL) UNF Intramural Fields
Jacksonville Axemen Rugby League American National Rugby League UNF Stadium Field
First Coast Fatales Roller Derby Womens Flat Track Roller Derby Mandarin Skate Station

Jacksonville's history with professional football goes back to the 1960s. In 1967 and 1968 the city hosted the American Football League (AFL) All Star Game at the Gator Bowl; Jacksonville was the only non-AFL city to host the game. It was presumed at the time that this was a prelude to Jacksonville getting an AFL expansion team, but when the AFL merged with the rival NFL in 1970 expansion plans were scrapped. Jacksonville had its first professional football teams with the Jacksonville Sharks (1974) and Jacksonville Express (1975) of the World Football League; however, the WFL folded in 1975. In 1984 football returned for two seasons with the Jacksonville Bulls of the United States Football League (USFL). However, the USFL ceased operations after the 1985 season.

Several NFL teams flirted with moving to the city over the years. The owners of the Baltimore Colts and Houston Oilers appeared to be serious about moving to Jacksonville, and other teams also mentioned Jacksonville as a relocation possibility, but no team ever did move to Jacksonville. It was only with the awarding of an NFL franchise to the city in 1995 that Jacksonville's dream of joining the NFL came true.

The Jaguars compete in the South Division of the American Football Conference of the National Football League. Though the Jaguars have never played in the Super Bowl, they have twice in their short history played for the AFC championship—following the 1996 and 1999 seasons. As the team's fortunes have waned somewhat since the 1990s, the team has struggled with ticket sales, and local blackouts have occurred.

Jacksonville also hosted Super Bowl XXXIX, the third city in Florida to host the annual event. As the smallest metropolitan area to ever host a Super Bowl, special accommodations were necessary, such as bringing in cruise ships to serve as hotel rooms.

Outside of the NFL, there is also a Women's Football League team, the Jacksonville Dixie Blues. The city was previously home to the af2's Jacksonville Tomcats from 2000 to 2002. A National Indoor Football League expansion franchise, the Green Cove Lions, played briefly in nearby Green Cove Springs, Florida in 2007.

Though golf is of course not a team sport, the Jacksonville area is "on the map" of the top level of professional golf, primarily for the annual Players Championship held just south of the city limits in Sawgrass, in St. Johns County. Many regard The Players as the most prestigious non-major tournament of the pro tour. Additionally, the PGA tour also has its headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach. St. Johns County is also home to the World Golf Village and the Golf Hall of Fame.

The city and surrounding communities also boast an extraordinarily high number of golf courses, and some tour players make the Jacksonville area their year-round home.

Jacksonville hosts a Double-A team, the Jacksonville Suns. The Suns are currently a farm team for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and play in the Southern League. The team has several Southern League championships, the most recent of which was won in 2005. The Suns play at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville, which is frequently cited as the finest baseball facility in Double-A baseball. Part of the reason for the high quality of the ballpark is the fact that the city built the Baseball Grounds in the hopes of someday landing a Triple-A team, though that is regarded as highly unlikely anytime in the foreseeable future.

In rugby league, the Jacksonville Axemen play in the American National Rugby League.

The Jacksonville Jam began playing as an ABA expansion team in November of 2006. They have since moved to the PBL, where they will start play in January of 2008.

The current ice hockey team is the Jacksonville Barracudas, of the Southern Professional Hockey League. The Barracudas brought the city its only professional hockey championship with the WHA2 President's Cup in 2004.

Professional tennis is in town each year when the WTA holds the Bausch & Lomb Championships at Amelia Island Plantation near Fernandina Beach, just north of Jacksonville. Additionally, the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) has its American headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach.

In 2007 the city is set to host a women's soccer team in the Women's Amateur Development Soccer League.

Jacksonville's bowl game, the Gator Bowl—one of the oldest bowl games in existence—began in 1946. The Florida Gators and Georgia Bulldogs have played their annual Southeastern Conference game (commonly known as "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party") in Jacksonville every year since 1933, save a two-year hiatus caused by the coming of the NFL to the city.

The Atlantic Coast Conference utilizes Jacksonville as the host city for its championships in both football and baseball, held at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium and the Baseball Grounds, respectively.

On March 2006, Jacksonville was one of the sites for the first round of the NCAA 68th Annual Division I Basketball Championship. Jacksonville University was the host team, and the games were held in the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena, JU's regular home court.

Besides hosting outside teams and leagues, Jacksonville is also home to three four-year colleges and their teams.

  • The University of North Florida Ospreys have recently moved into the NCAA's Division I for all sports, with eligibility for post-season tournaments expected in the 2009-10 school year.
  • The Jacksonville University Dolphins compete in Division I in all sports except football, for which they are listed in Division I-AA. The JU basketball team has a storied past, particularly from the 1970s, when JU became the smallest college ever to make it to the NCAA championship game.
  • The Edward Waters College Tigers compete in a limited number of sports, including football, which was just added around the turn of the millennium. The Tigers are affiliated with the NAIA.

The Florida Times-Union, Jacksonville's largest circulation newspaper
The Florida Times-Union, Jacksonville's largest circulation newspaper

The Florida Times-Union is the major daily newspaper in Jacksonville. Another daily newspaper is The Daily Record. Popular magazines include Folio Weekly, MetroJacksonville.com, Jacksonville Free Press, Jacksonville Business Journal, The Florida Star, Saint Augustine Catholic, Arbus, Hola News, and Jacksonville Magazine.

Jacksonville is served by television stations affiliated with major American networks including WTLV (NBC), WJXX (ABC), WTEV (CBS), WAWS (FOX/My Network TV), WJCT (PBS),and WCWJ (CW). WJXT is a former longtime CBS affiliate that turned independent in 2002. WQXT channell 22 of St Augustine is an independent TV station serving Americas oldest city. WQXT began broadcasting in 1998. It's broadcast footprint covers Jacksonville.

Jax4Kids.com is a resource available to Jacksonville-area parents, grandparents and educators to find current and upcoming events, classes, camps, sports and other programs for cultural and educational enrichment for children.

Jacksonville's radio market is dominated by the same two large ownership groups that dominate the radio industry across the United States: Cox Radio[13] and Clear Channel Communications.[14] The dominant AM radio station in terms of ratings is WOKV 690AM, which is also the flagship station for the Jacksonville Jaguars.[15] In September of 2006, WOKV began simulcasting on 106.5 FM as WOKV FM. There are two radio stations broadcasting a primarily contemporary hits format; WAPE 95.1 has dominated this niche for over twenty years, and more recently has been challenged by WFKS 97.9 FM (KISS FM). WJBT 93.3 (The Beat) is a hip-hop/R&B station, WPLA 107.3 is a modern rock and alternative music station, WFYV 104.5—Rock 105 Jacksonville Classic rock, WQIK 99.1 is a country station as well as WGNE-FM 99.9 and WROO 93.3, WCRJ FM 88.1 (The Promise) is the main Contemporary Christian station operating since 1984, WHJX 105.7 is a soul station, WFJO 92.5 plays music in Spanish like salsa, merengue, and reggaeton, and WJCT 89.9 is the local public radio station and NPR affiliate. A local Jacksonville college, Jones College also hosts a station WKTZ 90.9 FM. See Radio Stations in Jacksonville, Florida for more radio stations in Jacksonville.

Jacksonville's location on the St. Johns River and the Atlantic Ocean proved providential in the growth of the city and its industry. The largest city in the state, it is also the largest deepwater port in the south (as well as the second-largest port on the U.S. East coast) and a leading port in the U.S. for automobile imports, as well as the leading transportation and distribution hub in the state. However, the strength of the city's economy lies in its broad diversification. While the area once had many thriving dairies such as the Gustavson and the Skinner, this aspect of the economy has declined over time, yielding to other industries. The area's economy is balanced among distribution, financial services, biomedical technology, consumer goods, information services, manufacturing, and other industries.

Jacksonville is a rail, air, and highway focal point and a busy port of entry, with Jacksonville International Airport, ship repair yards and extensive freight-handling facilities. Lumber, phosphate, paper, cigars and wood pulp are the principal exports; automobiles and coffee are among imports. The city also has a large and diverse manufacturing base. According to Forbes in 2007, Jacksonville, Florida ranked 3rd in the top ten U.S. cities to relocate to find a job.[16] Jacksonville was also the 10th fastest growing city in the U.S.[17]

Jacksonville is home to many prominent corporations & organizations; several originated here before being acquired and moved elsewhere:

See also: Famous businesses native to Jacksonville, Florida ,

Historical populations
Census Pop.  %±
1870 1,000
—
1890 17,000
—
1900 28,000 64.7%
1910 58,000 107.1%
1920 92,000 58.6%
1930 130,000 41.3%
1940 173,000 33.1%
1950 205,000 18.5%
1960 201,030 -1.9%
1970 504,000 150.7%
1980 540,920 7.3%
1990 635,230 17.4%
2000 735,617 15.8%
Est. 2006 834,789 13.5%

Jacksonville is the most populous city in Florida, and the twelfth most populous city in the United States. As of the censusGR2 estimates of 2005, there were 782,623 people, 284,499 households, and 190,614 families residing in the city. The population density was 374.9/km² (970.9/mi²). There were 308,826 housing units at an average density of 157.4/km² (407.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 64.48% White, 34.03% Black or African American, 0.34% Native American, 2.78% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.33% from other races, and 1.99% from two or more races. 4.16% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Jacksonville has, as named by the United States Census the 10th largest Arab population in the United States. There were 284,499 households out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 16.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.07. In the city, the population was spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.6 males.

In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $40,316, and the median income for a family was $47,243. Males had a median income of $32,547 versus $25,886 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,337. About 9.4% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.7% of those under age 18 and 12.0% of those age 65 or over.

As of 2000, English spoken as a first language accounted for 90.60%, while Spanish was at 4.13%, and Tagalog spoken as a mother tongue made up 1.00% of the population. In total, all languages spoken other than English were at 9.39%.[18]

Jacksonville has a diverse religious population. Since 1906, the city's Unitarian Universalists have worshipped at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Jacksonville [19] The Episcopal Diocese of Florida has its seat in St. John's Cathedral, the current building dating from 1906. There is a good representation of various Lutheran Synods, as well. The city is estimated to contain 265,158 Evangelical Protestants and 89,649 Mainline Protestants who attend a total of 794 churches. Several of these are megachurches, including First Baptist Church downtown and Christ's Church in the Mandarin area. There are 162,329 Roman Catholics who attend 51 Catholic churches within the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine.[20] The greater metropolitan area also has a Jewish population of 14,000, mostly residing in the suburb of Mandarin, Florida. There are two Reform, four Conservative, and four Orthodox synagogues, three of them Chabad-affiliated,[21]. There are over 3,000 members of various Eastern Orthodox church jurisdictions in eight parishes or missions, and 18,050 of other religious affiliations. Within the city limits there are also seven Mormon church buildings housing twelve congregations of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,[22] a population of Muslims centered around the Islamic Center of Northeast Florida,[23], a Bahá'í center,[24] and New Age and Neopagan communities.[25]

News of Jacksonville's consolidation from The Florida Times-Union.
News of Jacksonville's consolidation from The Florida Times-Union.

After World War II, the government of the City of Jacksonville began to increase spending to fund new building projects in the boom that occurred after the war. Mayor W. Haydon Burns' Jacksonville Story resulted in the construction of a new city hall, civic auditorium, public library and other projects that created a dynamic sense of civic pride. However, the development of suburbs and a subsequent wave of "white flight" left Jacksonville with a much poorer population than before. Much of the city's tax base dissipated, leading to problems with funding education, sanitation, and traffic control within the city limits. In addition, residents in unincorporated suburbs had difficulty obtaining municipal services such as sewage and building code enforcement. In 1958, a study recommended that the City of Jacksonville begin annexing outlying communities in order to create the needed tax base to improve services throughout the county. Voters outside the city limits rejected annexation plans in six referendums between 1960 and 1965.

In the mid 1960s, corruption scandals began to arise among many of the city's officials, who were mainly elected through the traditional good ol' boy network. After a grand jury was convened to investigate, several officials were indicted and more were forced to resign. Consolidation, led by JJ Daniel and Claude Yates, began to win more support during this period, from both inner city blacks (who wanted more involvement in government) and whites in the suburbs (who wanted more services and more control over the central city). The simultaneous disaccredation of all fifteen of Duval County's public high schools in 1964 added momentum to the proposals for government reform. Lower taxes, increased economic development, unification of the community, better public spending and effective administration by a more central authority were all cited as reasons for a new consolidated government.

A consolidation referendum was held in 1967, and voters approved the plan. On October 1, 1968, the governments merged to create the Consolidated City of Jacksonville.

The St. James Building, the seat of city government in Jacksonville.
The St. James Building, the seat of city government in Jacksonville.

The most noteworthy feature of Jacksonville government is its consolidated nature. The Duval County-Jacksonville consolidation eliminated any type of separate county executive or legislature, and supplanted these positions with the Mayor of Jacksonville and the City Council of the City of Jacksonville, respectively. Because of this, voters who live outside of the city limits of Jacksonville, but inside of Duval County, are allowed not only to vote in elections for these positions, but to run for them as well. In fact, in 1995, John Delaney, a resident of Neptune Beach, was elected mayor of the City of Jacksonville.

Jacksonville uses the Mayor-Council form of city government, also called the Strong-Mayor form, in which a mayor serves as the city's Chief Executive and Administrative officer. The mayor holds veto power over all resolutions and ordinances made by the city council, and also has the power to hire and fire the head of various city departments.

The city council has nineteen members, fourteen of whom are elected from single-member districts, and five who are ostensibly elected at-large. However, although these five additional council members are elected at-large, they are required to meet an unusual residency requirement. In the early 1990s, because these five "at-large" members were generally all elected from the same area, voters approved a change in the city government which divided the city up into five districts unrelated to any other districts, solely for the purpose of electing these at-large council members. Thus, at-large council members are elected from each of these five districts by the voters of the county as a whole.

Some government services remained—as they had been prior to consolidation – independent of both city and county authority. In accordance with Florida law, the school board continues to exist with nearly complete autonomy. Jacksonville also has several quasi-independent government agencies which only nominally answer to the consolidated authority, including, electric authority, port authority, and airport authority. Fire, police, health and welfare, recreation, public works, and housing and urban development were all combined under the new government.

Four municipalities within Duval County voted not to join the consolidated government. These were the communities of Baldwin, Neptune Beach, Atlantic Beach and Jacksonville Beach, which consist of only 6% of the total population within the county. The four separate communities provide their own services, while maintaining the right to contract the consolidated government to provide services for them. For example, in December of 2005, the city council of Baldwin voted to eliminate the Baldwin Police Department, a decision which was consummated in March of 2006. Since that time, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has assumed policing responsibilities for the one-square mile town, located in the far western portion of Duval County. The main environmental and agricultural body is the Duval County Soil and Water Conservation District, which works closely with other area agencies.

See also: List of mayors of Jacksonville, Florida

Duval County Public Schools are controlled by the Duval County School Board.

Jacksonville is home to Jacksonville University, the University of North Florida, Florida Community College at Jacksonville, Edward Waters College, Art Institute of Jacksonville, Florida Coastal School of Law, Trinity Baptist College, Jones College, Florida Technical College, Logos Christian College, Brewer Christian College, Columbia College and the University of Phoenix.

Former mayor John Delaney has been president of the University of North Florida since leaving office in July 2003, parlaying his widespread popularity in the city into a position of leadership in the state university system.

Jacksonville, along with the standard district schools, is home to three International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme ("IB") high schools. They are Stanton College Preparatory School, Paxon School for Advanced Studies and Jean Ribault Senior High School.Jacksonville also has a notable magnet high school devoted to the performing and expressive arts, Douglas Anderson School of the Arts. The Advanced International Certification of Education Program (""A.I.C.E") is available at Mandarin High School and William M. Raines Senior High School. See also: List of high schools in Jacksonville

Jacksonville is home to two Catholic secondary schools: Bishop Kenny High School and Bishop Snyder High School. [26]

The prestigious Bolles School and Episcopal High School are also located in Jacksonville.

Healthcare in Jacksonville is dominated by Baptist Health and Shands HealthCare for local residents, but the Nemours and Mayo facilities each draw patients regionally. There are literally hundreds of individual practitioners and Professional Associations (PA) in the Jacksonville area.


P-3 Orion aircraft from NAS Jacksonville overfly downtown Jacksonville and three of its road bridges, 1994.
P-3 Orion aircraft from NAS Jacksonville overfly downtown Jacksonville and three of its road bridges, 1994.
A 1992 map of four of the bridges.
A 1992 map of four of the bridges.

Interstate Highways 10 and 95 intersect in Jacksonville. Interstate Highway 10 ends at this intersection (the other end being in Santa Monica, California). The eastern terminus of US-90 is in nearby Jacksonville Beach near the Atlantic Ocean. Additionally, several other roads as well a major local expressway, J. Turner Butler Boulevard (SR 202) also connect Jacksonville to the beaches. Public transportation is provided by the Jacksonville Transportation Authority. The city has the JTA Skyway, an elevated monorail, which travels through the central business district. However, there are few Skyway stations and as such, traffic is light. The Skyway has been criticized in that it goes from "nowhere to nowhere" along its limited route, which encompasses only downtown and is of no help in commuting from suburban neighborhoods. Interstate 95 has a bypass route, with I-295, which bypasses the city to the west, and SR-9A, bypassing the city to the east. I-295 and SR-9A circumscribe the most populated portion of Jacksonville.

Jacksonville is also home to the world headquarters of CSX Transportation, which owns a large building on the riverbank downtown that is a significant part of the skyline. The Amtrak passenger railroad serves Jacksonville from a station on Clifford Lane in the northwest section of the city.

There are also numerous bridges over the St. Johns River at Jacksonville. They include (starting from furthest downstream) the Dames Point Bridge, the Mathews Bridge, the Isaiah D. Hart Bridge, the Main Street Bridge, the Acosta Bridge, the Fuller Warren Bridge (which carries I-95 traffic) and the Buckman Bridge.

Major commercial air service in Jacksonville operates out of Jacksonville International Airport on the Northside. Smaller planes can fly to Craig Airport on the Southside and Herlong Airport on the Westside. The city also operates the former NAS airfield at Cecil Commerce Center that is intended for aerospace and manufacturing companies.

Four modern seaport facilities, including America's newest cruise port, make Jacksonville a full-service international seaport. In 2004, JAXPORT handled 7.7 million tons of cargo, including 533,000 vehicles. In 2003, the JAXPORT Cruise Terminal opened, providing cruise service to Key West, Florida, the Bahamas, and Mexico.

v • d • e
St. Johns River crossings in the Jacksonville, Florida area
Upriver from Downtown

Shands Bridge (to be replaced or supplemented) | Buckman Bridge | Timuquana Bridge (never built)
Downtown Jacksonsonville
Downriver from Downtown

Dames Point Bridge | Florida State Road 113A (never built) | Mayport Ferry

See also: List of sister cities in Florida

Jacksonville has six sister cities.[27] They are:

In 2000, The Sister Cities International awarded Jacksonville the Innovation Arts & Culture Award for the city's program with Nantes.

  1. ^ Population Estimates for the 25 Largest U.S. Cities based on July 1, 2006 Population Estimates (PDF). US Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2007-06-28.
  2. ^ US Census July 1, 2006 est.
  3. ^ Annual Estimates of the Population of Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006. US Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2007-11-03.
  4. ^ Timucua Village of Ossachite. The Historical Text Archive. Retrieved on 2007-11-03.
  5. ^ The Jacksonville Silent Film Museum at Norman Studios. Retrieved on 2007-07-19.
  6. ^ Climate Information for Jacksonville, Florida. ClimateZone.com. Retrieved on 2006-07-23.
  7. ^ Jacksonville,Florida's history with tropical systems. HurricaneCity. Retrieved on 2006-07-23.
  8. ^ Historical Jacksonville Weather Data. Retrieved on Jul 19, 2007.
  9. ^ Parks, Recreation, Entertainment & Conservation. Retrieved on 2007-07-19.
  10. ^ a b Jacksonville Public Library: A History. Retrieved on 2007-08-19.
  11. ^ Jacksonville Public Library: Profile. Retrieved on 2007-08-19.
  12. ^ The Better Jacksonville Plan. Retrieved on 2007-07-19.
  13. ^ Cox Radio's Market Profile for Jacksonville, Florida. Retrieved on 2007-07-19.
  14. ^ Clear Channel Radio Station List for Jacksonville, Florida. Retrieved on 2007-07-19.
  15. ^ Inside wokv.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-19.
  16. ^ Clark, Hannah (2007-02-16). Table: Best Cities for Jobs. Forbes.com. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.
  17. ^ Woolsey, Matt (2007-10-31). In Pictures: America's Fastest-Growing Cities. Forbes.com. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.
  18. ^ Modern Language Association Data Center Results of Jacksonville, FL. Retrieved on 2007-07-19.
  19. ^ Unitarian Universalist Church of Jacksonville. Retrieved on 2007-07-19.
  20. ^ Diocese of Saint Augustine Statistical Overview. Retrieved on 2007-07-19.
  21. ^ Chabad-Lubavitch Centers in Jacksonville, Florida. Retrieved on 2007-07-19.
  22. ^ Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Jacksonville, Florida. Retrieved on 2007-07-19.
  23. ^ Islamic Center of Northeast Florida, Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-07-19.
  24. ^ Jacksonville Bahá’í Community. Retrieved on 2007-07-19.
  25. ^ Metro Area Membership Report for Jacksonville, Florida. Retrieved on 2007-07-19.
  26. ^ http://www.bishopsnyder.org/ retrieved on May 12, 2007
  27. ^ Jacksonville Sisters Cities Association. Retrieved on 2007-07-19.

  • James B. Cooks, Jacksonville: The Consolidation Story, from Civil Rights to the Jaguars, University Press of Florida, 2004.
  • Greg Jenkins, Florida's Ghostly Legends And Haunted Folklore: North Florida And St. Augustine, Pineapple Press, 2005.
  • Buddy Martin, The Boys from Old Florida: Inside Gator Nation, Sports Publishing, 2006
  • Herman Mason, Jr., African-American Life in Jacksonville, Arcadia Publishing, 1997.
  • Joanelle Mulrain, Re-Rooting Life's Journeys
  • Keeping the Faith: Race, Politics, and Social Development in Jacksonville, Florida, 1940-1970, Greenwood Publishing, 2000.
  • John Oehser, Jags to Riches: The Cinderella Season of the Jacksonville Jaguars, St. Martins Press, 1997.
  • Daniel Schaefer, From scratch pads and dreams: A ten year history of the University of North Florida, University of North Florida, 1982.
  • Jules Wagman, Jacksonville and Florida's First Coast, Windsor Publishing, 1989.
  • Dr. Caroyln Williams, Historic Photos of Jacksonville, Turner Publishing Company, 2006.

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