Neighborhoods of Jacksonville

Jacksonville consolidated with Duval County in 1968; as such its city limits largely match the county borders. The City of Jacksonville estimates that there are over 500 neighborhoods within this area. The most commonly used vernacular areas are Northside, located north of Downtown; Arlington, east of Downtown across the St. Johns River; Southside, across the river from Downtown to the south, and Westside, to the west of Downtown. Additionally, the Jacksonville Beaches designates the group of towns and communities along the Atlantic coast. ==Downtown==

Downtown is the central business district of Jacksonville. The oldest section of the city, it is traditionally defined by the original boundaries of the city set upon its establishment. It is the center of Jacksonville's Urban Core, which includes the surrounding neighborhoods of LaVilla, Springfield, East Jacksonville, and Brooklyn, plus a section on the south side of the St. Johns River known as Southbank. The area that became downtown Jacksonville was on the north bank of a crossing on the St. Johns River known as Wacca Pilatka to the Seminole and as the Cow Ford to the British. The land that became the town was largely drawn from two land grants from 1816, during Florida's Second Spanish Period: one to Maria Taylor, née Suarez, and one to Juan LeMaestre. By 1821 a small community had grown there, and local residents plotted out the streets for a town, which they soon named "Jacksonville" after Andrew Jackson. The town was occupied by Union troops for much of the American Civil War, and steady growth came after the war's end, when it became one of Florida's first major tourist destinations. In 1887 Jacksonville annexed several surrounding suburbs. Nearly all of downtown burned in the Great Fire of 1901; however a significant building boom followed immediately after. LaVilla LaVilla is a historic neighborhood located immediately west of Downtown. Jacksonville's first suburb, it was originally an independent city until it was annexed in 1887 along with several other suburbs. It included streets west of Clay Street and north of McCoy's Creek and the railroad lines. The part of LaVilla north of Adams Street was for many years a center of African-American life and culture in Jacksonville. Most residents were black, and the neighborhood contained many venues, such as the Ritz Theatre and the many clubs on the Ashley Street strip, which showcased black entertainers. The southern part of the neighborhood was a major railroad hub, with several rail lines meeting at Union Station (now the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center), and probably not coincidentally, was also for a period Jacksonville's primary red light district. LaVilla was incorporated in the 1860s as a predominantly African-American town. Union troops were based in the area during the American Civil War. Along with five other suburbs, it was annexed by Jacksonville when the city limits expanded in 1887. The Great Fire of 1901 started in LaVilla, but the neighborhood was largely spared, while the fire ravaged downtown. Over the next several decades LaVilla saw the growth of a burgeoning music and entertainment scene, and many nationally renowned artists came to play at the local clubs on and off Ashely Street that catered to black audiences. In the 1960s, however, the neighborhood declined precipitously and has not recovered. The railroad industry declined and urban decay set in, and after the end of segregation many residents left to seek opportunities in other neighborhoods. In the 1980s began an urban renewal campaign that continues today. It appears that Price gave the development its name, but it is not known why a former staunch Confederate would have chosen a name so associated with the New York borough of Brooklyn. At any rate, Price's Brooklyn was initially a residential suburb, growing quickly with the establishment of a streetcar line. Brooklyn is a historically African-American neighborhood in which houses were built for Buffalo Soldiers. In 1887 Brooklyn and several other suburbs were annexed by Jacksonville. Brooklyn remained primarily residential into the 20th century, until it was rezoned for commercial use, and a number of commercial skyscrapers and other building were constructed along the river. In the late 20th and early 21st century plans have been made to reintroduce residential zoning. ==Riverside and Avondale==

Riverside and Avondale are two adjacent and closely associated neighborhoods, alternately described as one continuous neighborhood, to the south of Downtown on the St. Johns River. Both neighborhoods are primarily residential, containing some of the city's most notable examples of residential architecture, with integrated business districts, including the historic Five Points area and King Street District. The entire area south of Jacksonville was originally plantation land prior to the Civil War. After the war, a group of investors purchased the southern part of Miles Price's plantation to develop as a new residential suburb. Price retained the northern part of his land and developed it as the suburb of Brooklyn. In the late 1950s & 1960s, the area went into decay, with many of those grand old homes being converted into rooming houses. However, after being designated a "National Historic Neighborhood", by the late 1990s, Riverside had recovered, with many homes restored to their original form. Avondale was developed later. In 1920 it was proposed as a new upscale development, the most expansive Jacksonville had ever experienced. ==Springfield==

Springfield is a historic residential neighborhood located immediately north of Downtown. This area was originally part of the "Hogans' Donation", which was divided up following the Civil War for residential development. The original Springfield development dates to 1869; over time other developments were absorbed into a single community, all of which were annexed by Jacksonville in 1887. Springfield became home to many of Jacksonville's wealthiest residents, and boomed following the Great Fire of 1901, with many lavish houses being built. However, zoning changes in the late 1920s altered the residential character of the neighborhood, and the urban decay afflicting most of the United States' inner city neighborhoods since the mid 20th century sent Springfield into substantial decline. In 1975 a preservation society was formed with the intent of saving Springfield's architectural heritage, resulting in a resurgence of growth. According to author Wayne Wood, "Springfield is destined to re-emerge as one of Jacksonville's successful residential neighborhoods." Indeed, in 2011, Southern Living named Springfield one of "The South's Best Comeback Neighborhoods". ==Eastside==

Eastside, or East Jacksonville, is a residential neighborhood located directly to the east of Downtown and Springfield. Unlike the areas known as Northside, Westside, and Southside, Eastside does not comprise a large section of Duval County. Eastside contains Jacksonville's sports complex, including TIAA Bank Field, VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, and the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. The original East Jacksonville development was a small residential community located east of Jacksonville along the St. Johns River, which grew up shortly after the Civil War. Eastside has remained the center of Jacksonville's annual Fair and sports complexes, as well as a center of industry in the city. As with other inner city neighborhoods across the United States it underwent precipitous decline since the mid-20th century. Neither the Avenue nor the neighborhood has recovered, though in more recent times, the Eastside has been the center of urban renewal projects. Fairfield was located farther east, along the northward bend of the river. Its attraction was as the location of Jacksonville's first Fairgrounds, which was the source of its name. These included a racetrack, the forerunner to Jacksonville's sports venues. Fairfield was incorporated as a city; in 1887 all three communities were among those annexed by Jacksonville. They soon grew into one continuous neighborhood. ==San Marco==

San Marco is a neighborhood south of Downtown Jacksonville, across the St. Johns River. Its origins are with the former city of South Jacksonville. Today, most of what was once the city of South Jacksonville is known as San Marco, while South Jacksonville or Southside is used for a much wider section of southern Duval County. The area which is now San Marco was occupied continuously long before what is now Downtown Jacksonville. It was the site of the ferry that crossed the Cow Ford, and was the site of plantations from the 18th century. After the Civil War these gave way to residential developments, including Oklahoma and South Jacksonville, the latter of which came to absorb the other communities. South Jacksonville was incorporated as a city in 1907, and grew significantly following the construction of the original Acosta Bridge in 1921. In 1932 South Jacksonville was annexed by Jacksonville. The name San Marco comes from South Jacksonville's most ambitious development, begun in 1926 and consisting of many upscale Mediterranean Revival-style homes and an integrated commercial sector known as San Marco Square. Later, as South Jacksonville or Southside came to be applied to a wider and wider area of the city, San Marco has been applied to most of the area formerly a part of South Jacksonville. San Marco remains a diverse and architecturally significant neighborhood, with many of its former government buildings and homes surviving. The southern border of San Marco ends at Greenridge Road, where the historic Red Bank house sits on the cape of Point La Vista. ==St. Nicholas==

St. Nicholas is a small neighborhood on the south side of the St. Johns River, just east of San Marco. Like San Marco it was inhabited long before the area now comprising Downtown Jacksonville. During Florida's Second Spanish Period, it was the site of Fort San Nicolas, which guarded the river crossing at the Cowford. This led to the area between the ferry and Miller's Creek being known as "San Nicolas". The name was later Anglicized to St. Nicholas. After the Civil War this area was the site of vacation and retirement homes for several wealthy Jacksonville residents. Some of their former homes remain in the area. Today St. Nicholas is a chiefly residential neighborhood with some commercial zoning along Beach and Atlantic Boulevards. ==Ortega==

Ortega is located on the St. Johns River just south of the Riverside and Avondale area. It lies on a peninsula jutting into the St. Johns River, separated from the mainland by the St. Johns River to the east and the smaller waterway known as the Ortega River to the north and west. It was formerly an island until a land bridge was constructed on the southern end; this now carries U.S. Route 17, or Roosevelt Boulevard. Ortega is one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Jacksonville and one of the wealthiest in the United States; it was listed as the 46th wealthiest are in Worth magazine. Ortega is bisected by U.S. 17; the older area to the east of the road is known as "Old Ortega", while the area to the west is known as "Ortega Forest". On July 14, 2004, a section of Ortega to the east of 17 and north of Verona Avenue was designated as the Old Ortega Historic District by the National Register of Historic Districts. The history of the area includes a number of interesting characters: botanist William Bartram; highwayman and cattle rustler Daniel McGirt; and Don Juan McQueen, who attempted to establish a plantation on his 1791 Ortega land grant, but was forced to leave due to attacks of Georgians and the French. Gangster George "Machine Gun" Kelly and his wife were rumored to be the mysterious couple who abruptly left their rented Grand Avenue home hours before a midnight police raid in 1933. Ortega is home to hundreds of mid-size to large, turn-of-the-century homes and Southern-style mansions. Many of these homes are situated directly on the river, and the nature of the "island" allows ease of access to the waterways for all residents. Along with Avondale and Riverside, Ortega is home to some of the wealthiest of Jacksonville families. It is marked by a distinctly traditional Southern culture complete with one of the South's most exclusive debutante coteries. The island is almost all residential, the only exception being a small square in the section known as "Old Ortega" on the north side where a small collection of restaurants, boutiques, and a pharmacy are found. Ortega, with its giant oaks, waterfront mansions, and series of parks is widely considered one of the most beautiful residential areas of Northeast Florida. Naval Air Station Jacksonville is also located on the south side of this neighborhood. ==Northside==

The Northside is a region of Jacksonville, generally understood as a counterpart to the city's other large regions, the Urban Core, Arlington, Southside, Westside, and the Beaches. The expansive area houses a sizable share of the city's transportation and logistics infrastructure, including Jacksonville International Airport, Jacksonville station, JAXPORT Cruise Terminal, Blount Island Marine Terminal and Dames Point Marine Terminal. The area is also home to the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. There is no consistent definition for what constitute the boundaries of the Northside, but by using a Geographic Information System to sort names of 47 businesses with "Northside" in their name, geographer John W. McEwen determined that the Northside is roughly north of the urban core and Westside at 20th Street, and stretching west and north of the St. Johns River. Panama Park Panama Park is a neighborhood on Jacksonville's Northside. "Panama" was the site of East Florida's first steam-powered sawmill in 1828. The area grew up as a suburb of Jacksonville through the 19th century, connected to the city by two popular roads. Major growth came after 1905, and a new school designed by Henry J. Klutho was built in 1915. Panama Park was annexed by Jacksonville in 1931. Riverview Riverview is a neighborhood on the Northside of Jacksonville, bordered by the Trout River to the North and East, Ribault River to the South, and Ribault Ave to the West. Riverview was originally platted and developed to be a suburb of Jacksonville in 1911 by Dr. E.H. Armstrong. He announced available sites offered "America's greatest opportunities to the intelligent Caucasian Race to own a beautiful home." Dr. Armstrong also converted his 25-acre waterfront home property into Riverview Tropical Gardens, an attraction with boating, fishing and garden trails of roses, azaleas, and lilies. In the 1950s, the Gardens were turned into Sid Walker's Riverview Amusement Park. In 1979, the city of Jacksonville purchased the land and converted the property into a park. Tallulah-North Shore Tallulah-North Shore is a neighborhood located in the Northside area, on the southern banks of the Trout River. First developed in 1879, the primarily residential area was annexed by Jacksonville in 1925. The Trout River is Tallulah-North Shore's most scenic feature and also forms the neighborhood's northern border. ==Westside==

Like Northside, Westside or West Jacksonville is one of the traditional large sections of Jacksonville. It refers to the large section of Jacksonville west of Downtown and the interior neighborhoods, including both populated areas and a vast tract of undeveloped land. Using GIS to sort 45 businesses with "Westside" in their name, John W. McEwen mapped the Westside as being west of the St. Johns River and Downtown at approximately Interstate 95, and south and west of the Northside. Lake Shore Originally established by the 1920s with its main commercial center at San Juan Avenue and Blanding Boulevard dating back to at least 1906, Lake Shore is immediately south of Murray Hill, Riverside and Avondale, Fishweir Creek, and is bound by the Cedar River (called Cedar Creek by locals) to the west and south. Inland from the Ortega historic district and McGirts Creek to the east, the community consists of historic homes both inland and along the waterfront, a cluster of Spanish Colonial estate homes, as well as many postwar frame, brick, and stucco bungalows. South of Park Street, situated at the southwestern stretch of Avondale's St. Johns Avenue, spanning nearly a mile between Blanding and Lake Shore Boulevards, Lake Shore Terrace is a collection of mid-century modern homes built on larger lots developed by the Brownett and Fort Building company between 1951 and 1953 just north of San Juan Avenue Florida State Road 128. In 2009, the arched gateways which mark the entrance to Bayview Road in the heart of Lake Shore were restored and designated as historic landmarks by the City of Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission and Lakeshore Area Preservation Society. Bisected by the northern end of State Road 21 (Blanding Boulevard), Lake Shore is home to the Jacksonville Marina Mile which is a regionally unique combination of full service marinas, nautical outfitters, and dry storage facilities that advantageously line the tidal calm of the recreational watercourse on the west bank of McGirts Creek at the confluence of Cedar Creek and the St. Johns River. Murray Hill Murray Hill (Heights), in Jacksonville took the name of a neighborhood in Manhattan, New York City. While the neighborhood was created in 1907, the town of Murray Hill was incorporated in 1916 with its own mayor. The City of Jacksonville annexed the town on August 15, 1925. Murray Hill is a neighborhood in Jacksonville that is filled with multiple parks, restaurants, bars, community gardens and an art center. Most of the parks are located within the neighborhoods. Some of the parks in Murray Hill are: Four Corners Park, Murray Hill Playground, Jasmine Park, Powers Park and Cameron Park. The community garden, located right by Four Corners Park, was maintained by the Murray Hill community. However, in 2017, two new homes were built, on the land previously used for the garden. The architecture in Murray Hill is very diverse. There are brick, wood, stucco, concrete, bungalows, cottages, modern and southern style homes. Most of the homes are smaller, thus making it perfect for younger families, and retirees. The homes in Murray Hill are older, but the area is not registered as a historic neighborhood. The oldest existing house in Murray Hill was built in 1898 located on Talbot Avenue. The main strip located in Murray Hill is called Edgewood Avenue South. This road is filled with store fronts that have older and newer merchants. Some of the older/original merchants are: Edgewood Bakery, Dreamete and Murray Hill Theater. Newer Merchants include: Maple Street Biscuit Company, Community Loaves, and Moon River Pizza. It is also home to the Murray Hill Farmer's Market started by Nadia Korths and Miranda Jayde Anderson. The neighborhood has been going through a period of gentrification. Murray Hill is right beside the thriving neighborhoods Riverside and Avondale near Downtown Jacksonville. New Town New Town is an urban Westside neighborhood located immediately west of LaVilla and Downtown. A working class, primarily African-American residential neighborhood, it was developed in the early 20th century. It is the location of Edward Waters College, Florida's oldest historically black college. By the 21st century the neighborhood showed many signs of urban decay, plagued by crime, failing schools, health issues and endemic poverty. In 2008 the city established the New Town Success Zone modeled after New York City's Harlem Children's Zone to provide comprehensive social and educational programs and services to the neighborhood. Durkeeville Durkeeville was a low-cost housing project and neighborhood for African Americans, construction of which started in 1936. It is named for the land owner who sold it to the project. It had 215 units and was bounded by 6th, Payne, and McConihe Streets, and Myrtle Avenue. J. P. Small Memorial Stadium is located in Durkeeville.{{cite book ==Arlington==

Together with Northside, Westside, and Southside, Arlington is one of the large sections of Duval County. Initially, Arlington was a settlement to the east across the St. Johns River from Jacksonville; today it refers to most of Jacksonville east and south of the St. Johns, west of the Intracoastal Waterway, and north of the Arlington River and Southside. Using GIS to sort 87 businesses with "Arlington" in their name, McEwen came to a similar definition, Arlington was one of the first areas in the United States visited by Europeans; it was the site of the French Fort Caroline in 1564–1565, now represented by the Fort Caroline National Memorial. After the destruction of Fort Caroline, the area was only sparsely inhabited until the 19th century, when sawmills and plantations were established along the St. Johns River. After the American Civil War these gave way to residential developments, which were gradually absorbed into the Arlington community as it grew. The construction of the Mathews Bridge in 1953 opened the area up to significantly increased development, and over the next two decades Arlington became the fastest growing part of the Jacksonville area. ==Southside==

Southside, or South Jacksonville, is, along with Northside, Westside, and Arlington, one of the larger sections of Jacksonville. Originally the name "South Jacksonville" applied to the area to the south of Downtown across the St. Johns River, a neighborhood now typically called San Marco. Baymeadows Jacksonville's Baymeadows neighborhood was founded after the establishment of the Deerwood Country Club, because the Baymeadows area surrounded the only road to Deerwood. It is one of Jacksonville's major economic centers and commercial hubs. The Baymeadows Golf Club was a 500-acre private golf and residential community developed by Paul & Jerome Fletcher that opened in May 1968 when the I-95 interchange at Baymeadows Road was built. That event opened the floodgates for development in the neighborhood with business parks, apartment complexes, restaurants, motels and gas stations. Baymeadow's Deerwood Village Mall, opened in 1972, was one of Jacksonville's earliest suburban shopping centers in support of the Deerwood, and it is still a popular retail location after 60+ years. Deerwood Jacksonville's Deerwood neighborhood was founded in the early 1960s as the Deerwood Country Club, the first gated community in Florida, developed by the Skinner family on land originally purchased by R.G. Skinner in the 1890s. It was designed as a luxury community with a George Cobb-designed golf course and expanded to include a swimming pool, tennis courts, horseback riding, hunting and social activities. The community is known for its estate homes, mature landscaping, lakes, and as a symbol of prestige in Northeast Florida. A newspaper article in 2005 stated: "Deerwood became the new place to live, the protected place to raise a family and the coveted community for outsiders to snag a dinner invitation. The Times-Union regularly featured its stylish homes and equally stylish homeowners." Mandarin Mandarin is located on the east side of the St. Johns River just north of the border with St. Johns County. It was at one point a separate city, and was incorporated into Jacksonville in the Jacksonville Consolidation in 1968. Mandarin grew up as an orange grove farming community, and went by several names before receiving its current designation, picked for the Mandarin orange. After the Civil War was the summer home of author Harriet Beecher Stowe, whose book Palmetto Leaves was inspired by her experiences there. Mandarin remained a quiet community until 1970, when the construction of the Buckman Bridge, connecting Mandarin to Orange Park across the river, ushered in a new wave of development, and Mandarin subsequently became one of Jacksonville's fastest growing neighborhoods. San Jose is located 4½ miles south of Downtown along the east bank of the St. Johns River, south to San Clerc Road; bounded on the east by the railroad tracks west of U.S. Highway 1 and north by Hendricks Avenue. The construction of I-95 in the 1960s, a few miles east of San Jose, transformed a rural area into the city's Southside. It shifted development away from San Jose, preserving it as primarily a residential area. Southpoint's boundaries are roughly Interstate 95 to the west, Bowden Road to the north, Belfort Road to the east, and Butler Boulevard to the south. Some businesses between I-95 and Philips Highway use Southpoint to reference their location. Streets within Southpoint include Southpoint Parkway, Southpoint Drive North & South, Southpoint Boulevard, and Salisbury Road. When the initial segment of J. Turner Butler Boulevard (State Road 202) was completed in 1979 and access to land around Butler Blvd improved, facilitating development of the area east of Interstate 95. Gate Petroleum partnered with the Bryant Skinner Company in 1980 to create the Southpoint office park. Sunbeam Sunbeam is a suburban residential neighborhood located in southern Jacksonville, Florida. From the 1970s to the early 1990s Sunbeam Road was known for its landfill. In early 2008 it was announced that a 9-hole golf course would open on the former landfill, but it did not. In late 2020 construction began on Everlake, an active adult development and Aterro, a recreational park with multiple uses. Some subdivisions are older, constructed from 1970 to 1999, but over 70% of apartments and developments are newer, built after 2000. The neighborhood is occupied by both renters and owners. Dwellings are mostly large (4-5+) or medium (3–4) bedroom single-family residences and townhomes. ==Jacksonville Beaches==

The Jacksonville Beaches are a group of towns and communities along the Atlantic Ocean. They are, from north to south, Mayport, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, and Ponte Vedra Beach. The first four communities are located within Duval County; Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, and Jacksonville Beach are incorporated cities that maintain their own municipal governments, while Ponte Vedra Beach, in St. Johns County, is only a CDP without a municipal government. ==Notes==