Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is one of the most beautiful cities in Florida that has the right mixture of rural splendor and urban beauty. This city is jam-packed with attractions that will keep anyone busy in this city. The most sensational thing in this city is its hospitality which resembles the perfect southern friendliness. You can relish the sun filled outdoors or just relax under the moon next to the beach with roaring waves.
The city is known for its fresh seafood with multiple cuisines that will definitely rapt you to this heavenly place. It is a dreamland for all wild life lovers, with abundant marine animals and beautiful corals which are just a part of its ocean wild life ethnicity. You have plenty more to explore in the city that has everything that one could possibly desire from a vacation destination and also a place to live permanently.
Jacksonville is a holiday destination for the entire family with options such as zoo, museums, parks and beaches. The city has a diverse business community and is one of the few cities where it is cheaper to buy real estate than rent it. The city has a strong art community that is sure to keep the ones with exemplary tastes.
Jacksonville is a spacious city situated in Florida that has abundant sunshine, fun and frolic throughout the year. The city has a diverse mixture of foreign immigrants which offer the city an interesting mixture of cultures that is beyond any other city in United States. The ancestors of a large percent of the permanent residents of Jacksonville hail from other countries instead of America.
The city has wide roads that give little hindrance in the form of traffic and offer scenic drives along the river banks. The city has great schools, numerous world class hospitals and ample number of libraries that are sure to suffice anyone permanently moving to this city from anywhere else. The city has excess of green spaces and waterways throughout the city that give the city residents good view year round. The city has copious amount of recreational activities in the form of parks, outdoor events and water sports.
Jacksonville has a strong and diverse business community with many fortune 500 companies that range from financial to international export and import. Last but not the least, the city has an year round abundant supply of sunlight and good weather, accompanies with fewer hurricanes and mild winters than the other cities in southeastern Florida are accustomed to.
Jacksonville History
Jacksonville City in Florida was earlier known as Cowford in the late eighteenth century and it grew gradually until the time of the American Civil War, when it started flourishing as a winter vacation spot. The City of Jacksonville has its own share of ups and downs like any other city in the United States. The development of the city was hampered many a times due to various incidences like the Great Fire in 1901 which was one of the largest urban fires in the Southeast burning about 146 city blocks caused by a small spark from a stove at a mattress factory reaching massive proportions. The fire ravaged city was reconstructed with the assistance of the New York City architect Henry John Klutho. The Florida Land Bust in the 1920s, the economic crisis in the 1960s and 1970s also arrested the development of Jacksonville. But braving all those, the city has been growing steadily in the recent times.
The region as inhabited by a coastal subgroup of Timucua Indians known as Mocama before the Spanish explorers landed, followed by the French naval officer Jean Ribault along with 150 settlers establishing the colony of Charlesfort and later Fort Caroline. The battle between French and the Spanish to displace each other went on until Spain ceded Florida to the British in the year 1763 who gave back the control of the territory to the Spanish again in 1783 . Cowford was the first permanent settlement created with the main purpose of allowing the cattlemen to ford their livestock at the narrow point in St Johns River.
The Florida territory became a part of the United States after it was sold to them in 1821 which led to rechristening of Cowford to Jacksonville in 1822. The city was named after the military governor of Florida Territory and eventually the president of United States, Andrew Jackson.
During the Civil War era, Jacksonville played a role as the chief supply point for hogs and cattle leaving Florida aiding the cause of the Confederates. During the war, Jacksonville had changed hands several times without a battle. The Union soldiers from Jacksonville were defeated by the Confederates in 1864 and by the end of the war in 1865 Jacksonville was dilapidated and a victim of war and had to undergo massive reconstruction soon afterwards. Later on Jacksonville along with the neighboring St. Augustine became popular winter resorts.
In early 20th century Jacksonville was the headquarters for the motion picture industry due to the pleasant warm climate, railroad connectivity, exotic locations and cheaper labor. On October 1, 1968 the Government of Jacksonville was consolidated with the Government of Duval County making Jacksonville the largest city in the state of Florida and the 13th largest city in the United States.
About Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida is largest city in United States in terms of size. It is also the largest city of Florida in terms of population and the eleventh most populated city in United States. Jacksonville is also the county seat of the Duval County.
The city of Jacksonville was consolidated in 1968, which gave the city its enormous size, dwarfing all other cities of United States after it. The consolidation put a large amount of its metropolitan population within the city limits. According to the 2010 census, the city has close to 1,300,000 people. The city has a land area of around 879 sq miles, with 13 percent covered by water and the rest land. The city also completely surrounds the town of Baldwin.
The city of Jacksonville has more than 500 neighborhoods. It is located on the banks of St. Johns River and is in the First Coast region of northeastern part of the state of Florida. Jacksonville’s neighbors are Baker County to the west and Nassau County to the north. The city has long beaches that overlook the Atlantic Ocean. The city is also close to economically developed cities such as Miami and Georgia.
Jacksonville is also among the fastest economically expanding cities in Florida and also ranks among the top five in Untied States. The city has a decent skyline which is possible because of the economic development seen in this city since the past few decades. The city operates United States largest urban park system, which covers more than 80,000 acres and gives an ample space for residents and visitors to indulge in recreational activities.
Jacksonville’s resourceful and well positioned harbor has led to the city becoming a major deep water port and also a major military post. The Port of Jacksonville serves businesses and the riverine location harbor serves two bases of the military. The city has become a major hob of automobile companies to export their cars. The economy of the city today is balanced between financial services, information services, biomedical technology, consumer goods, manufacturing, insurance and many other diverse industries. The city is a focal point of highway, air, water and rail transport. Organizations such as Fidelity National Financial, Winn Dixie Stores and CSX Corporation call Jacksonville their home.
The city sees numerous events organized here annually, from sports to cultural events, there is something for everyone here. The Jacksonville Jazz Festival is one of United State’s largest jazz festivals. The city also organizes the Jacksonville Film Festival. According to 2008 tourism reports, the city gets around $3 million visitors each year. The city has abundant theaters, the most famous of these is the Florida Theatre that opened in 1927 and is today only one of the four running high style movie palace in the State.
About Duval County, Florida
Duval County is located in the state of Florida with Jacksonville as the county seat. Duval County was first established in the year 1822 and was named after the popular Governor of Florida Territory, William Pope DuVal who held the office from 1822 to 1834. Duval County government was consolidated with the government of Jacksonville city in 1968.
Duval County has a population of about 864,263 as per the 2010 census and covers an area of 918.24 sq miles. Duval County when created covered a large area and was named after the Governor of Florida Territory during the period of 1822 to 1834, William Pope DuVal. Dual County was created from St. Johns County in the year 1822 ranging from the Suwannee River in the west to the Atlantic Ocean in the east and similarly from the north of the line from Suwannee River to Jacksonville.
Duval County has a rich history. The archeologists have unearthed a lot of artifacts believed to have belonged to the indigenous people of the region. Before the landing of the Spanish and the French followed by colonization, the Timucuan Indians known as Mocamas inhabited the whole region of Duval County. Later on, one of the most powerful tribes of the region known as the Saturiwa controlled the Duval County region during the period of arrival of the Europeans. In 1824, Alachua and Nassau Counties were carved out of Duval County, similarly in 1856 Clay County was created from a part of Duval County and finally Duval County was consolidated with Jacksonville in 1968.
The county has a humid sub-tropical climate with abundant sunshine. The county has mild winters and warm summers. Atlantic Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Baldwin and Neptune beach cities are a part of Duval County which are not included in the corporate limits of the Jacksonville city. Duval County , given its proximity to the Atlantic ocean and St Johns river is the transportation hub in the state of Florida importing automobiles and coffee and exporting various commodities like paper, wood pulp and cigars.