Will LaVilla be Jacksonville’s Ybor City?
Incorporated in 1869, the neighborhood known as LaVilla was annexed by the City of Jacksonville in 1887 and thrived into the early decades of the 20th century as the setting of Jacksonville’s richest multi-cultural, multi-ethnic life.
Two Terms to Shape a Legacy
John T. Alsop, Jr., Jacksonville’s longest running mayor (18 years), began his first term 100 years before Jacksonville first woman mayor is sworn in.
A Glimpse of Jacksonville’s Maritime Past
One of the joys of being an historian is discovering old documents that let us see into the past. The past is what happened. History is how we understand and explain the past, and we are constantly understanding it in new ways. Jacksonville is full of stories, which is what makes it such a fascinating place to practice history.
The Long Historical Reach of “Redlining”
Nearly two-thirds of Americans are homeowners, and for them, the difference between their home value and their mortgage balance is the lion’s share of what they consider their wealth. What is “redlining” and when did it begin?
Jacksonville’s Second Century
How much history can a city accumulate in 200 years? A lot, and Jacksonville has more, and more interesting history, than any place in Florida. Compared to our peer cities though, we seem less concerned with our civic inheritance. Why that is so makes for a lively conversation about Jacksonville’s identity. Whether it’s to explain a place or a person, the past is always where we look. Every city is unique, but Jacksonville stands out for its beauty combined with grittiness, its imposing size contrasted with its small-city feel, its serious problems balanced against its undeniable promise.
Jacksonville’s Great Fire Redefined the City
At 200 years old this year, Jacksonville retains very little of the built environment as it existed in 1822. For much of Jacksonville’s first 79 years of existence, development took place using timber construction. Consequently, the devastation of the Great Fire of 1901 created a clean slate on which to design and build a new downtown.
Who was Andrew Jackson?
In the 200th year of Jacksonville’s existence under that name, residents and visitors sometimes speculate as to why its early citizens identified themselves and their place with Andrew Jackson.
Surprising Jacksonville
For newcomers to Jacksonville, the city can be surprising in many ways. Once you get past the city’s sprawling size, and begin to explore neighborhoods new and old, you begin to sense there’s more here than meets the eye.
Historic anniversaries are not just for looking back
Time travel fantasies are fun, but historic anniversaries are not just for looking back.
A River Runs Through It
The St. Johns River Bridge, erected in 1921, was the first to bridge the gap for vehicle traffic between Jacksonville’s north and south banks. Nicknamed the Yellow Monster for its penchant to delay traffic while stuck in the raised position, the bridge later named the Acosta Bridge recently celebrated 100 years of service. Read more about Jacksonville’s bridges…