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Jacksonville and the Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau
550 Water Street
Jacksonville, FL 32202
(904) 798-9111
(904) 798-9103 (fax)
Population
635230
Time Zone
Eastern
Latitude/Longitude
30.32° /-81.66°
Today's Forecast
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HIGH: 73
LOW: 57
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Jacksonville, named for Andrew Jackson in 1822, was originally known as "the Cowford," where cattle crossed the St. Johns River to reach grazing land. The city became a shipbuilding, business, banking, and insurance center, and consolidated its city and county governments in 1968, making it the largest city in the country (840 square miles). Today, Jacksonville combines the bustle of downtown business with the relaxed resort atmosphere of the beach communities in a prosperous partnership.
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On the Jacksonville University campus, visit the restored Frederick Delius House, home of the British composer, and the Alexander Brest Museum, with displays of Steuben glass, Royal Danish porcelain, and ivory. Art lovers will also enjoy the collections of 18th-century Meissen porcelain and American landscapes of such masters as Eakins, Benton, Hassam, Homer, Sargent, and Remington at the Cummer Gallery of Art, its formal gardens overlooking the St. Johns River, and its Art Connections interactive gallery. On the other side of the coin, Jacksonville Museum of Contemporary Art features a collection of works by Picasso, Lichtenstein, and Nevelson. Some of history's most important original documents reside at the Karpeles Manuscript Library, whose museums are located throughout the United States and whose holdings range over such topics as music manuscript scores, literature, science, religion, and politics. Jacksonville Zoological Park animals live in re-creations of their natural habitats, and some of the smaller animals can be observed at close range. Children will also like Fort Caroline National Memorial, site of a wood-and-earthworks fort built on the St. Johns (then the River of May) in 1564 by French Huguenots and named after King Charles IX of France. The memorial contains a reconstruction of the fort, a museum, and nature trails. The Kingsley Plantation, now a historical park, once grew cotton, sugarcane, and other crops on 1,000 acres surrounding the two-story residence, separate kitchen, and barn/carriage house, built in 1798. Twenty-three slave cabins still remain, with exhibits describing the slaves' lives and the slave trade. Jacksonville Landing, a marketplace on the north bank of St. Johns River, has many unique retail stores, restaurants, and entertainment venues under one roof. The south bank features Riverwalk, with a boardwalk full of shops, restaurants, and hotels. The Friendship Fountain, the Jacksonville Museum of Science and History, and Alexander Brest Planetarium are also located there. The Jacksonville Maritime Museum is situated on both sides of the St. Johns. East of downtown are the communities of Jacksonville Beach, Atlantic Beach and Neptune Beach, with miles of long sandy beaches. Each community offers unique features such as a boardwalk, a lighted fishing pier, and the American Lighthouse Historical Society. In a city and state dedicated to outdoors activities, football is undoubtedly the biggest spectator sport. The old Gator Bowl has been completely rebuilt into the Alltel Stadium, home to the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars, the annual Georgia/Florida football rivalry, and the traditional New Year's Day Gator Bowl game. But this is also the land of greyhound racing, tennis, and golf. The brand new World Golf Village with the World Golf Hall of Fame is just 25 miles to the south.
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