Arlington, located in southeastern Duval County, stretches from the shores of the St. Johns River to the Intercostals Waterway. Arlington is home to 80 different neighborhoods, Jacksonville University, and the Fort Caroline National Monument. It is also home to the Regency Square Mall, which is one of four regional shopping centers in the Greater Jacksonville Area, and numerous stores, chain restaurants like Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse, and Ruby Tuesday, and office buildings.
French explorer Jean Ribaut founded a colony, called Fort Caroline, in Arlington in 1564. The 680-acre Fort Caroline National Monument, complete with a monument and a replica of the fort, sits on the site of the colony at St. Johns Bluff. In the 1920s, a film studio, Norman Film Studios, was based out of Arlington and produced silent films featuring African-American Actors.
In the 1930s, Jacksonville University was founded. This private liberal arts university is not only a quality academic institution but also home to quality basketball and baseball teams. In 1970, led by future Hall of Famer Artis Gilmore, Jacksonville University reached the finals of the NCAA Division I basketball tournament.
In 1986, the Mayo Clinic opened its first clinic outside Minnesota on San Pablo Road. Today it is home to more than 300 physicians and over 3000 allied health staff. Mayo Clinic Jacksonville is a world-class medical facility and is deeply involved in medical research, including research into Alzheimer’s disease.
Arlington has consistently grown over the years. Much of the area was developed in the 1950s and 1960s, but new subdivisions have appeared in recent years, especially east of the Regency Square Mall and in the area near Kernan and Hodges Boulevards and San Pablo Road, eastward to the Intercostals Waterway and the Jacksonville Beaches.
Mayport is home to one of Jacksonville’s two naval bases, the Mayport Naval Station. It is also known for commercial fishermen and the shrimp boats that trawl the area’s waters. Mayport also has Florida’s last full-time ferry, moving people and cars across the St. Johns River. Gambling cruises depart from Mayport on a daily basis, as do deep sea fishing excursions. Several silent movies were filmed in the Wonderwood area of Mayport in the 1910s, including some starring Laurel and Hardy. Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park, a large beach and camping site, is also located in the Mayport area.
Atlantic Beach was first developed by Henry Flagler at the turn of the century. While Atlantic Beach was first developed as a resort area for the wealthy, it has a long history as a residential area. It is host to one of Jacksonville’s most popular restaurants, the Ragtime Taproom and Brewery. It is also home to the Atlantic Beach Experimental Theatre, a community theatre.
Neptune Beach is the smallest of the beach communities, and split from Jacksonville Beach in 1931. Neptune Beach is home to Pete’s Bar, a landmark since 1933 and reputedly the oldest continuously operating bar in northeast Florida. Pete’s Bar figures in the John Grisham legal thriller The Brethren, and Ernest Hemingway is among those who have visited.
Jacksonville Beach is the largest of Jacksonville’s beaches. In 1922, Lt. Jimmy Doolittle flew from Jacksonville Beach to San Diego, breaking the transcontinental speed record in the process. Jacksonville Beach is perhaps best known for its pier, which was damaged by a hurricane in 1998. The old wooden pier has been replaced by new, 1300 foot long structure made of concrete. The Sea Walk Pavilion, located near the beachfront, is home to several music and cultural festivals, including the annual Springing the Blues festival and the Cajun Crawfish festival. A community theatre group, Players-By-The-Sea, is headquartered in Jacksonville Beach, and one of the premier nightspots in the area is Freebird Live, which has hosted several top name rock and blues acts in a nightclub setting. The Beaches Fine Arts Series also is a feature of the cultural life of Jacksonville Beach.
Located in the southeastern part of the city, Southside has a wide variety of neighborhoods, from older neighborhoods to newer subdivisions. In recent years, the area near Southside Boulevard has undergone tremendous growth, due to the Avenues Mall and the development of the “Tinseltown” area. The Southside area is now home to two regional malls, the Avenues Mall and the recently opened St. Johns Town Center, and Arlington’s nearby . There are numerous businesses and office complexes located in the Southside area. Southside also has two hospitals, Memorial Hospital and the Mayo Clinic affiliated St. Luke’s Hospital. Drew Park, a large softball complex, has hosted several national softball competitions.
San Marco is one of Jacksonville’s most charming neighborhoods. Developed in the 1920s, many of the homes in San Marco are older and elegant, encompassing a wide variety of architectural styles, including Spanish, Colonial, Tudor, and Mediterranean Revival. San Marco is home to several upscale eateries, including Matthew’s, Daniel, Pom’s Thai Bistro, and Café Carmon, and boutique shopping in San Marco Square. The San Marco Theatre is an old-style art-deco movie house that offers an alternative to the multiplex, complete with drafthouse offerings like pizza and beer. Theatre Jacksonville, the oldest community theatre group in the United States, is headquartered in San Marco and offers several quality productions every year.
Mandarin, near both Orange Park and St. Johns County, has a long and illustrious history. Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, moved to Mandarin after the Civil War and called it a tropical paradise. English composer Frederick Delius spent a great deal of time here. Mandarin has grown considerably over the years, but it hasn’t lost its natural beauty.
Jacksonville’s Northside is one of Jacksonville’s
fastest growing areas. One of the
best known features of the Northside is the Jacksonville International Airport.
The current airport was
completed in 1968. Jacksonville International Airport was one of the first
airports to use separate terminals for departing and arriving flights; this was
a novel way to avoid the congestion found at other airports at the time.
The airport completed an expansion in 2000, and was key to the city’s
successful handling of the Super Bowl in 2005.
The Northside is also home to the Anheuser-Busch brewery, which offers
tours to the public. Huguenot
Memorial Park and Little Talbot Island offer recreational opportunities.
The Jacksonville Zoological Gardens has undergone major renovations in
recent years, featuring several major exhibit areas, including the Range of the
Jaguar exhibit.
The Westside is bordered on its south by I-10 and stretches to Clay County. It is bordered on the east by I-295 and is bounded on the east by Riverside and reaches Baker County on the west. Some of the neighborhoods that make up the Westside are Cedar Hills, Ortega Forest, Murray Hill, Ortega Hills, Argyle, Lakeshore, Venetia, Hyde Grove, and Normandy. There is a lot of wooded land on the Westside, which is perfect for outdoor activities. NAS Jacksonville is located off Roosevelt Boulevard, and the former Cecil Field is located off 103rd Street. A small airport, Herlong Field, is located off Normandy Boulevard. The Westside is also home to a new Equestrian and Recreation Center. The Equestrian Center has an indoor arena with a seating capacity of 4,000 and outdoor equestrian facilities, is capable of hosting national equestrian competitions. The site also boasts an Olympic sized pool which is open to the public and four competition softball fields. Jacksonville’s largest book store, Chamblin Bookmine, is located near Roosevelt Boulevard and boasts over a million used and new books. The Florida Yacht Club and Timuquana Country Club are also part of the Westside.
Riverside/Avondale is one of Jacksonville’s oldest and most charming areas, known for tree-covered streets and elegant homes. Riverside was started after the Civil War by Northern real estate speculators trying to transform plantation land on the St. Johns River into a luxury neighborhood. Riverside begins at the banks of the St. Johns and stretches several miles westward. It features several businesses, perhaps most notably Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida. The Cummer Gallery of Art, one of the area’s cultural highlights, is located off Riverside Avenue. Several smaller businesses are located in the Riverside area, as is St. Vincent’s Medical Center. The Five Points area offers an eclectic mix of small boutique shops, nightlife, and dining.
Orange Park is located south of the city on the west side of the St. Johns River. It is close enough to Jacksonville to give big city convenience, yet it retains its small town charm. Orange Park is home to the Orange Park Mall, one of the most popular of the area’s regional shopping malls. The Orange Park Kennel Club, country clubs, golf courses and Humana Hospital are all located in Orange Park. Black Creek and other waterways offer boating and other water recreation. Middleburg and Green Cove Springs are south of Orange Park. Middleburg is a fast growing area, with several new housing and shopping and dining developments. Southern Clay County is more rural than the area encompassing Orange Park and Middleburg.