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 Southside.
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 Matthews Bridge in 1953 opened the area up to significantly increased development, and over the next two decades Arlington became fastest growing part of the Jacksonville area.
Avondale
Avondale is a neighborhood of Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. It is located south of downtown Jacksonville, and consists of blocks along and around Edgewood Avenue between U.S. Route 17 (Roosevelt Boulevard) and the St. Johns River. The boundary with the adjacent neighborhood of Riverside to the northeast is not clear cut. On July 6, 1989, a section of the neighborhood, between Belvedere Avenue and Seminole Road to the northeast and Talbot Avenue to the southwest, was added to the National Register of Historic Districts as the Avondale Historical District. The district encompasses approximately 2,730 acres (11.0 km2), and contains 729 historic buildings.
Bartram Springs
Bartram Springs is a master-planned residential community located in Jacksonville, Florida. The homes in the area offer lake and preserve views and easy access to nearby shopping, excellent schools and a short drive to nearby Jacksonville and historic St. Augustine.
Once inside the Bartram Springs community, a winding, landscaped boulevard leads to the multi-million dollar community center. The center is complete with two swimming pools, a slide tower, extensive decking with gazebos and tennis courts. The Bartram Springs community center includes meeting rooms, a party kitchen and a fully equipped fitness facility. A party lawn and dock are located behind the center on a large lake. Residents also have access to other great amenities such as volleyball, basketball, soccer fields, & tennis facilities.
We offer a free Market Insider for the Bartram Springs page where you can view a free market analysis, community information, local school information, area comparison and insider tips. To view our great Market Insider for Bartram Springs, go to www.bartramsprings.info
In 2012 the Sellin’ With CC Team has sold more homes in Bartram Springs than any other agent! We are so happy to be part of this growing community and to continue to contribute to the sales in the area, helping people to live the dream of home ownership for their family.
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 designations. 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 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 Ashley 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.
Brooklyn is located south of LaVilla along the St. Johns River, immediately to the north of Riverside, Jacksonville, Florida. All of this area was plantation land until after the American Civil War, and changed hands a number of times during the 19th century. After the war it was acquired by Miles Price, who sold the southern half of the property to be developed as the suburb of Riverside. The northern section he retained and developed himself as Brooklyn.
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. 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 21st century plans have been made to reintroduce residential zoning.
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 EverBank Field, Jacksonville 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. Two other communities grew up around this time; Oakland and Fairfield. Oakland, located just north of East Jacksonville, was a working-class, largely African-American community. 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. All three areas soon grew into one continuous neighborhood.
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, though it has been the center of urban renewal projects.
Jacksonville Beaches
The Jacksonville Beaches communities are all located on an unnamed barrier island defined by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the St. Johns River to the north, and the Intracoastal Waterway to the west. The island was actually originally a peninsula until 1912, when a 10-mile channel was dug connecting the San Pablo and Tolomato Rivers, facilitating the Intracoastal Waterway and separating the land from the mainland. The island has no official name; beginning in the 21st century there has been a push to name it San Pablo Island.
The northernmost of the beach communities is Mayport, in Duval County. Since the consolidation of the Jacksonville and Duval County governments in 1968, Mayport has been within the city limits of Jacksonville. Most of Mayport is currently occupied by Naval Station Mayport, a major U.S. Navy base. Moving south along the coastline are three incorporated towns, also within Duval County: Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, and Jacksonville Beach. All three maintain their own municipal governments; however, residents receive county-level services from Jacksonville and vote for Jacksonville's mayor and City Council. Continuing south into St. Johns County is Ponte Vedra Beach. Typically, only the communities on the northern part of the island are considered the Beaches; areas to the south such as Vilano Beach are usually not included. The Palm Valley area of St. Johns County, much of which is also located on the island, is sometimes considered part of the Beaches.
Atlantic Beach - Part of the Jacksonville Beaches communities and located in Duval County, Atlantic Beach is a quasi-independent town. Like the other towns, it maintains its own municipal government but its residents vote in the Jacksonville mayoral election and have representation on the Jacksonville city council.
Development of Atlantic Beach took off around 1900 after Henry Flagler built the Mayport stop of his East Coast Railway to the north of the town. The Atlantic Beach Corporation bought and developed most of the land in what is now Atlantic Beach in 1915, and the town was incorporated in 1926. The town was expanded in the 1987 when it annexed Seminole Beach, which had previously been within the city limits of Jacksonville.
Neptune Beach - Part of the Jacksonville Beaches communities and located in Duval County, Neptune Beach is a quasi-independent town. Like the other towns, it maintains its own municipal government but its residents vote in the Jacksonville mayoral election and have representation on the Jacksonville city council.
Neptune Beach was originally part of Jacksonville Beach. Through its development, the part of Jacksonville Beach north of 20th Avenue North was sparsely populated, with a brick road (First Street) connecting the more populated southern area with Atlantic Beach. According to the best accepted story, the name "Neptune Beach" originated in 1922 with Dan G. Wheeler, one of the few residents. Wheeler had a home at what is now One Ocean hotel (now in Atlantic Beach), and had to walk all the way home from Mayport each evening after taking the Florida East Coast Railway train home from work in Jacksonville. A friend who worked for the railroad informed Wheeler that if he had a station, the train would have to stop for him, so Wheeler built his own train station near his home and named it Neptune.
Neptune seceded from Jacksonville Beach and incorporated as its own municipality in 1931, following a tax revolt. The comparatively few residents of the area were largely cut off from Jacksonville Beach city services such as police, fire, garbage collection, and road developments, though they paid taxes in equal share. The first mayor was O. O. McCollum, and the government met in Wheeler's old train station until a new town hall was completed in 1935.
Ponte Vedra Beach is an unincorporated seaside community in St. Johns County, Florida, United States. Located eighteen miles (29 km) southeast of downtown Jacksonville and 26 miles (42 km) north of St. Augustine, it is part of the Jacksonville Beaches area. It is an upmarket tourist resort area best known for its association with golf. The Sawgrass development is the home of the ATP Tour, the PGA Tour, and The Players Championship, played at the TPC at Sawgrass.
The area is known for its resorts including the Ponte Vedra Inn and Club (a AAA five diamond resort), the Lodge and Club (four diamonds), and the Marriott at Sawgrass (three diamonds). It also lies in the third wealthiest county in Florida, ranking just behind the Palm Beach and Naples areas.
There are multiple beach clubs from the Lodge and Club to the Cabana Club and the Plantation Club. Between the residential neighborhoods lining Ponte Vedra Boulevard there are many public accesses between Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve. Golf, tennis, and boating are other popular activities. Wakeboarding, surfing, and waterskiing are a few activities that families and sports enthusiasts practice on the St. Johns River.
The area remained sparsely populated through the late 19th century, even as other seaside communities began to develop to the north. In 1914 minerals were discovered, and a community known as Mineral City grew up around the mining operations there. Titanium extraction was significant, as well as that of zircon and rutile. These minerals were recovered from beach sands by a private commercial firm called National Lead Company, directed by Henry Holland Buckman and George A. Pritchard. During World War I titanium was a component of poison gas, and therefore a strategic mineral.
After the war, mineral demand dropped, so the National Lead Company changed its focus to building a resort community.
In the early 1920s, the National Lead Company had built a 9-hole golf course and 12-room clubhouse constructed of logs for the use of their employees. After the company left Ponte Vedra, that real estate became the foundation of the Ponte Vedra Club. Stockton, Whatley, Davin & Co. was a developer of Ponte Vedra Beach in the early 1930s and owned the Ponte Vedra Club.
Mandarin
The Mandarin area of Jacksonville, Florida is rich in history and has been a popular family community for more than 20 years. Primarily rural until the 1970's when developers discovered this area, Mandarin has experienced steady growth since, but mostly built out by the late 1990's. If quality education is a priority for your family, no other area in Duval County (Jacksonville) has as highly rated public schools across the board. Bordered by Julington Creek to the south and the St. Johns River to the west, there is no shortage of waterfront homesites in Mandarin.
Mandarin is also one of the only areas in Jacksonville, Florida east of the St. Johns River where homes on acreage are still easy to come by, including the occasional home on several acres with equestrian amenities. While Mandarin is not known as one of the least expensive areas to live in Northeast Florida, homes have recently become more affordable starting below the $100's ranging all the way up to several million for riverfront estate homes. The Beauclerc area of Jacksonville, Florida is located directly North of Mandarin (North of I-295) in Jacksonville. Like Mandarin, Beauclerc also features several miles of riverfront homes along the St. Johns.
Ortega
Ortega is a neighborhood of Jacksonville, Florida, US. It is located south of downtown Jacksonville on a peninsula off the western bank of the St. Johns River. It is one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Jacksonville and is among the wealthiest in the United States, and is the location of many historic homes and buildings.
The peninsula containing Ortega is bounded by the St. Johns and Ortega Rivers, and is bisected by Roosevelt Boulevard (U.S. Route 17); the area to the east of Roosevelt 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 Boulevard was designated as the Old Ortega Historic District by the National Register of Historic Places.
The peninsula containing the Ortega neighborhood was originally an island until a land bridge was constructed at the southern end; this is now part of Roosevelt Boulevard, a section of U.S. Route 17. The peninsula is 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. Ortega is bisected by Roosevelt; the older area to the east of the road is known as "Ortega" or "Old Ortega", while the newer developments to the west comprise "Ortega Forest". Ortega is also accessible via a two-lane bascule bridge, the Ortega River Bridge, which carries Ortega Boulevard (Florida State Road 211). The current bridge was constructed in 1927.
On July 14, 2004 a section of Old Ortega was designated the Old Ortega Historic District by the National Register of Historic Places. The district is located east of U.S. 17 and north of Verona Boulevard. Ortega Boulevard is the primary route throughout the district, which covers 4500 acres and contains 597 historic buildings.
Ortega has a few different sections with different characteristics. There is the riverfront, with multimillion dollar mansions. Ortega Point has old wood frame and Tudor homes surrounding Bettes Park. The historic district has modest wood frame homes dating back to the early 1900s. Ortega Terrace towards the southern interior of the peninsula has large, stone and brick houses with a mix of styles. There is an extensive park system and many of the local residents set up trusts to help maintain and landscape the parks.
Two schools serve Ortega: Ortega Elementary School and St. Mark's Episcopal Day School; many children also attend Stockton Elementary School in nearby Ortega Forest. Many of the neighborhood children walk or ride bikes to school and the neighborhood is characterized by a very strong family-oriented environment. Many of the neighborhood teenagers attend local or northern private schools or the International Baccalaureate at one of two "magnet" high schools nearby.
The street system is a grid pattern with themed street names. One end of the historic district has street names characterized by large Native American tribes. One section has the names of Ivy League schools. Another section has the names of all the styles of columns (i.e. Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian).
The largest churches in the area are St. Mark’s Episcopal Church and United Methodist Church.
Residents are members of either the Florida Yacht Club or Timuquana Country Club. Since Ortega is bounded on all sides by water, it is common for residents to be active boaters or yachters or wealthy. Prominent New York businessman William Astor helped start the Florida Yacht Club and was an active member there (there is still a room in the present 1928 clubhouse named for him). Timuquana’s greens were designed by the country’s most prominent golf architect, Donald Ross and later upgraded and maintained by Robert Trent Jones.
Riverside
Riverside is a neighborhood of Jacksonville, Florida; it is located south of downtown Jacksonville on the St. Johns River. It comprises an area roughly bordered by U.S. Route 17 (Roosevelt Boulevard) and the CSX Railroad (formerly Atlantic Coast Line Railroad) to the west, Interstate 10 to the north, and the St. Johns River to the east. To the south is the adjacent neighborhood of Avondale, though the boundary between them is not clear cut.
Riverside contains the Five Points area, a historic commercial district. The Riverside Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Districts on March 22, 1985.
Riverside is generally said to include the area between U.S. Route 17 (Roosevelt Boulevard) and the CSX Railroad (formerly Atlantic Coast Line Railroad) to the west, Interstate 10 to the north, and the St. Johns River to the east. To the south is the adjacent neighborhood of Avondale, but the boundary between them is not clear cut. It is sometimes given to be Seminole Road and Belvedere Avenue – the edge of the Avondale Historic District.
The Riverside area was annexed by the city of Jacksonville in 1887. The neighborhood grew substantially after streetcar service was extended into Riverside from downtown that year. Following the Great Fire of 1901, architects created a number of new buildings in a variety of designs. On March 22, 1985 the Riverside Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The district comprises 6870 acres and contains 2120 historical buildings.
Riverside is known for its eclectic architecture and artistic character. The neighborhood is mostly residential, but it contains some commercial districts, such as the Five Points and King Street District areas. Five Points is the location of the Five Points Theatre, one of the first three movie theaters in the United States to show sound films. Riverside also contains the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens and St. Vincent's Medical Center
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 now comprising San Marco was occupied continuously long before what is now Downtown Jacksonville. It was the site of the ferry that crossed the Cowford, 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.
Springfield
Springfield is a historic residential neighborhood located immediately north of Downtown. This area was originally part of the "Hogan’s' 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".
Southside
Southside, or South Jacksonville, is one of the large sections of Jacksonville. It is generally said to include all land in Duval County east and south of the St. Johns River and south of Arlington, and west of the Intracoastal Waterway. It includes substantial residential developments and neighborhoods and some currently undeveloped land. Since the 1990s, it has been the fastest growing part of Jacksonville
Westside
Like Northside, Westside or West Jacksonville is one of the traditional large sections of Jacksonville. It refers to large section of Jacksonville west of Downtown and the interior neighborhoods, including both populated areas and a vast tract of undeveloped land. Neighborhoods sometimes included as part of the Westside include Argyle, Avondale, Cedar Forest, Cedar Hills, Cedar Hills Estates, Chimney Lakes, Confederate Point, Duclay, Duclay Forest, Fairfax, Fairfax Manor, Lakeside Park, Lake Shore, Herlong, Hillcrest, Hyde Park, Hyde Grove, Jax Farms, Jacksonville Heights, Maxville, McGirts Creek, Murray Hill, Normandy Manor, Normandy Village, Oak Hill, Ortega, Ortega Farms, Ortega Forest, Ortega Hills, Otis, Riverside, Rolling Hills, Settlers Landing, Sweetwater, Springtree, Venetia, Wesconnett, Whitehouse, Yukon and West Jacksonville.
Argyle - Located in Jacksonville’s Westside, the Argyle area is normally known as the area along Argyle Forest Blvd, extending from the east at Blanding Blvd to the west at Brannan Field Road where Duval County meets the border of Clay County at OakLeaf Plantation. The Argyle area is comprised of land originally owned by the Spencer family and many of the neighborhoods have names that tie to the Spencer’s. The Argyle area offers many options for families, including a baseball and softball park, access to many shopping and restaurant options at the OakLeaf shopping center. The elementary school, Chimney Lakes Elementary is a six year “A” classified school and is centrally located just behind the intersection of Argyle Forest Blvd and Cheswick Oak Ave. This area offers many housing options in many different planned communities that offer extensive amenities to their residents.
Murray Hill (Heights) in Jacksonville took the name of a neighborhood in Manhattan, New York City. Created in 1907, it was a replant from the Edgewood subdivision. The town of Murray Hill was incorporated in 1915 with its own mayor. The Lackawanna railroad terminal was located nearby, and many workers built homes there. The City of Jacksonville annexed the town on August 15, 1925.
