June 15, 1822: Jacksonville founded, named after Andrew Jackson
Happy birthday, Jacksonville!
You are one of the oldest communities in Florida and one of the first European settlements in the United States. Home of Native Americans for thousands of years, you became a French colony called Fort Caroline in 1564. |
You were platted in 1822, a year after Spain sold Florida to the United States, and you were named Jacksonville after the first Military Governor of Florida and future U.S. president Andrew Jackson.
You recovered from a devastating fire in 1901 and flourished as a winter home for wealthy Northerners -- paving the way for development of tourism throughout Florida.
You became an early capital of the movie industry, at one time boasting more than 30 silent film studios.
Your strategic location and deep water port brought major industries to your city, including banking, insurance, lumber, phosphate, wood pulp, cigars, automobile distribution and coffee.
You have the nation's third-largest military presence which generates $6.1 billion annually for your economy.
And in 1967, you mustered the political will to do what few metropolitan areas have done: Your suburban communities voted to consolidate into a single city and distribute your tax base to help your troubled inner city. That made you the largest city by area in the U.S. and the largest by population in Florida.
Now if only your NFL team can start winning again.
You recovered from a devastating fire in 1901 and flourished as a winter home for wealthy Northerners -- paving the way for development of tourism throughout Florida.
You became an early capital of the movie industry, at one time boasting more than 30 silent film studios.
Your strategic location and deep water port brought major industries to your city, including banking, insurance, lumber, phosphate, wood pulp, cigars, automobile distribution and coffee.
You have the nation's third-largest military presence which generates $6.1 billion annually for your economy.
And in 1967, you mustered the political will to do what few metropolitan areas have done: Your suburban communities voted to consolidate into a single city and distribute your tax base to help your troubled inner city. That made you the largest city by area in the U.S. and the largest by population in Florida.
Now if only your NFL team can start winning again.