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42-451: Duval County was created on August 12, 1822 and was formerly part of St. Johns County . Although the county's area was huge, it took more than twenty years before the first courthouse was constructed during the 1840s. A second courthouse was constructed in 1886, but was burned in the Great Fire of 1901 . The third courthouse was constructed in 1902 and closed in 1958. A new courthouse funded by

84-588: A county administrator. The main environmental and agricultural body is the St. Johns County Soil and Water Conservation District , which works closely with other area agencies. St. Johns County Animal Control operates the St. Johns County Pet Adoption and Holding Center at 130 North Stratton Road. According to the Secretary of State's office, Republicans are a majority of registered voters in St. Johns County. Public schools are run by

126-491: A direct allusion and symbol of the name of the County). On a heraldic chief of red is a gold castle with towers, with masonry joints in black, and with the windows and doors in red (in recognition of the fortress that was constructed in the military garrison of St. Augustine which is a part of the County). An overall border is composed of eight parts; alternating, a red quadrilateral, with a gold castle and quadrilateral of silver with

168-553: A look at black history. The Jacksonville branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta is located on Water Street at the southern bounds of LaVilla. The southern part of the neighborhood was once 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 School of

210-560: A new company, but Jacksonville's General Counsel rejected their plan because the new company had not bid on the project. Second place bidder, Turner Construction Company, which partnered with Technical Construction Services Group and KBJ Architects , was given an opportunity to negotiate a contract with the city in July 2007, by approval of the Competitive Sealed Proposal Evaluation Committee. On November 16, 2007,

252-477: A new plan. The Jacksonville City Council approved increasing the courthouse budget to $ 263.5 million in 2006. The project was re-bid, and the team of Perry-McCall Construction and The Auchter Company were initially awarded the contract. When it was discovered that the Auchter Company had financial troubles, the contract was withdrawn. In an attempt to retain the contract, Perry-McCall and Auchter merged to form

294-448: A purple lion rampant (that is to say, alternating the simplified Arms of Castille and Leon). Given for a crest is a mural crown of a province. This is a circle of gold walls with in reality twelve gold towers with all the masonry joints in black. Only seven of the towers are visible in the drawing. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has an area of 822 square miles (2,130 km ), of which 601 square miles (1,560 km )

336-535: A time when the entire county's population was just over 450,000. During that same time, Jacksonville built the Haydon Burns Library , Friendship Fountain , Jacksonville Memorial Coliseum , the current Courthouse Annex and the CSX Transportation Building, making the city, “thoroughly modern”. The 1902 courthouse was demolished; the 1914 annex was preserved and later expanded to include the site of

378-484: A year. The courthouse was completed in 2012 and opened on June 18, 2012. The courthouse includes a public green space, known as the Courthouse Lawn. St. Johns County St. Johns County is a county in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Florida . As of the 2020 United States census , its population was 273,425. The county seat and most populous incorporated city is St. Augustine , although

420-659: Is a historic African American neighborhood of Jacksonville, Florida and was formerly an independent city. It developed after the American Civil War and was eventually annexed to the city of Jacksonville in 1887 and is now considered part of downtown . It was struck by the Great Fire of 1901 . During its height, the area was considered "the mecca for African American culture and heritage" in Florida, particularly its northern sections. It remains primarily an African-American neighborhood . The Ritz Theatre , Richmond Hotel , and

462-695: Is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associates degrees and two bachelor's degrees . Flagler College is a private liberal arts institution in downtown St. Augustine. U.S. News & World Report has recognized it as a "Best Value College". University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences is a school for physical and occupational therapy education. The St. Johns County Public Library System has six branches: St. Augustine Historical Society 29°55′N 81°25′W  /  29.91°N 81.41°W  / 29.91; -81.41 LaVilla LaVilla

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504-490: Is land and 221 square miles (570 km ) (26.9%) is water. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 273,425 people, 91,253 households, and 67,548 families residing in the county. As of the census of 2000, there were 123,135 people, 49,614 households, and 34,084 families residing in the county. The population density was 202 inhabitants per square mile (78/km ). There were 58,008 housing units at an average density of 95 per square mile (37/km ). The racial makeup of

546-595: The Better Jacksonville Plan was planned in 2000, but budget issues and rising costs delayed its construction until 2009. The first courthouse erected in Duval County was constructed of wood during the 1840s where Forsyth and Market Street intersect. It was burned to the ground during the Civil War . It took another twenty years before it was replaced with a brick building, constructed in 1886, which lasted until

588-595: The Better Jacksonville Plan , a $ 2.25 billion package of projects, including a new courthouse. The referendum on the Better Jacksonville Plan passed on September 5, 2000, and planning for the courthouse commenced. Costs were estimated at $ 190 million, with another $ 20 million built into the budget for contingency. Construction was awarded to Cannon Design. In 2003 Delaney left office and was succeeded by John Peyton . Construction continued under Cannon, but budget and size estimates fluctuated. Peyton stopped work on

630-591: The Clara White Mission are among the historic buildings in the area. Several are listed on the National Register of Historic Places . The area became a transportation hub with rail service developed by Henry Flagler and was also a cigar making center that included Greek and Syrian immigrants. LaVilla lies to the northwest in Jacksonville's downtown . It is bounded by State Street to the north, I-95 to

672-670: The Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, gained freedom. After the war, the town attracted additional freedmen, some of whom left rural areas, and was incorporated as LaVilla. The town developed as a suburb to Jacksonville during the Reconstruction era . The population was mostly black, and many Black citizens were elected to positions in Lavilla's government, including mayor and councilmen. In 1887 LaVilla and five other suburbs, including Riverside and Springfield , were annexed by

714-481: The Great Fire of 1901 , which destroyed most of downtown Jacksonville. After the fire, the courthouse was one of the first buildings reconstructed, across the street from the old one. The exterior brick walls of the old courthouse remained mostly intact and were utilized in the creation of a new armory building. That structure became part of the Lanier Building, which was demolished in 2003. Rutledge Holmes designed

756-534: The St. Johns County School District , headed by the St. Johns County School Board, an elected five-member board which appoints a superintendent to administer school operations. The system has grown considerably since 2000 to accommodate the county's rapid population growth. It is Florida's top-performing school district in Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test scores, the state's standardized test for public schools. The district also received

798-419: The 1902 courthouse, which had a stone exterior. The architect incorporated up to seven additional floors in the design, but the original building was never expanded. Instead, when additional space was required, an annex was added in 1914, nearly doubling the usable courthouse space. An architecturally modern courthouse was constructed on East Bay Street and dedicated in 1958, ten years before consolidation and at

840-469: The 1902 courthouse. In December of 2018 the Fourth courthouse was demolished. The 2000 Census counted over three-quarters of a million people in Duval County, an increase of 67% since the prior courthouse opened. The Bay Street facility had been overcrowded for many years and additional space was desperately needed. State law required the local government to construct a new facility. Mayor John Delaney proposed

882-505: The 2011 Energy Star Top Performer and Leader from the EPA. For the 2014–15 school year the district comprised: The St. Johns County School District has a robust special education department serving the needs of students with autism , cerebral palsy , and cognitive disabilities. The Florida School for the Deaf and Blind is a residential school for deaf and blind students, funded and operated by

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924-471: The City of Jacksonville. It became a neighborhood of the city. In 1902, the state legislature passed a new constitution, adopting barriers to voter registration and voting that resulted in the deliberate disfranchisement of African Americans to exclude them from politics. The part of LaVilla north of Adams Street was for many years a center of African-American life and culture in Jacksonville. The southern part of

966-580: The Courthouse Architectural Review Committee (CARC) convened to review the new options under consideration by the administration and voted 4-1 to pursue the mayor's recommendation to build one 800,000 square foot facility on the existing LaVilla site using the design from KBJ Architects. Turner Construction was chosen as contractor. Turner Construction is also the company that built VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville. Based on that recommendation and after intensive study,

1008-686: The Florida provinces (las Floridas) with the powers of governor, exercising the powers of the Captain General and the Intendants of the Island of Cuba and the governors of the said provinces, respectively, who ordained that all the country east of the river Suwannee should be designated the County of St. Johns. St. Johns was established, along with Escambia County (in the former West Florida province), on July 21, 1821, 11 days after Butler received Florida for

1050-761: The Jacksonville City Council approved a $ 350 million county courthouse complex in April, 2008 that was supported by Mayor Peyton and Chief Circuit Judge Donald Moran . The council also agreed that any proceeds from the sale of the current riverfront courthouse and the City Hall annex be used to pay for the increased costs of the new courthouse construction. ^$ 64.3 million already spent to-date for land acquisition, utility relocation and previous design efforts Construction began in May 2009, with more than 400 workers engaged for over

1092-822: The Ritz Theatre, were restored or reconstructed, often in public-private partnerships. The Ritz also serves as the LaVilla Heritage tourism has been emphasized. LaVilla is served by the Jacksonville Transportation Authority 's zero-fare Jacksonville Skyway automated people mover system and an extensive bus network. Current Skyway Stations in LaVilla Venues, such as the Ritz Theatre , showcased black entertainers and catered to black audiences. The theatre still host shows and also offers visitors

1134-627: The United States, and five days after the city of St. Augustine was incorporated. The name Saint John's was derived from the Spanish mission (c. 1580) San Juan del Puerto ("Saint John of the Harbor"). The U.S. Department of the Interior dropped the apostrophe in 1932 because an apostrophe implied ownership. It was a huge county, encompassing most of peninsular Florida, more than 39,000 square miles; it

1176-608: The area to pursue newer housing and work opportunities elsewhere. During the 1980s the crack cocaine epidemic hit hard among struggling residents of LaVilla, resulting in an increase in crime and furthering the decline. According to General Counsel Rick Mullaney, who was chief of staff under Mayor Ed Austin , the area became "nothing but crack houses, prostitution and crime." The 1993 River City Renaissance plan crafted by Mayor Ed Austin allocated millions of dollars to renovating and developing LaVilla. Dilapidated buildings were torn down and significant historical structures, such as

1218-560: The county was 90.92% White , 6.29% African American , 0.26% American Indian , 0.95% Asian , 0.05% Pacific Islander , 0.55% from other races , and 0.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.8% of the population. There were 49,614 households, of which 29.2% had children under age 18 living with them, 56.8% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.3% were non-families. 24.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.4% had someone living alone who

1260-473: The courthouse complex on October 28, 2004, and fired Cannon and construction managers Skanska Dynamic Partners. At the time, the project had not broken ground, but project design, property acquisition, site work and utility relocation had been completed, at a cost of $ 64.3 million. Peyton's office cited rising construction costs as part of the reason for the budget deficit. Peyton decided to throw out Cannon's original designs, including completed work, and proposed

1302-583: The nearby community, St. Johns , has a higher population. St. Johns County is part of the Jacksonville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The county was established in 1821. It is one of the two original counties established after Florida was ceded to the United States , at the start of the Florida Territorial period, and corresponded roughly to the former colonial province of East Florida . It

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1344-426: The neighborhood was developed as a major railroad hub in the late 19th century; several rail lines met at Union Station (now adapted for use as the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center ). For a time, this was Jacksonville's primary red light district . Author Stephen Crane frequented LaVilla during his time in Jacksonville; he met his future wife, Cora Crane , who was at the time a brothel proprietor. Lavilla

1386-687: The state laws that imposed Jim Crow . In 1929 the Ritz Theatre opened, becoming an important stop on what was called the Chitlin' Circuit for black entertainers. It became LaVilla's primary performance venue. The area on Ashley Street west of Broad Street, to and including Davis Street, included landmarks such as Nick’s Pool Parlor, as well as the Strand, the Frolic, the Globe and the Roosevelt theaters. The Wynn/Egmont Hotel

1428-484: The state of Florida. The Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine operates St. Joseph Academy , a private high school in St. Augustine. St. Johns County schools have received a state government grade of "A" for their work with the students and FCAT grading from 2004 to 2014. St. Johns River State College , a state college in the Florida College System , has a campus in St. Johns County near St. Augustine. It

1470-509: The west, Broad Street to the east, and Brooklyn to the south. John Jones, an Anglo-American colonist, received a Spanish land grant for much of this area in 1801, when this part of Florida was still Spanish territory. At different points in the American Civil War , when Jacksonville and northeastern Florida were under Union control, the area was the site of a large Union garrison. Many slaves sought refuge with Union troops and, under

1512-407: Was $ 50,099, and the median family income was $ 59,153. Males had a median income of $ 40,783 versus $ 27,240 for females. The per capita income was $ 28,674. About 5.1% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line , including 9.3% of those under 18 and 6.2% of those 65 or older. The St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners is an elected five-member commission, which appoints

1554-565: Was 475 miles long by 165 miles wide. Much of the land was uninhabited. Saint Augustine (1565) was the oldest permanent European settlement, and there were Native Americans in the county as well. As described in Certification of the Coat of Arms: In a field of green an Agnus Dei of silver, suspended on the dexter [*left side of the drawing] side of the Agnus Dei is a silver banner with red cross (as

1596-406: Was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.90. The age of the population was spread out, with 23.1% under 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 or older. The median age was 41. For every 100 females there were 94.5 males. For every 100 females 18 and older, there were 91.5 males. The median household income

1638-400: Was involved from 1935 until 1937. After the 1960s, the neighborhood entered a period of precipitous decline. The railroad industry restructured, leading to a massive loss of jobs here and across the country. In addition, the construction of I-95 disrupted and divided the neighborhood. With the end of legal segregation following civil rights legislation in the mid-1960s, many residents left

1680-652: Was known to provide the best accommodations for touring performers; the Boston Chop House, Mama’s Restaurant and Hayes Luncheonette served good food; the Lenape Bar and Manuel's Taproom were the favorite watering holes. The Ritz Theatre and The Knights of Pythias Hall hosted numerous famous performers. In the 1930s the "Negro" section of the Federal Writers Project in Florida was based in LaVilla. Zora Neal Hurston

1722-550: Was named for the St. Johns River , which runs along its western border. St. Johns County primarily comprises residential bedroom communities for those who commute to Jacksonville . Tourism , primarily associated with St. Augustine and the many golf courses in the area, is the chief economic industry. St. Johns County's history begins in 1821, when Colonel Robert Butler received Spanish East Florida from Captain-General Colonel José M. Coppinger . Butler represented Major General Andrew Jackson , federal military commissioner for

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1764-424: Was the site of the Great Fire of 1901 , which spread and destroyed most of downtown, but the neighborhood was largely spared. In the first half of the 20th century, the neighborhood was an important center of African-American culture. A vibrant music and entertainment scene emerged, attracting many nationally renowned jazz artists to play at local black clubs on and off Ashely Street. Such clubs were segregated under

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