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134-450: River City Renaissance was a $ 235 million bond issue in 1993 by the city of Jacksonville, Florida which funded urban renewal in some of downtown's most rundown sections. Ed Austin 's most lasting contribution as Jacksonville mayor was his River City Renaissance (RCR) program, which revamped the city's historic downtown neighborhoods, especially LaVilla and Brooklyn. Lex Hester was Austin's chief administrator who created and managed

268-551: A Confederate Army at the Battle of Olustee , going down to defeat. Union forces retreated to Jacksonville and held the city for the remainder of the war. In March 1864 a Confederate cavalry confronted a Union expedition in the Battle of Cedar Creek . Warfare and the long occupation left the city disrupted after the war. During Reconstruction and the Gilded Age , Jacksonville and nearby St. Augustine became popular winter resorts for

402-504: A Timucua group, and was at the center of an important chiefdom in the late 16th and 17th century. A series of missions were then established across the Florida panhandle , Georgia , and South Carolina during the 1600s; and Pensacola was founded on the western Florida panhandle in 1698, strengthening Spanish claims to that section of the territory. Spanish control of the Florida peninsula

536-468: A grand jury was convened to investigate, 11 officials were indicted and more were forced to resign. In 1963 the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools threatened to withdraw accreditation of area schools in a year because of "instructional deficiencies". But voters refused to approve new taxes to improve school conditions. In late 1963, Duval County was spending $ 299 per student compared to

670-520: A 900-square-mile entity. Tommy Hazouri supported passage of environmental regulations and reduced pollution odor during his single term as mayor, which began in 1987. Ed Austin was elected as mayor in 1991. His most lasting contribution is the River City Renaissance program, a $ 235 million bond issued in 1993 by the city of Jacksonville which funded urban renewal and revamped the city's historic downtown neighborhoods. Austin oversaw

804-476: A Spanish force from the nearby Spanish settlement of St. Augustine attacked Fort Caroline , and killed nearly all the French soldiers defending it. The Spanish renamed the fort as San Mateo and, following the expulsion of the French, St. Augustine became the most important European settlement in Florida. The location of Fort Caroline is subject to debate, but a reconstruction of the fort was established in 1964 along

938-454: A band of settlers to found St. Augustine . Father Francisco López de Mendoza Grajales, the chaplain of the expedition, celebrated the first Thanksgiving Mass on the grounds. The formal Franciscan outpost, Mission Nombre de Dios , was founded at the landing point, perhaps the first mission in what would become the continental United States . The mission served nearby villages of the Mocama ,

1072-757: A charter for a town government, which the Florida Legislative Council approved on February 9, 1832. During the American Civil War , Duval County produced several units that fought for the Confederate States Army . At least two were raised out of Jacksonville: the Jacksonville Light Infantry , a militia unit formed in 1859, and the Duval County Cow Boys, mustered in during the summer of 1861. Both units fought as part of

1206-506: A circuitous route through the roughest country they could find. In any case, the expedition did not find the larger Apalachee towns. By the time the expedition reached Aute, a town near the Gulf Coast, it had been under attack by Indian archers for many days. Plagued by illness, short rations, and hostile Indians, Narváez decided to sail to Mexico rather than attempt an overland march. Two hundred and forty-two men set sail on five crude rafts. All

1340-604: A commission to drive non-Spanish adventurers from all of the land from Newfoundland to St. Joseph Bay (on the north coast of the Gulf of Mexico ). Menéndez de Avilés reached Florida at the same time as Ribault in 1565, and established a base at San Agustín (St. Augustine in English), the oldest continuously inhabited European-established settlement in what is now the continental United States. Menéndez de Avilés quickly set out to attack Fort Caroline, traveling overland from St. Augustine. At

1474-651: A dozen times due to storms crossing the state from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean, or passing to the north or south in the Atlantic and brushing past the area. The strongest effect on Jacksonville was from Hurricane Dora in 1964, the only recorded storm to hit the First Coast with sustained hurricane-force winds. The eye crossed St. Augustine with winds that had just barely diminished to 110 mph (180 km/h), making it

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1608-475: A drastic decline in the population of all the indigenous peoples of Florida , and large swaths of the peninsula were mostly uninhabited by the early 1700s. During the mid-1700s, small bands of Creek and other Native American refugees began moving south into Spanish Florida after having been forced off their lands by South Carolinan settlements and raids. They were later joined by African-Americans fleeing slavery in nearby colonies. These newcomers – plus perhaps

1742-474: A few surviving descendants of indigenous Florida peoples – eventually coalesced into a new Seminole culture. The extent of Spanish Florida began to shrink in the 1600s, and the mission system was gradually abandoned due to native depopulation. Between disease, poor management, and ill-timed hurricanes, several Spanish attempts to establish new settlements in La Florida ended in failure. With no gold or silver in

1876-529: A fortification that was under construction, while returning from raiding Santo Domingo and Cartagena in the Caribbean. His raids exposed Spain's inability to properly defend her settlements. The Jesuits had begun establishing missions to the Native Americans in Florida in 1567, but withdrew in 1572 after hostile encounters with the natives. In 1573 Franciscans assumed responsibility for missions to

2010-694: A hurricane in 1752, the Spanish relocated to the Presidio San Miguel de Panzacola, which developed into the city of Pensacola . In 1718, the Spanish founded the Presidio San Marcos de Apalachee at the existing port of San Marcos, under the authority of the governor in St. Augustine. This presidio developed into the town of St. Marks . Some Spanish men married or had unions with Pensacola, Creek, or African women, both slave and free, and their descendants created

2144-500: A mission to establish colonies at Ochuse ( Pensacola Bay ) and Santa Elena ( Port Royal Sound ). The plan was to land everybody at Ochuse, with most of the colonists marching overland to Santa Elena. A tropical storm struck five days after the fleet's arrival at the Bay of Ochuse, sinking ten of the thirteen ships along with the supplies that had not yet been unloaded. Expeditions into the interior failed to find adequate supplies of food. Most of

2278-540: A mixed-race population of mestizos and mulattos . The Spanish encouraged slaves from the southern colonies to come to Florida as a refuge, promising freedom in exchange for conversion to Catholicism . In 1693, King Charles II of Spain issued a royal proclamation freeing all slaves who fled to Spanish Florida and accepted conversion and baptism. Most went to the area around St. Augustine, but escaped slaves also reached Pensacola. St. Augustine had mustered an all-black militia unit defending Spain as early as 1683. During

2412-531: A number of important works to the city's modern architectural movement. Jacksonville's early predominant position as a regional center of business left an indelible mark on the city's skyline. Many of the earliest skyscrapers in the state were constructed in Jacksonville, dating to 1902. The city last held the state height record from 1974 to 1981. The tallest building in Downtown Jacksonville's skyline

2546-667: A result of the Anglo-Spanish War when the British captured Havana, the principal port of Spain's New World colonies. Peace was signed in February, 1763, and the British left Cuba in July that year, having traded Cuba to Spain for Florida (the Spanish population of Florida likewise traded positions and emigrated to the island). But while Britain occupied Floridan territory, it did not develop it further. Sparsely populated British Florida stayed loyal to

2680-524: A resupplying mission by Ribault failed to arrive, threatening the colony. Some mutineers fled Fort Caroline to engage in piracy against Spanish colonies, causing alarm among the Spanish government. Laudonnière nearly abandoned the colony in 1565, but Jean Ribault finally arrived with supplies and new settlers in August. At the same time, in response to French activities, King Philip II of Spain appointed Pedro Menéndez de Avilés Adelantado of Florida, with

2814-546: A single sports franchise, and for that franchise to be an NFL team. The Better Jacksonville Plan , promoted as a "blueprint for Jacksonville's future" and approved by Jacksonville voters in 2000, authorized a half-penny sales tax. This generated most of the revenue required for the $ 2.25 billion package of major projects, which have included road and infrastructure improvements, environmental preservation, targeted economic development, and new or improved public facilities. In 2005, Jacksonville hosted Super Bowl XXXIX , which

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2948-451: A small island (almost certainly one of the Bahamas ) but did not land. On April 2, he spotted the east coast of the Florida peninsula and went ashore the next day at an exact location that has been lost to time. Assuming that he had found a large island, he claimed the land for Spain and named it La Florida , because it was the season of Pascua Florida ("Flowery Easter") and because much of

3082-476: A stone column at his landing site near the river's mouth, claiming the newly discovered land for France. In 1564, René Goulaine de Laudonnière established the first European settlement on the St. Johns River, Fort Caroline , near the main village of the Saturiwa. Philip II of Spain ordered Pedro Menéndez de Avilés to protect the interests of Spain by attacking the French at Fort Caroline. On September 20, 1565,

3216-552: A strong Category 2 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale . In 1979, Hurricane David passed offshore by 40 miles (64 kilometres), bringing winds around 95 mph (150 km/h). Hurricane Floyd in 1999 caused damage mainly to Jacksonville Beach; the Jacksonville Beach pier was severely damaged and later demolished. In 2004, Jacksonville was inundated by Hurricane Frances and Hurricane Jeanne , which made landfall south of

3350-665: A unique park system, with various lands operated by the National Park Service , Florida State Parks and the City of Jacksonville Department of Parks and Recreation. Jacksonville operates the largest urban park system in the United States, providing facilities and services at more than 337 locations on more than 80,000 acres (320 km ) throughout the city. A number of parks provide access for people to boat, swim, fish, sail, jetski, surf and waterski. Spanish Florida Florida

3484-612: A user from England, accepted the offer and had the pizzas sent to Hayecz's home. The 10,000 Bitcoins were worth about US$ 40 at the time. A plaque was mounted on the wall of the restaurant commemorating the day, with the declaration that Jacksonville is the "Home of the first Bitcoin purchase". This event marks May 22 as "Bitcoin Pizza Day" for crypto-fans. The city has suffered damage in natural disasters. In October 2016, Hurricane Matthew caused major flooding and damage to Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach , Atlantic Beach and Neptune Beach ,

3618-483: A year. Normal monthly mean temperatures range from 54.2 °F (12.3 °C) in January to 82.5 °F (28.1 °C) in July; high temperatures average 65.5 to 91.9 °F (18.6 to 33.3 °C) throughout the year. The city of Jacksonville usually averages only about 10 to 15 nights at or below freezing. Such cold weather is usually short-lived. The coldest temperature recorded at Jacksonville International Airport

3752-461: Is generally credited as being the first European to discover Florida. However, that may not have been the case. Spanish raiders from the Caribbean may have conducted small secret raids in Florida to capture and enslave native Floridians at some time between 1500 and 1510. Furthermore, the Portuguese Cantino planisphere of 1502 and several other European maps dating from the first decade of

3886-460: Is historically safe to assert that Catholic Mass was celebrated in what is today the United States for the first time by these Dominicans, even though the specific date and location remains unclear. In 1527, Pánfilo de Narváez left Spain with five ships and about 600 people (including the Moroccan slave Mustafa Azemmouri ) on a mission to explore and to settle the coast of the Gulf of Mexico between

4020-478: Is important to the Jacksonville area, particularly tourism related to golf with the PGA Tour headquarters located in nearby Ponte Vedra Beach . People from Jacksonville are known as Jacksonvillians and, informally, as Jaxsons or Jaxons (both derived from Jax, the shortened nickname for the city). The area of the modern city of Jacksonville has been inhabited for thousands of years. On Black Hammock Island in

4154-484: Is now Parris Island, South Carolina , in 1562. However, the French Wars of Religion prevented Ribault from returning to resupply the fort, and the men abandoned it. Two years later, René Goulaine de Laudonnière , Ribault's lieutenant on the previous voyage, set out to found a haven for Protestant Huguenot colonists in Florida. He founded Fort Caroline at what is now Jacksonville in July 1564. Once again, however,

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4288-746: Is now Georgia and South Carolina into North Carolina , then turned westward, crossed the Great Smoky Mountains into Tennessee , then marched south into Georgia. Turning westward again, the expedition crossed Alabama . They lost all of their baggage in a fight with Indians near Choctaw Bluff on the Alabama River , and spent the winter in Mississippi . In May 1541, the expedition crossed the Mississippi River and wandered through present-day Arkansas , Missouri and possibly Kansas before spending

4422-641: Is primarily sand and clay rather than limestone, so few sinkholes develop; however, deep, large diameter sinkholes do occur. The architecture of Jacksonville varies in style. Few structures in the city center predate the Great Fire of 1901 . The city is home to one of the largest collections of Prairie School style buildings outside the Midwest. Following the Great Fire of 1901, Henry John Klutho came to influence generations of local designers with his works by both

4556-522: Is recorded of his meeting with great Indian caciques (chiefs). Ybarra (Ibarra) in 1605 sent Álvaro Mexía , a cartographer, on a mission further South to meet and develop diplomatic ties with the Ais Indian nation, and to make a map of the region. His mission was successful. In February 1647, the Apalachee revolted. The revolt changed the relationship between Spanish authorities and the Apalachee. Following

4690-563: Is the Bank of America Tower , constructed in 1990 as the Barnett Center. It has a height of 617 ft (188 m) and includes 42 floors. Other notable structures include the 37-story 1 Independent Square (with its distinctive flared base making it the defining building in the Jacksonville skyline), originally built in 1972–1974 by the Independent Life and Accident Insurance Company, and

4824-521: Is the most populous city proper in the U.S. state of Florida , located on the Atlantic coast of northeastern Florida . It is the seat of Duval County , with which the City of Jacksonville consolidated in 1968. It was the largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020, and became the 10th largest city by population in 2023. City-county consolidation greatly increased Jacksonville's official population and extended its boundaries, placing most of Duval County's population within

4958-619: Is traditionally divided into several amorphous areas, comprising large parts of Duval County. These are Northside , Westside , Southside , and Arlington , as well as the Jacksonville Beaches . Four municipalities have retained their own governments since consolidation; these are Baldwin and the three Jacksonville Beaches towns of Atlantic Beach , Neptune Beach , and Jacksonville Beach . Four of Jacksonville's neighborhoods, Avondale , Ortega , Springfield , and Riverside , have been identified as U.S. historic districts and are in

5092-539: The 3rd Florida Infantry . The St. John's Greys, the Milton Artillery, and Company H of 1st Florida Cavalry Regiment were also all formed by men from Jacksonville. Jacksonville was also a key supply point for hogs and cattle shipped from Florida to feed the Confederate forces. The city was blockaded by Union forces, who gained control of nearby Fort Clinch . Though no battles were fought in Jacksonville proper,

5226-594: The American War of Independence . Spain's ability to govern or control the colony continued to erode, and, after repeated incursions by American forces against the Seminole people who had settled in Florida, Spain finally decided to sell the territory to the United States. The parties signed the Adams–Onís Treaty in 1819, and the transfer officially took place on July 17, 1821, over 300 years after Spain had first claimed

5360-472: The Carolina and Virginia colonies gradually pushed the frontier of Spanish Florida south. In the early 18th century, French settlements along the Mississippi River and Gulf Coast encroached on the western borders of the Spanish claim. Starting in 1680, Carolina colonists and their Native American allies repeatedly attacked Spanish mission villages and St. Augustine, burning missions and killing or kidnapping

5494-749: The Chicago School , championed by Louis Sullivan , and the Prairie School of architecture, popularized by Frank Lloyd Wright . Jacksonville is also home to a notable collection of Mid-Century modern architecture. Local architects Robert C. Broward , Taylor Hardwick , and William Morgan adapted a range of design principles, including International style , Brutalism, Futurism and Organicism, all applied with an American interpretation generally referred to today as Mid-century modern design. The architecture firms of Reynolds, Smith & Hills (RS&H) and Kemp, Bunch & Jackson (KBJ) have also contributed

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5628-472: The First Seminole War . As with earlier American incursions into Florida, Spain protested this invasion but could not defend its territory, and instead opened diplomatic negotiations seeking a peaceful transfer of land. By the terms of the Adams–Onís Treaty of 1819, Spanish Florida ceased to exist in 1821, when control of the territory was officially transferred to the United States. Juan Ponce de León

5762-704: The Jacksonville metropolitan area ranks as Florida's fourth-largest metropolitan region. The metropolitan area consists of Clay County, St. Johns County, Nassau County, and Baker County. Jacksonville straddles the St. Johns River in the First Coast region of northeastern Florida, about 12 miles (19 kilometers) south of the Georgia state line (25 mi or 40 km to the urban core/downtown) and 350 miles (560 km) north of Miami . The Jacksonville Beaches communities are along

5896-578: The National Register of Historic Places . According to the Köppen climate classification , Jacksonville has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa), with hot humid summers, and warm to mild and drier winters. Seasonal rainfall is concentrated in the warmest months from May through September, when brief but intense downpours with thunder and lightning are common, while the driest months are from November through April. Rainfall averages around 52 inches (1.3 m)

6030-472: The 1630s, a series of missions stretching from St. Augustine to the Florida panhandle supplied St. Augustine with maize and other food crops, and the Spaniards required Apalachees who lived at the missions to send workers to St. Augustine every year to perform labor in the town. The missions were destroyed by Carolina and Creek raiders in a series of raids from 1702 to 1704, further reducing and dispersing

6164-605: The 16th century show a landmass near Cuba that several historians have identified as Florida. This interpretation has led to the theory that anonymous Portuguese explorers were the first Europeans to map the southeastern portion of the future United States, including Florida. This view is disputed by at least an equal number of historians. In 1512, Juan Ponce de León, governor of Puerto Rico , received royal permission to search for land north of Cuba. On March 3, 1513, his expedition departed from Punta Aguada , Puerto Rico, sailing north in three ships. In late March, he spotted

6298-683: The 18th century, the Native American peoples who would become the Seminoles began their migration to Florida, which had been largely depopulated by Carolinian and Yamasee slave raids. Carolina's power was damaged, and the colony nearly destroyed, during the Yamasee War of 1715–1717; after which the Native American slave trade was radically reformed. In 1763, Spain traded Florida to Great Britain in exchange for control of Havana , Cuba, and Manila in

6432-449: The 28-floor Riverplace Tower . When this tower was completed in 1967, it was the tallest precast, post-tensioned concrete structure in the world. There are more than 500 neighborhoods within Jacksonville's vast area. These include Downtown Jacksonville and its surrounding neighborhoods, including LaVilla , Brooklyn , Riverside and Avondale , Springfield , Eastside , Mandarin , and San Marco . Additionally, greater Jacksonville

6566-469: The British called the Cow Ford; these names reflected the use of the ford for moving cattle across the river there. The British introduced the cultivation of sugarcane , indigo , and fruits as cash crops on plantations , in addition to exporting lumber. A large number of British colonists who were "energetic and of good character" were given land grants in the region and emigrated to the region, becoming

6700-574: The Crown during the American Revolutionary War , and by the terms of the Treaty of Paris which ended the war, the territory was returned to Spain in 1783. After a brief diplomatic border dispute with the fledgling United States, the countries set a territorial border and allowed Americans free navigation of the Mississippi River by the terms of Pinckney's Treaty in 1795. France sold Louisiana to

6834-561: The Europeans had a significant impact on the natives, along with the rising power of the French and British. During the Queen Anne's War , the British destroyed most of the missions. By 1706, the missionaries abandoned their mission outposts and returned to St. Augustine. Spanish Governor Pedro de Ibarra worked at establishing peace with the native cultures to the South of St. Augustine. An account

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6968-597: The Florida peninsula. Spanish Florida was established in 1513, when Juan Ponce de León claimed peninsular Florida for Spain during the first official European expedition to North America. This claim was enlarged as several explorers (most notably Pánfilo Narváez and Hernando de Soto ) landed near Tampa Bay in the mid-1500s and wandered as far north as the Appalachian Mountains and as far west as Texas in largely unsuccessful searches for gold. On September 8, 1565, Admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés landed with

7102-733: The Gulf coast towards Florida. In 1696, they founded the Presidio Santa Maria de Galve on Pensacola Bay near the present-day site of Fort Barrancas at Naval Air Station Pensacola , followed by the foundation of the Presidio Bahía San José de Valladares on St. Joseph Bay in 1701. These presidios were under the direct authority of the Viceroy of New Spain rather than the governor of Spanish Florida in St. Augustine. The French captured Bahía San José de Valladares in 1718, and Santa Maria de Galve in 1719. After losing Santa Maria de Galve,

7236-553: The Huguenots executed. The location became known as Matanzas . The 1565 marriage in St. Augustine between Luisa de Abrego, a free black domestic servant from Seville, and Miguel Rodríguez, a white Segovian conquistador, was the first known and recorded Christian marriage anywhere in what is now the continental United States. Following the expulsion of the French, the Spanish renamed Fort Caroline Fort San Mateo ( Saint Matthew ). Two years later, Dominique de Gourgues recaptured

7370-572: The Indian population. In 1702, James Moore led an army of colonists and a Native American force of Yamasee , Tallapoosa , Alabama , and other Creek warriors under the Yamasee chief Arratommakaw. The army attacked and razed the town of St. Augustine, but could not gain control of the fort. Moore, in 1704, made a series of raids into the Apalachee Province of Florida, looting and destroying most of

7504-562: The Indians' village, where they found corn . Further north they were met by a chief who led them to his village on the far side of the Suwannee River . The chief, Dulchanchellin, tried to enlist the Spanish as allies against his enemies, the Apalachee . Seizing Indians as guides, the Spaniards traveled northwest towards the Apalachee territory. Milanich suggests that the guides led the Spanish on

7638-693: The Lower Creeks, who had been in conflict with the Upper Creeks of Alabama for years. The Seminole originally occupied the wooded areas of northern Florida. Under pressure from colonists and the United States Army in the Seminole Wars, they migrated into central and southern Florida, to the Everglades . Many of their descendants live in this area today as one of the two federally recognized Seminole tribes in

7772-439: The Native Americans, eventually operating dozens of missions to the Guale , Timucua and Apalachee tribes. The missions were not without conflict, and the Guale first rebelled on October 4, 1597, in what is now coastal Georgia . The extension of the mission system also provided a military strategic advantage from British troops arriving from the North. During the hundred-plus year span of missionary expansion, disease from

7906-521: The Philippines, which had been captured by the British during the Seven Years' War . As Britain had defeated France in the war, it took over all of French Louisiana east of the Mississippi River, except for New Orleans . Finding this new territory too vast to govern as a single unit, Britain divided the southernmost areas into two territories separated by the Apalachicola River : East Florida (the peninsula) and West Florida (the panhandle). The Spanish officials, soldiers and settlers departed following

8040-402: The Spanish established the Presidio Bahía San José de Nueva Asturias on St. Joseph Point in 1719, as well as a fort at the mouth of the Apalachicola River . Spain regained the Pensacola Bay area from the French in 1722 and established the Presidio Isla Santa Rosa Punta de Siguenza on Santa Rosa Island , abandoning the Bahía San José site. After Isla Santa Rosa Punta de Siguenza was destroyed by

8174-414: The Spanish established the colony of Santa Elena on what is now Parris Island, South Carolina . Juan Pardo led two expeditions (1566–1567 and 1567–1568) from Santa Elena as far as eastern Tennessee, establishing six temporary forts in interior. The Spanish abandoned Santa Elena and the surrounding area in 1587. In 1586, English privateer Francis Drake plundered and burned St. Augustine, including

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8308-400: The St. Johns River. Spain ceded Florida to the British in 1763 as part of the Treaty of Paris in the aftermath of the Seven Years' War (known as the French and Indian War on the North American front). The British soon constructed the King's Road connecting St. Augustine to Georgia . The road crossed the St. Johns River at a narrow point, which the Seminole called Wacca Pilatka and

8442-413: The U.S. Marine Corps Blount Island Command , and the Port of Jacksonville (JAXPORT), Florida's largest seaport by volume. Jacksonville's military bases and the nearby Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay form the third largest military presence in the United States. Significant factors in the local economy include services such as banking, insurance, healthcare and logistics. As with much of Florida, tourism

8576-423: The United States in 1803. The U.S. claimed that the transaction included West Florida , while Spain insisted that the area was not part of Louisiana and was still Spanish territory. In 1810, the United States intervened in a local uprising in West Florida , and by 1812, the Mobile District was absorbed into the U.S. territory of Mississippi , reducing the borders of Spanish Florida to that of modern Florida. In

8710-406: The United States, suffered from many negative effects of rapid urban sprawl after World War II . The construction of federal highways essentially subsidized development of suburban housing, and wealthier, better established residents moved to newer housing in the suburbs. After World War II, the government of the city of Jacksonville began to increase spending to fund new public building projects in

8844-428: The adjacent Atlantic coast. The area was originally inhabited by the Timucua people, and in 1564 was the site of the French colony of Fort Caroline , one of the earliest European settlements in what is now the continental United States. Under British rule , a settlement grew at the narrow point in the river where cattle crossed, known as Wacca Pilatka to the Seminole and the Cow Ford to the British. A platted town

8978-563: The area, and suffered minor damage from Tropical Storm Bonnie , which spawned a minor tornado. Jacksonville also suffered damage from 2008's Tropical Storm Fay , which crisscrossed the state, bringing parts of Jacksonville under darkness for four days. Fay damaged, but did not destroy, the Jacksonville Beach pier that was rebuilt after Floyd. On May 28, 2012, Jacksonville was hit by Tropical Storm Beryl , packing winds up to 70 mph (110 km/h), which made landfall near Jacksonville Beach . Hurricane Matthew passed 37 mi (60 km) to

9112-409: The boundaries of Florida over Spanish objections. The War of Jenkins' Ear (1739–1748) included a British attack on St. Augustine and a Spanish invasion of Georgia , both of which were repulsed. At the conclusion of the war, the northern boundary of Spanish Florida was set near the current northern border of modern-day Florida. Great Britain temporarily gained control of Florida beginning in 1763 as

9246-416: The boundaries. Spain gained possession of West Florida and regained East Florida from Britain in the Peace of Paris of 1783, and continued the British practice of governing the Floridas as separate territories: West Florida and East Florida. When Spain acquired West Florida in 1783, the eastern British boundary was the Apalachicola River, but Spain moved it eastward to the Suwannee River in 1785. The purpose

9380-423: The boundary between West Florida and the newly independent U.S. at 31° . However, in the companion Peace of Paris between Britain and Spain, West Florida was ceded to Spain without its boundaries being specified. The Spanish government insisted that its claim extended fully to the 1767 boundary at 32° 28′. The British line at 32° 28′ was close to Spain's old claim of 32° 30′, which can be justified by referring to

9514-429: The business district. The Walker Business College was opened c.  1916 in Jacksonville and advertised that it was the largest African American business school in the United States. During World War II , The U.S. Navy became a major employer and economic force, constructing three Navy bases in the city, while the U.S. Marine Corps established Blount Island Command. Jacksonville, like most large cities in

9648-478: The central and western Gulf coast to the Yucatán Peninsula in 1519. In 1521, Ponce de León sailed from Cuba with 200 men in two ships to establish a colony on the southwest coast of the Florida peninsula, probably near Charlotte Harbor . However, attacks by the native Calusa drove the colonists away in July 1521. During the skirmish, Ponce de León was wounded in his thigh and later died of his injuries upon

9782-559: The city and county governments merged to create the Consolidated City of Jacksonville. Fire, police, health & welfare, recreation, public works, and housing & urban development were all combined under the new government. In honor of the occasion, then-Mayor Hans Tanzler posed with actress Lee Meredith behind a sign marking the new border of the "Bold New City of the South " at Florida 13 and Julington Creek. The consolidation created

9916-556: The city changed hands several times between Union and Confederate forces. In the Skirmish of the Brick Church in 1862, Confederates won their first victory in the state. However, Union forces captured a Confederate position at the Battle of St. Johns Bluff , and occupied Jacksonville in 1862. Slaves escaped to freedom in Union lines. In February 1864 Union forces left Jacksonville and confronted

10050-748: The city was awarded an NFL franchise, they were used for construction of Jacksonville Municipal Stadium . Money was also spent for the Sulzbacher Center for the homeless, extension of the Jacksonville Riverwalk , assistance to the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens to complete Phase I of their 1992 Master Redevelopment Plan, and establishing the Jacksonville Children's Commission. Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville ( US : / ˈ dʒ æ k s ən ˌ v ɪ l / JAK-sən-vihl )

10184-463: The city's purchase and refurbishing of the St. James Building , which is now used as Jacksonville's city hall . He was mayor in 1993 when Jacksonville was awarded its National Football League franchise, the Jacksonville Jaguars . They are the only major sports franchise in the city, making Jacksonville one of only two markets (the other one being Green Bay), and the only major city, to have

10318-491: The colonists from Ochuse and occupy Santa Elena. Villafañe led 75 men to Santa Elena, but a tropical storm damaged his ships before they could land, forcing the expedition to return to Mexico. The establishment of permanent settlements and fortifications in Florida by Spain was in response to the challenge posed by French Florida : French captain Jean Ribault led an expedition to Florida, and established Charlesfort on what

10452-411: The colony moved inland to Nanicapana, renamed Santa Cruz, where some food had been found, but it could not support the colony and the Spanish returned to Pensacola Bay. In response to a royal order to immediately occupy Santa Elena, Luna sent three small ships, but they were damaged in a storm and returned to Mexico. Angel de Villafañe replaced the discredited Luna in 1561, with orders to withdraw most of

10586-777: The decade, earning Jacksonville the title of "Winter Film Capital of the World". However, the emergence of Hollywood as a major film production center ended the city's film industry. One movie studio site, Norman Studios , remains in Arlington ; it has been converted to the Jacksonville Silent Film Museum at Norman Studios. During this time, Jacksonville also became a banking and insurance center, with companies such as Barnett Bank , Atlantic National Bank , Florida National Bank , Prudential , Gulf Life, Afro-American Insurance, Independent Life and American Heritage Life thriving in

10720-453: The earlier disruptions caused by the Spanish and were wary when not outright hostile. De Soto seized Indians to serve as guides and porters. The expedition reached Apalachee in October and settled into the chief Apalachee town of Anhaica for the winter, where they found large quantities of stored food, but little gold or other riches. In the spring de Soto set out to the northeast, crossing what

10854-558: The early 1800s, tensions rose along the unguarded border between Spanish Florida and the state of Georgia as settlers skirmished with Seminoles over land and American slave-hunters raided Black Seminole villages in Florida. These tensions were exacerbated when the Seminoles aided Great Britain against the United States during the War of 1812 and led to American military incursions into northern Florida beginning in late 1814 during what became known as

10988-432: The east with winds of 110 miles per hour. It caused storm surge, extensive flooding of the Atlantic Ocean and St. Johns River, and wind damage; the storm knocked out power for 250,000 people. In 2017, Hurricane Irma passed 75 mi (121 km) to the west with 65 mph (100 km/h) winds. It caused severe storm surge and flooding, passing the flood record of Hurricane Dora in 1964. The City of Jacksonville has

11122-467: The existing Spanish settlements in Mexico and Florida. After storms and delays, the expedition landed near Tampa Bay on April 12, 1528, already short on supplies, with about 400 people. Confused as to the location of Tampa Bay (Milanich notes that a navigation guide used by Spanish pilots at the time placed Tampa Bay some 90 miles (140 km) too far north), Narváez sent his ships in search of it while most of

11256-471: The expedition marched northward, supposedly to meet the ships at the bay. Intending to find Tampa Bay, Narváez marched close to the coast, through what turned out to be a largely uninhabited territory. The expedition was forced to subsist on the rations they had brought with them until they reached the Withlacoochee River , where they finally encountered Indians. Seizing hostages, the expedition reached

11390-589: The expedition's return to Havana . In 1521, Pedro de Quejo and Francisco Gordillo enslaved 60 Indians at Winyah Bay , South Carolina . Quejo, with the backing of Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón , returned to the region in 1525, stopping at several locations between Amelia Island and the Chesapeake Bay . In 1526, de Ayllón led an expedition of some 600 people to the South Carolina coast. After scouting possible locations as far south as Ponce de Leon Inlet in Florida,

11524-455: The first English-speaking population in Florida. These colonists came from England, Georgia, South Carolina and Bermuda. British judges introduced the system of common law to Florida, resulting in the Floridian legal system utilizing concepts such as trial-by-jury , habeas corpus and county-based government. After their defeat in the American Revolutionary War , Britain returned control of

11658-528: The first solely missionary expedition in la Florida. Following decades of native contact with Spanish laymen who had ignored a 1537 Papal Bull which condemned slavery in no uncertain terms, the religious order's effort was abandoned after only six weeks with de Cancer's brutal martyrdom by Tocobaga natives. His death sent shock waves through the Dominican missionary community in New Spain for many years. In 1566,

11792-533: The first such damage in the area since 2004. In September 2017, Hurricane Irma caused record-breaking floods in Jacksonville, with a severity not seen since 1846. As has been typical of other metropolitan areas across the country, suburban growth has continued around Jacksonville, where large areas of land were available for development, drawing more residents, businesses and jobs from the city. This has resulted in further demographic changes. The city's largest ethnic group, non-Hispanic white, declined from 75.8% of

11926-528: The fort from the Spanish and slaughtered all of the Spanish defenders. However, he did not leave a garrison, and France would not attempt to settle in Florida again. To fortify St. Augustine, Spaniards (along with forced labor from the Timucuan, Guale, and Apalache peoples) built the Castillo de San Marcos beginning in 1672. The first stage of construction was completed in 1695. They also built Fort Matanzas just to

12060-765: The largest urban fire in the southeastern United States. Architect Henry John Klutho was a primary figure in the reconstruction of the city. The first multi-story structure built by Klutho was the Dyal-Upchurch Building in 1902. The St. James Building , built on the previous site of the St. James Hotel that burned down, was built in 1912 as Klutho's crowning achievement. In the 1910s, northern film studios headquartered in New York City, Philadelphia, and Chicago were attracted to Jacksonville's warm climate, exotic landscapes, excellent rail access, and cheap labor. More than 30 silent film studios were established over

12194-419: The local Indians a decade earlier when he was sent ashore from a ship searching for Narváez. Ortiz passed on the Indian reports of riches, including gold, to be found in Apalachee, and de Soto set off with 550 soldiers, 200 horses, and a few priests and friars. De Soto's expedition lived off the land as it marched. De Soto followed a route further inland than that of Narváez's expedition, but the Indians remembered

12328-477: The lower third of the present states of Mississippi and Alabama, including the valuable Natchez District . During this time, Creek Indians began to migrate into Florida, leading to the formation of the Seminole tribe. The aboriginal peoples of Florida had been devastated by war and disease, and it is thought most of the survivors accompanied the Spanish settlers when they left for other colonies (mostly French) in 1763. This left wide expanses of territory open to

12462-484: The national Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve , a University of North Florida team discovered some of the oldest remnants of pottery in the United States, dating to 2500 BCE. In the 16th century, the beginning of the historical era, the region was inhabited by the Mocama , a coastal subgroup of the Timucua people. At the time of contact with Europeans, all Mocama villages in present-day Jacksonville were part of

12596-526: The native population of Florida and reducing Spanish control over the area. Great Britain took possession of Florida as part of the agreements ending the Seven Years' War in 1763, and the Spanish population largely emigrated to Cuba. The new colonial ruler divided the territory into East and West Florida, but despite offers of free land to new settlers, Britain was unable to increase the population or economic output, and traded Florida back to Spain in 1783 after

12730-471: The native population was not large enough for an encomienda system of forced agricultural labor, so Spain did not establish large plantations in Florida. Large free-range cattle ranches in north-central Florida were the most successful agricultural enterprise and were able to supply both local and Cuban markets. The coastal towns of Pensacola and St. Augustine also provided ports where Spanish ships needing water or supplies could stop and resupply. Beginning in

12864-480: The needed larger geographic tax base to improve services throughout the county. Voters outside the city limits rejected annexation plans in six referendums between 1960 and 1965. On August 27, 1960 , a white mob attacked civil rights demonstrators in Hemming Park with clubs. The police largely stood by. In 1962, a federal court ordered the city to prepare a plan for integration of public schools, in accordance with

12998-475: The new municipal limits; Jacksonville grew to 900 square miles (2,300 km ). As of July 2022 , Jacksonville's population was 971,319, while the population of Duval County was about 1 million. After consolidation, Jacksonville became the most populous city in Florida and the Southeastern United States , and the largest in the South outside the state of Texas. With a population of 1,733,937,

13132-481: The peoples he met (likely the Timucua , Tequesta , and Calusa ) were mostly hostile at first contact and knew a few Castilian words, lending credence to the idea that they had already been visited by Spanish raiders. Popular legend has it that Ponce de León was searching for the Fountain of Youth when he discovered Florida. However, the first mention of Ponce de León allegedly searching for water to cure his aging (he

13266-405: The period from 1514 to 1516, Pedro de Salazar led an officially sanctioned raid which enslaved as many as 500 Indians along the Atlantic coast of the present-day southeastern United States. Diego Miruelo mapped what was probably Tampa Bay in 1516, Francisco Hernández de Cordova mapped most of Florida's Gulf coast to the Mississippi River in 1517, and Alonso Álvarez de Pineda sailed and mapped

13400-472: The population in 1970 to 55.1% by 2010. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 874.3 square miles (2,264 km ), making Jacksonville the largest city in land area in the contiguous United States ; of this, 86.66% (757.7 sq mi or 1,962 km ) is land and 13.34% (116.7 sq mi or 302 km ) is water. Jacksonville completely surrounds

13534-458: The postwar economic boom. Mayor W. Haydon Burns ' Jacksonville Story resulted in the construction of a new city hall, civic auditorium, public library and other projects that created a sense of civic pride. Development of suburbs led to a growing middle class who lived outside the urban core. An increasing proportion of residents in Jacksonville's urban core had a higher than average rate of poverty, especially as businesses and jobs also migrated to

13668-533: The powerful chiefdom known as the Saturiwa , centered around the mouth of the St. Johns River . One early French map shows a village called Ossachite at the site of what is now downtown Jacksonville; this may be the earliest recorded name for that area. In 1562, French Huguenot explorer Jean Ribault charted the St. Johns River , calling it the River of May because that was the month of his discovery. Ribault erected

13802-530: The principle of actual possession adopted by Spain and England in the 1670 Treaty of Madrid . The now independent United States insisted that the boundary was at 31°, as specified in its Treaty of Paris with Britain. After American independence, Spain claimed far more land than the old British West Florida, including the east side of the Mississippi River north to the Ohio and Tennessee rivers. This expanded claim

13936-669: The program. The program was controversial because most of the money was spent on inner city projects while other needs around the city were ignored. Most important among the projects was the city's purchase and refurbishing of the St. James Building , which became Jacksonville's new city hall, and the transformation of the Jacksonville Civic Auditorium into the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts . Some RCR funds were allocated for Gator Bowl renovations; when

14070-755: The rafts were wrecked on the Texas coast. After eight years, four survivors, including Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca , reached New Spain (Mexico). Hernando de Soto had been one of Francisco Pizarro 's chief lieutenants in the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire , and had returned to Spain a very wealthy man. He was appointed Adelantado of Florida and governor of Cuba and assembled a large expedition to 'conquer' Florida. On May 30, 1539, de Soto and his companions landed in Tampa Bay, where they found Juan Ortiz , who had been captured by

14204-572: The region, Spain regarded Florida (and particularly the heavily fortified town of St. Augustine) primarily as a buffer between its more prosperous colonies to the south and west and several newly established rival European colonies to the north. The establishment of the Province of Carolina by the English in 1639, New Orleans by the French in 1718, and of the Province of Georgia by Great Britain in 1732 limited

14338-553: The remaining Spanish missions and killing or enslaving most of the Indian population. By 1707, the few surviving Indians had fled to Spanish St. Augustine and Pensacola, or French Mobile . Some of the Native Americans captured by Moore's army were resettled along the Savannah and the Ocmulgee rivers in Georgia. At the end of the 17th century and early in the 18th century, the Spanish attempted to block French expansion from Louisiana along

14472-418: The revolt, Apalachee men were forced to work on public projects in St. Augustine or on Spanish-owned ranches. In 1656, the Timucua rebelled, disrupting the Spanish missions in Florida . This also affected the ranches and food supplies for St. Augustine. The economy of Spanish Florida diversified during the 17th century, with cattle ranching playing a major role. Throughout the 17th century, colonists from

14606-638: The rich and famous. Visitors arrived by steamboat and later by railroad. President Grover Cleveland attended the Sub-Tropical Exposition in the city on February 22, 1888, during his trip to Florida. This highlighted the visibility of the state as a worthy place for tourism. The city's tourism, however, was dealt major blows in the late 19th century by yellow fever outbreaks. Extending the Florida East Coast Railway further south drew visitors to other areas. From 1893 to 1938, Jacksonville

14740-616: The ruling of the Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education (1954). A study found schools were in poor condition and poorly equipped. On December 29, 1963, the Hotel Roosevelt fire killed 22 people, the highest one-day death toll in Jacksonville. On September 10, 1964, Hurricane Dora made landfall near St. Augustine , causing major damage to buildings in North Florida. Hurricane Dora

14874-425: The same time, Ribault sailed from Fort Caroline, intending to attack St. Augustine from the sea. The French fleet, however, was pushed out to sea and decimated by a squall. Meanwhile, the Spanish overwhelmed the lightly defended Fort Caroline, sparing only the women and children. Some 25 men were able to escape. When the Spanish returned south and found the French shipwreck survivors, Menéndez de Avilés ordered all of

15008-428: The settlement of San Miguel de Gualdape was established in the vicinity of Sapelo Sound , Georgia . Disease, hunger, cold and Indian attacks led to San Miguel being abandoned after only two months. About 150 survivors returned to Spanish settlements. Dominican friars Fr. Antonio de Montesinos and Fr. Anthony de Cervantes were among the colonists. Given that at the time priests were obliged to say mass each day, it

15142-560: The signing of the treaty, with the entirety of St Augustine emigrating to Cuba. The British soon began an aggressive recruiting policy to attract colonists to the area, offering free land and backing for export-oriented businesses. In 1767, the British moved the northern boundary of West Florida to a line extending from the mouth of the Yazoo River east to the Chattahoochee River (32° 28′ north latitude), consisting of approximately

15276-492: The south to look for enemies arriving by sea. In the eighteenth century, a free black population began to grow in St. Augustine, as Spanish Florida granted freedom to enslaved people fleeing the Thirteen Colonies . Fort Mose became another fort, populated by free black militiamen and their families, serving as a buffer between the Spanish and British. In 1549, Father Luis de Cáncer and three other Dominicans attempted

15410-569: The state average spending of $ 372 per student. In 1964 all 15 of Duval County's public high schools lost their accreditation. This added momentum to proposals for government reform. Jacksonville Consolidation , led by J. J. Daniel and Claude Yates , began to win more support during this period, from both inner-city blacks, who wanted more involvement in government after passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 , that provided federal oversight and enforcement of their right to vote, and whites in

15544-500: The state. Britain retained control over East Florida during the American Revolutionary War , but the Spanish, by that time allied with the French who were at war with Britain, recaptured most of West Florida. At the end of the war the Peace of Paris (1783) treaties (between the Kingdoms of Great Britain and Spain) ceded all of East and West Florida to Spanish control, though without specifying

15678-421: The suburbs, who wanted more services and more control over the central city. Lower taxes, increased economic development, unification of the community, better public spending, and effective administration by a more central authority were all cited as reasons for a new consolidated government. When a consolidation referendum was held in 1967, voters approved the plan with a 65 percent approval. On October 1, 1968,

15812-442: The suburbs. Given the postwar migration of residents, businesses, and jobs, the city's tax base declined. It had difficulty funding education, sanitation, and traffic control within the city limits. In addition, residents in unincorporated suburbs had difficulty obtaining municipal services, such as sewage and building code enforcement. In 1958, a study recommended the city of Jacksonville begin annexing outlying communities to create

15946-523: The territory to Spain in 1783 via the Peace of Paris . The settlement at the Cow Ford continued to grow. After Spain ceded the Florida Territory to the United States in 1821, American settlers on the north side of the Cow Ford decided to plan a town, laying out the streets and plats. They named the town Jacksonville, after celebrated war hero and first Territorial Governor (later U.S. president) Andrew Jackson . Led by Isaiah D. Hart , residents wrote

16080-399: The town of Baldwin . Nassau County lies to the north, Baker County lies to the west, and Clay and St. Johns counties lie to the south. Jacksonville has a coast on the Atlantic Ocean with the Jacksonville Beaches . The city developed along both sides of the St. Johns River . The Trout River , a major tributary of the St. Johns River, is entirely within Jacksonville. Soil composition

16214-665: The vegetation was in bloom. After briefly exploring the area around their landing site, the expedition returned to their ships and sailed south to map the coast, encountering the Gulf Stream along the way. The expedition followed Florida's coastline all the way around the Florida Keys and north to map a portion of the Southwest Florida coast before returning to Puerto Rico. Ponce de León did not have substantial documented interactions with Native Americans during his voyage. However,

16348-499: The winter in Oklahoma . In 1542, the expedition headed back to the Mississippi River, where de Soto died. Three hundred and ten survivors returned from the expedition in 1543. Although the Spanish had lost hope of finding gold and other riches in Florida, it was seen as vital to the defense of their colonies and territories in Mexico and the Caribbean. In 1559, Tristán de Luna y Arellano left Mexico with 500 soldiers and 1,000 civilians on

16482-484: Was 7 °F (−14 °C) on January 21, 1985 . Jacksonville has recorded three days with measurable snow since 1911, most recently a one-inch (2.5 cm) snowfall in December 1989 and flurries in December 2010. Jacksonville has only received one direct hit from a hurricane since 1871. The rarity of direct strikes is attributed to chance. However, the city has experienced hurricane or near-hurricane conditions more than

16616-399: Was based on Spain's successful military operations against the British in the region during the war. Spain occupied or built several forts north of the old British West Florida border, including Fort Confederación , Fort Nogales (at present-day Vicksburg ), and Fort San Fernando (at present-day Memphis ). Spain tried to settle the dispute quickly, but the U.S. delayed, knowing that time

16750-444: Was established there in 1822, a year after the United States gained Florida from Spain; it was named after Andrew Jackson , the first military governor of the Florida Territory and seventh President of the United States. Harbor improvements since the late 19th century have made Jacksonville a major military and civilian deep-water port . Its riverine location facilitates Naval Station Mayport , Naval Air Station Jacksonville ,

16884-514: Was much facilitated by the collapse of native cultures during the 17th century. Several Native American groups (including the Timucua , Calusa , Tequesta , Apalachee , Tocobaga , and the Ais people ) had been long-established residents of Florida, and most resisted Spanish incursions onto their land. However, conflict with Spanish expeditions, raids by the Carolina colonists and their native allies, and (especially) diseases brought from Europe resulted in

17018-477: Was never more than a backwater region for Spain that came to serve primarily as a strategic buffer between the rest of New Spain and the expanding English colonies to the north. In contrast with the conquistadors of Mexico or of Peru, the Spaniards in La Florida found no gold or silver. Due to disease and, later, raids by colonists of the Province of Carolina (chartered in 1663) and their Native American allies,

17152-541: Was on its side. By Pinckney's Treaty of 1795 with the United States, Spain recognized the 31st parallel as the border, ending the first West Florida Controversy. Andrew Ellicott surveyed this parallel in 1797, as the border between the United States and Spanish territories. In 1798, Ellicott reported to the government that four American generals were receiving pensions from Spain, including General James Wilkinson . Spain, beset with independence movements in its other colonies, could not settle or adequately govern Florida by

17286-468: Was one of the few landmarks to survive the fire. Governor William Sherman Jennings declared martial law and sent the state militia to maintain order; on May 17, municipal authority resumed. It is said the glow from the flames could be seen in Savannah, Georgia , and the smoke plumes seen in Raleigh, North Carolina . Known as the " Great Fire of 1901 ", it was one of the worst disasters in Florida history and

17420-574: Was only 40) came after his death, more than twenty years after his voyage of discovery, and the first that placed the Fountain of Youth in Florida was thirty years after that. It is much more likely that Ponce de León, like other Spanish conquistadors in the Americas , was looking for gold, land to colonize and rule for Spain, and Indians to convert to Christianity or enslave. Other Spanish voyages to Florida quickly followed Ponce de León's return. Sometime in

17554-400: Was seen by an estimated 86 million viewers. The first notable retail transaction involving physical goods was paid on May 22, 2010, by exchanging 10,000 mined BTC for two pizzas delivered from a Papa John's in Jacksonville, Florida. Laszlo Hanyecz, who lives in Jacksonville, created a thread on an online forum offering the bitcoins to anyone who would order him two pizzas. Jeremy Sturdivant,

17688-470: Was the first recorded hurricane to make a direct hit to North Florida. In the mid-1960s, corruption scandals arose among city and some county officials, who were mainly part of a traditional white Democratic network that had dominated politics for the decades since the disenfranchisement of most African Americans at the turn of the 20th century which effectively hollowed out the Republican Party. After

17822-572: Was the site of the Florida Old Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Home ; it operated a nearby cemetery. On May 3, 1901, downtown Jacksonville was ravaged by a fire that started as a kitchen fire. Spanish moss at a nearby mattress factory was quickly engulfed in flames and enabled the fire to spread rapidly. In a mere eight hours, it swept through 146 city blocks, destroyed over 2,000 buildings, left about 10,000 homeless and killed seven residents. The Confederate Monument in Hemming Park

17956-557: Was to transfer San Marcos and the district of Apalachee from East Florida to West Florida. After American independence, the lack of specified boundaries led to a border dispute with the newly formed United States, known as the West Florida Controversy . The two 1783 treaties that ended the American Revolutionary War had differences in boundaries. The Treaty of Paris between Britain and the United States specified

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