Neighborhoods
Coming to a new town can be overwhelming. Jacksonville has the largest land mass than any city in the United States so it can be confusing. When it comes down to finding the best location for you and/or your family and identifying the lifestyle that will best suit you, it helps to narrow this large town to different areas. You'll find many people refer to locations such as Southside, Northside, Westside, Eastside and the beaches areas. And even these can be narrowed down even further. More on specifics later.
There are many reasons why Jacksonville is attractive to so many. Jacksonville still remains the most affordable major market in Florida. We have plenty bodies of water with the beaches, St. Johns River and the Intracoastal Waterway. The natural beauty of sunsets on the marsh, Guana River, Marsh Aquatic Preserve, Black Creek/Ravines Conservation Area, and much more! Jacksonville is on Top 5 most livable large cities and one of the Top 25 destinations.
Let's first look at the three Counties:
Clay County
Land Area: 601 square miles
Population (2006 Estimate) 178,999
Population Increase - 2000-2006: 27.0%
Median Household Income: $53,201
Duval County
Land Area: 774 square miles
Population (2006 Estimate) 837,964
Population Increase -2000-2006: 7.6%
Median Household Income: $41,736
St. Johns County
Land Area: 609 square miles
Population (2006 Estimate) 169,224
Population Increase-2000-2006: 37.4%
Median Household Income: $55,712
The following provides details and history of the Greater Jacksonville areas!
There are many reasons why Jacksonville is attractive to so many. Jacksonville still remains the most affordable major market in Florida. We have plenty bodies of water with the beaches, St. Johns River and the Intracoastal Waterway. The natural beauty of sunsets on the marsh, Guana River, Marsh Aquatic Preserve, Black Creek/Ravines Conservation Area, and much more! Jacksonville is on Top 5 most livable large cities and one of the Top 25 destinations.
Let's first look at the three Counties:
Clay County
Land Area: 601 square miles
Population (2006 Estimate) 178,999
Population Increase - 2000-2006: 27.0%
Median Household Income: $53,201
Duval County
Land Area: 774 square miles
Population (2006 Estimate) 837,964
Population Increase -2000-2006: 7.6%
Median Household Income: $41,736
St. Johns County
Land Area: 609 square miles
Population (2006 Estimate) 169,224
Population Increase-2000-2006: 37.4%
Median Household Income: $55,712
The following provides details and history of the Greater Jacksonville areas!
Downtown
Downtown Jacksonville is like most cities, it is primarily inhabited with commercial use buildings but there is a good amount of residential neighborhoods and condos as well. Residents refer to this area as part of the "Northside".
Downtown Jacksonville is like most cities, it is primarily inhabited with commercial use buildings but there is a good amount of residential neighborhoods and condos as well. Residents refer to this area as part of the "Northside".
Ponte Vedra Beach is an unincorporated seaside community southeast of downtown Jacksonville, Florida, and north of St. Augustine, Florida. It is an up market tourist resort best known for its association with golf. Ponte Vedra is the home of the ATP Tour, the PGA Tour, and The Players Championship is played at The Tournament Players Club at Sawgrass. The area is known for its resorts including the Ponte Vedra Club, the Lodge and Club, and the Marriott at Sawgrass. Ponte Vedra also lies in one of the wealthiest counties in Florida. Most of the beaches here have limited public access, but there are many other activities to enjoy in the area such as golf, tennis, surfing, or shopping just to name a few.
Ponte Vedra Beach has been said to have been first sighted Ponce de Leon when he was in search of the Fountain of Youth in 1513. The landfall of Leon is unknown and so many say that this claim is an old story that the locals tell.
In 1916 the community was known as Mineral City. Titanium as well as zircon and rutile extraction was significant; these minerals were recovered from the beach. During the First World War titanium was a component of poison gas, and therefore a strategic mineral. The present name of the place appears to be in honor of the city of Pontevedra (Ponte Vedra), capital city of the province of the same name in the region of Galicia in Spain. In the Galician language, Ponte Vedra means "veteran pont", it is also where the Santa Maria, the flagship of Christopher Columbus's 1492 voyage of discovery was built.
Orange Park is a town located on the St. Johns River in Clay County, Florida. The name reflects the hope of its founders for a fruit-growing industry. The Great Freeze of 1894-95 destroyed all their crops and despite the recovery everywhere else they failed to come back in Orange Park.
Orange Park was founded in 1877 by the Florida Winter Home and Improvement Company. After the Civil War, the company purchased several thousand acres of the McIntosh plantation at Laurel Grove; the purpose of this was to create a southern retreat and small farming community. The town was incorporated in 1879 by a special act of the Florida Legislature.
Orange Park is proud to be the home of the Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center, one of ten regional centers for primate research. The Orange Park center, established in 1930 by psychologist Robert Yerkes and Yale University, was the first laboratory in the United States for the study of non-human primates. In 1956, Emory University took over operation of the Center. In 1965, the center was relocated to the campus of Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2002, the Center was renamed the Yerkes National Primate Research Center, though officially the "Regional" name still applies. Lynyrd Skynyrd vocalist Ronnie Van Zant was buried at the Jacksonville Memorial Gardens in Orange Park in 1977, but was relocated to an undisclosed location after vandals broke into his and band mate Steve Gaines tombs on June 29, 2000. Van Zant's casket was pulled out and spilled on the ground. The bag containing Gaines' ashes was torn open and some spilled into the grass. Their mausoleums remain at this site as memorials for fans to visit. "
Neighborhoods in Orange Park include Orange Park Country Club, Eagle Harbor, Fleming Island Plantation, Harbor Island, Hibernia, and more!
Eastside
Eastside of Jacksonville is one of the oldest residential portions in all of Jacksonville. Though a big portion of Eastside is residential, it is not true to the entire area. The port of Jacksonville occupies the waterfront in the Tallyrand area and older industrial sites existed in the past.
This area has gained a lot of attention in the past couple of years with the improvements that have been made. Jacksonville gained a NFL football team - Jacksonville Jaguars, and since then the Eastside has grown into the unofficial "mecca" of regional sporting events. The stadium that was built for these events is also the site of the annual Gator Bowl and the 100,000 strong annual Georgia- Florida face-off. The city also built a new Arena known as Jacksonville Veterans Arena which can hold 16,000 fans. Since the opening of the arena the city has hosted major acts of popular music genres. The Jacksonville Barracudas, a minor league hockey team, calls the Arena home as well. Directly across the street from the arena is the brand new state of the art baseball park that is home to the Jacksonville Suns, all of these sports facilities bring money into an area that needs revitalization. As Jacksonville urban core continues to expand there is no doubt that the Eastside will continue to see improvements.
Springfieldhas received more attention from the city government over the past twenty-five years than any other Jacksonville neighborhood. It is a historic neighborhood located just a half a mile north of Downtown. Springfield reached its peak influence and affluence right before the fire in 1901. The area has hundreds of large, beautiful, century-old homes of which some are being restored to their beauty. This was all done by the City-Funded Urban renewal, the city continues to make funding available to willing investors, in hopes of making Springfield a showpiece of the original city.
The Northside of Jacksonville includes neighborhoods such as Biscayne, Black Hammock Island, Blount Island, Brown Island, Dinsmore, Durkeville, Duval, Eagle Bend, East Point, Forrest Trails, Fort George Island, Garden City, Hart Estates, Highlands, Hollyford, Imeson Park, Jax North Estates, Jamestown, Little Marsh Hill, New Berlin, North New Berlin, North Lake, Oceanway, Pecan, Pumpkin, San Mateo, The Cape, Turtle Creek and Yellow Bluff.
The Northside has been home to many famous individuals and has also produced many well known Jacksonville political figures. Former Jacksonville Mayor Jake Godbold and US Representative Corrine Brown call the Northside home. The late Bob Hayes was also a product of Jacksonville's Northside. Most prominent among Northside schools is Stanton College Preparatory School. Stanton, which offers an International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, has been consistently ranked among the top high schools in the nation by the US News and World Report.
Dinsmore was one of several small towns that formerly existed far outside of Jacksonville's city limits, and has been absorbed through consolidation. Dinsmore is still rural at heart with Old Kings Road being the main road of the town. Even after becoming a part of Jacksonville, Dinsmore remained small but the forecast for the area seems to be growing and will double within a decade. Panama Park is also of historical importance, it was home to two past mayors, and the founder's of Duval Spirit's, the late J. Baker Bryan and his brother Lon B. Bryan, their extended heirs still live on the Northside.
Garden City
Garden Citywas also once a town of its own, very similar to that of Dinsmore. You can see this in the churched lined streets or the businesses that still bear "Garden City" in their title. Garden City is closer to the main body of Jacksonville, and as such, it no longer has Dinsmore's rural "feel". The main road through Dinsmore, Dunn Ave., has exploded with growth since the mid 1990s, and is becoming the center of professional businesses for the Northside.
Durkeeville
Durkeeville is a small, historic neighborhood located in the urban core, Durkeeville can be defined by its historical district boundaries (Kings Rd on the south, 13th St. on the north, Whitner St. on the west, and I-95 on the east). Though small, Durkeeville was home to the Jacksonville Red Caps, a team that was part of the Negro Leagues of professional baseball. The ball park in which the Red Caps played, J. P. Small Ballpark, is still preserved in excellent condition, and is used by local leagues.
Durkeeville is a small, historic neighborhood located in the urban core, Durkeeville can be defined by its historical district boundaries (Kings Rd on the south, 13th St. on the north, Whitner St. on the west, and I-95 on the east). Though small, Durkeeville was home to the Jacksonville Red Caps, a team that was part of the Negro Leagues of professional baseball. The ball park in which the Red Caps played, J. P. Small Ballpark, is still preserved in excellent condition, and is used by local leagues.
Oceanway is located just north of San Mateo. Oceanway has always been occupied by small farms and isolated houses but, since the 1980s, that all changed as Oceanway has grown dramatically with the addition of numerous residential neighborhoods, which was further encouraged by the building of First Coast High School. Oceanway's growth has been cultural as well as economic. Oceanway and the bordering neighborhoods of New Berlin and Yellow Bluff are now amongst the fastest growing areas of the city, and would literally be unrecognizable to someone who "came home" today after a twenty-year absence.
San Mateo
San Mateois a small neighborhood, bounded on the south by the Broward River and on the north and east by Eastport Rd. San Mateo has remained the somewhat unchanged over the past 30 years; there has been a surge in remodeling. San Mateans take great pride in their neighborhood and its school, San Mateo Elementary, which is an Academic and Academically Gifted magnet school. Most of the homes in this area were built in the late 1960s. As a result from the skyrocketing real estate values, San Mateo has seen a few small homes lying on both Baisden Rd. and along the Broward River to be demolished and replaced by much larger homes.
San Mateois a small neighborhood, bounded on the south by the Broward River and on the north and east by Eastport Rd. San Mateo has remained the somewhat unchanged over the past 30 years; there has been a surge in remodeling. San Mateans take great pride in their neighborhood and its school, San Mateo Elementary, which is an Academic and Academically Gifted magnet school. Most of the homes in this area were built in the late 1960s. As a result from the skyrocketing real estate values, San Mateo has seen a few small homes lying on both Baisden Rd. and along the Broward River to be demolished and replaced by much larger homes.
Arlington
Arlington is home to the first European settlement in North America, Fort Caroline, now a State Park, founded by French Huguenots in 1562. In 1955, a controversial bridge, known to locals as the "Bridge to Nowhere", was built across the St. Johns River heading east of Downtown Jacksonville. Within ten years of the completion of the Mathews Bridge, Arlington became the most populous portion of Southside, and by consolidation, over 50% of Jacksonville residents who called the Southside "home" were originally from Arlington. To the east of Arlington there is nothing but wooded areas and wetlands, this leads all the way to the Intracoastal Waterway. Residential neighborhoods included within the Arlington/East Arlington/Greater Arlington area include Alderman Park, Arlington, Arlington Hills, Arlington Manor, Atlantic Blvd Estates, Atlantic Highlands, Beachwood, Beacon Hills, Charter Point, Clifton, Cobblestone, Colony Cove, East Arlington, Empire Point, Fort Caroline, Gilmore, , Hidden Hills, Hogan, Holiday Harbors, Holiday Hill/Century, Holly Oaks, Love Grove/Riviera Ma, Monterey, North Beach, Oak Haven, Park Ridge, Regency, St. Johns Bluff, St. Nicholas, Sandalwood, Southside Estates, Spring Glen, University Park, Woodland Acres, Woodmere, University Club, Floral Bluff, Newcastle, Mill Cove and Kendall Town. Arlington is also home to Jacksonville University.
Baymeadows
Baymeadows is a relatively affluent neighborhood centered around Baymeadows Road. It is situated south of Arlington and east of Mandarin. It is a center for white-collar employment, many corporate office parks, upscale apartments as well as other residential developments call Baymeadows home. This area is also accommodated by two private golf courses, several shopping centers and the newer Town Center Mall.
Lakewood
Lakewood, which lies in the area where San Jose Blvd. and University Blvd intersect, is a residential area with houses built in the 1950s. It has several churches, two shopping centers, and a plethora of streets named after major private colleges, such as Clemson, Cornell, Fordham, and Emory.
Sandalwood
Sandalwood's neighborhood began developing in the spring of 1960, it is located midway between downtown Jacksonville and the beaches, and it was advertised in 1960-61 as "On the Southside - halfway between business and pleasure!" The original neighborhood was bordered by the then two-lane Atlantic Boulevard on the north, a mile of palmetto and scrub on the south before reaching Beachwood neighborhood and Beach Boulevard, the western part of the neighborhood was bordered by the less than two-lane dirt road named St. John's Bluff, and the eastern border of the neighborhood was defined by a storm drainage ditch called the Sandalwood Canal. The original streets are named after mostly South Pacific islands and most of the streets are, from north to south, in alphabetical order. Free airplane rides over Sandalwood were offered during the grand opening. The entrance and sales office located on Sandalwood Boulevard boasted a winding, palm lined street, and adjacent play area for the children. Homes were priced from $11,400 to $16,000, with monthly payments as low as $67. The original Sandalwood consisted of approximately 500 homes. The first families purchased homes in May and June of 1960. Many of the first families were U.S. Navy families who were stationed at the Mayport base and others were employed by CSX railroad. In the late 1970s, additional construction began at the southern border by the Sofranko Homes company, nearly doubling the size of the neighborhood. Most of the original early 1960's families have moved away over the years, but a handful of the original families are still left from the early 1960s.
San Marco
San Marco has a rich history, and, arguably, is one of the more cosmopolitan neighborhoods in Jacksonville. It was originally a farm on the banks of the St. Johns River and used to be called Oklahoma. One of the most prominent citizens of this area was Harrison Reed; he was elected the governor of Florida in 1868 as well as 1873. Reed's sister, Margaret Reed Mitchell and her husband, Wisconsin railroad tycoon Alexander Mitchell, fell in love with Oklahoma and built their winter home, which they named Villa Alexandria, on 140 acres on the river. By 1872, the palatial estate included a mansion, barns, tennis courts, a swimming pool, polo field, more than 2000 orange trees, bridle paths and formal gardens. By 1873, Mrs. Mitchell was one of Jacksonville's most influential women and was active in many charitable causes.
Based on the Piazza di San Marco in Venice, Italy, Jacksonville's San Marco Square is an artsy shopping, dining and entertainment district just south of downtown and north of Mandarin. The influence of this Italian city resulted in gorgeous architecture lining the Boulevards of Atlantic and San Marco. At the center of the Square, a giant statue of three lions watches over Bails Park and its classic white bandstand. For these reasons and more, the San Marco area has become one of Jacksonville's trendiest destinations.
There are numerous art galleries, boutiques, independent bookstores and upscale gift shops to browse through in the square. You'll find everything from a Thai bistro to a casual, pet-friendly sidewalk pizza parlor, a Chicago-style bar & grill, popular local hot subs chain to a Starbucks coffee shop, and much more. Other points of interest include the Peterbrooke chocolate boutique, the old-fashioned art deco San Marco Theater, and Florida's longest running community theater.
Further exploration of San Marco will uncover numerous restaurants along with nightclubs and day spas. The streets south of the Square are lined with charming estates, riverfront mansions, and community parks.
The development of the "South Bank" began in earnest with the opening of the St. Johns River Bridge, it has since then been renamed to Acosta. Telfair Stockton bought 80 acres of land north of the Mitchell estate for the new "San Marco" subdivision. The business district was based on the Piazza di San Marco in Venice, Italy, which had impressed Mr. Stockton on a European trek. The clay pit of Gamble & Stockton Brick Company was transformed into Lake Marco. San Marco was an immediate success. In 1929, an additional subdivision, Villa Alexandria, was platted on the overgrown Villa Alexandria estate. The first two homes in the development were built on adjoining lots by Carl and John Swisher, who had just moved their King Edward Cigar Company from Chicago to Jacksonville.
Today San Marco, despite its tiny size, possesses a thriving commercial center, which includes restaurants, retail, and two theaters-one for movies and the other, Theatre Jacksonville staging plays.
Sunbeam
Sunbeam is a relatively new neighborhood centered around Sunbeam Road which runs east/west between Philips Highway and San Jose Boulevard. The area includes the site of the former Sunbeam Sanitary Landfill which opened in 1972. The landfill permit expired in 1986, and the facility stopped accepting garbage. With the odor problem settled, development of subdivisions, apartments, condos and commercial buildings were able to be completed.
Westside
The Westside is home to Paxon School for Advanced Studies, which happens to be one of the top schools in the nation by academics since 2003. The Westside is also home to some of the most culturally diverse schools in Duval County to date. As it has expanded westward, Argyle is now connected to Jacksonville's far-Westside by a number of roads, including the Brannan Field-Chaffee Road.
Neighborhoods include Oakleaf Plantation, Argyle, Avondale, Cedar Hills, Confederate Point, Fairfax, Hillcrest, Hyde Park, Jacksonville Heights, Lakeshore, Maxville, Normandy Manor, Oak Hill, Ortega, Ortega Farms, Settlers Landing, Sweetwater, Venetia, Whitehouse, Yukon and West Jacksonville.
Avondale
Historic Avondalelies along the St. John's River southwest of the Riverside area. This area is around three or four miles upriver from the downtown Jacksonville area. Avondale has been known for its quiet atmosphere. There are tree-line streets with quaint homes dating from the early 1920s. A few Avondale homes pre-date 1900. Most of the homes in the neighborhood display the middle class taste in architecture during the 1920s. This style included Art Deco, the every popular Craftsman Style, Classical Revival and Mediterranean Revival styles. Avondale is characterized by numerous bungalows and spacious, graceful homes. Unlike some other neighborhoods, Avondale never experienced a period of decline during the latter 20th Century, and retains much of its original gentility. St. John's Avenue is the key traffic artery through Avondale, and is the location of the Shoppes of Avondale, a small but vibrant collection of specialty shops, clothing stores, cafes, and upscale restaurants, most of which are located in original 1920s structures.
Cedar Hills
Cedar Hills lies along the Cedar River; it is called Cedar Creek by the locals, on the opposite shore from Lake Shore, and stretches from Blanding Boulevard on the east to Lane Avenue to the west. Cedar Hills was built in the 1940s and consists of single family mostly brick and concrete block homes; the area is anchored by the Cedar Hills Shopping Center business district. Most of the homes are modest, although many of the homes along the shore of the Cedar River have been expanded or replaced with much larger homes.
Confederate Point
Confederate Point was built in the 60's on a small island with limited access; it lies along the Cedar River on the opposite shore from Lake Shore. Confederate Point stretches from the Ortega River to the east and is bordered by the Cedar River to the North. The area is mainly single family homes and numerous condos and apartments. All of the single family homes are inland, with the apartments and condos lining the shore of the Cedar River. The area is popular given that it is close to water and Downtown, yet also exclusive in that there is only one road in or out.
Lake Shore
Lake Shorewas built during the time of the First World War and lies on the curving north bank of the Cedar River. It is bordered by the Cedar River to the South, and San Juan Avenue to the North, and is bisected by Cassat Avenue. Lake Shore consists mainly of modest, wood-frame, concrete block or brick homes, with the exception of the large estates that line the shore of the Cedar River. The neighborhood is anchored by the Lake Shore business district of stores up and down Cassat Avenue. Lake Shore is centrally located on the Westside with just a quick drive into Downtown Jacksonville. The existing homes in this area are small in size, so many first time home buyers renovate extensively. This is a very well maintained pocket of 1940's and 1950's homes. There is a definite trend to renovate and revitalize this quiet, comfortable neighborhood.
Marietta
Marietta is one of the small farming communities that was absorbed during the 1968 consolidation of Jacksonville with Duval County. Though technically a part of the city today, much of Marietta still retains its small-town, and even rural "feel", with some old-style farms and ranches, most of these homes occupy lots of ten acres or more, on which they keep horses and cattle, or raise grain and maintain orchards. Marietta is popular with old Southern families, and new families who moved to Jacksonville from mid-western agricultural states.
Normandy
Normandy outside of what would eventually become Jacksonville, and originally called "Hogan Settlement", The Normandy area was settled by Jacksonville's "Founding Family", the "Hogan's" who were the first white settlers in Duval County. The Normandy area is a large piece of forest that straddles Normandy Boulevard. Duval County used to be populated with large ranches but the founding families have turned it into a bedroom community with numerous large neighborhoods, parks, and very few apartment or condo complexes. These neighborhoods are mostly brick and concrete and have their own sewer and water plants unlike many of the other areas in Jacksonville. In this area people stay in their houses from generation to generation rather than other areas in Jacksonville where people move on an average every 5-10 years.
Ortega
Historic Ortegalies on the St Johns River just south of Riverside, starting at the confluence of the St Johns, and Cedar Rivers. It is practically an "inland island". Ortega stretches from the St Johns River to the East, and the Ortega River to the West, and is bordered by the Cedar River to the North, and the property line of the US Naval Air Station Jacksonville to the South. There are many sections of Ortega that have been around since right after the Civil War while other sections were just built in the past few years. All sections of Ortega are quite exclusive. Ortega is home to hundreds of mid-size, to large, spacious, turn-of-the-century homes and Southern Style mansions near the St Johns River, and many hundreds more modern brick homes on the Cedar and Ortega Rivers to the North and West. Along with Avondale, and Riverside, Ortega was originally, and still is home to some of the wealthiest of Jacksonville families. Ortega, due to its exclusivity, never went into decay, despite its age. The Ortega area is popular with those families who prefer to live in an area with a Southern lifestyle and culture, and own larger old Southern Style homes, with easy access to the river, and yet still near downtown. Ortega is exclusively residential, except on the southern tip, where a business district of restaurants and supermarkets exists next to the property line of the US Naval Air Station Jacksonville. Ortega is also home to the historic, and exclusive, Florida Yacht Club and Timuquana Country Club. It has been said by many that Ortega is one of the prettiest neighborhoods in Jacksonville.
Sunbeam is a relatively new neighborhood centered around Sunbeam Road which runs east/west between Philips Highway and San Jose Boulevard. The area includes the site of the former Sunbeam Sanitary Landfill which opened in 1972. The landfill permit expired in 1986, and the facility stopped accepting garbage. With the odor problem settled, development of subdivisions, apartments, condos and commercial buildings were able to be completed.
Westside
The Westside is home to Paxon School for Advanced Studies, which happens to be one of the top schools in the nation by academics since 2003. The Westside is also home to some of the most culturally diverse schools in Duval County to date. As it has expanded westward, Argyle is now connected to Jacksonville's far-Westside by a number of roads, including the Brannan Field-Chaffee Road.
Neighborhoods include Oakleaf Plantation, Argyle, Avondale, Cedar Hills, Confederate Point, Fairfax, Hillcrest, Hyde Park, Jacksonville Heights, Lakeshore, Maxville, Normandy Manor, Oak Hill, Ortega, Ortega Farms, Settlers Landing, Sweetwater, Venetia, Whitehouse, Yukon and West Jacksonville.
Avondale
Historic Avondalelies along the St. John's River southwest of the Riverside area. This area is around three or four miles upriver from the downtown Jacksonville area. Avondale has been known for its quiet atmosphere. There are tree-line streets with quaint homes dating from the early 1920s. A few Avondale homes pre-date 1900. Most of the homes in the neighborhood display the middle class taste in architecture during the 1920s. This style included Art Deco, the every popular Craftsman Style, Classical Revival and Mediterranean Revival styles. Avondale is characterized by numerous bungalows and spacious, graceful homes. Unlike some other neighborhoods, Avondale never experienced a period of decline during the latter 20th Century, and retains much of its original gentility. St. John's Avenue is the key traffic artery through Avondale, and is the location of the Shoppes of Avondale, a small but vibrant collection of specialty shops, clothing stores, cafes, and upscale restaurants, most of which are located in original 1920s structures.
Cedar Hills
Cedar Hills lies along the Cedar River; it is called Cedar Creek by the locals, on the opposite shore from Lake Shore, and stretches from Blanding Boulevard on the east to Lane Avenue to the west. Cedar Hills was built in the 1940s and consists of single family mostly brick and concrete block homes; the area is anchored by the Cedar Hills Shopping Center business district. Most of the homes are modest, although many of the homes along the shore of the Cedar River have been expanded or replaced with much larger homes.
Confederate Point
Confederate Point was built in the 60's on a small island with limited access; it lies along the Cedar River on the opposite shore from Lake Shore. Confederate Point stretches from the Ortega River to the east and is bordered by the Cedar River to the North. The area is mainly single family homes and numerous condos and apartments. All of the single family homes are inland, with the apartments and condos lining the shore of the Cedar River. The area is popular given that it is close to water and Downtown, yet also exclusive in that there is only one road in or out.
Lake Shore
Lake Shorewas built during the time of the First World War and lies on the curving north bank of the Cedar River. It is bordered by the Cedar River to the South, and San Juan Avenue to the North, and is bisected by Cassat Avenue. Lake Shore consists mainly of modest, wood-frame, concrete block or brick homes, with the exception of the large estates that line the shore of the Cedar River. The neighborhood is anchored by the Lake Shore business district of stores up and down Cassat Avenue. Lake Shore is centrally located on the Westside with just a quick drive into Downtown Jacksonville. The existing homes in this area are small in size, so many first time home buyers renovate extensively. This is a very well maintained pocket of 1940's and 1950's homes. There is a definite trend to renovate and revitalize this quiet, comfortable neighborhood.
Marietta
Marietta is one of the small farming communities that was absorbed during the 1968 consolidation of Jacksonville with Duval County. Though technically a part of the city today, much of Marietta still retains its small-town, and even rural "feel", with some old-style farms and ranches, most of these homes occupy lots of ten acres or more, on which they keep horses and cattle, or raise grain and maintain orchards. Marietta is popular with old Southern families, and new families who moved to Jacksonville from mid-western agricultural states.
Normandy
Normandy outside of what would eventually become Jacksonville, and originally called "Hogan Settlement", The Normandy area was settled by Jacksonville's "Founding Family", the "Hogan's" who were the first white settlers in Duval County. The Normandy area is a large piece of forest that straddles Normandy Boulevard. Duval County used to be populated with large ranches but the founding families have turned it into a bedroom community with numerous large neighborhoods, parks, and very few apartment or condo complexes. These neighborhoods are mostly brick and concrete and have their own sewer and water plants unlike many of the other areas in Jacksonville. In this area people stay in their houses from generation to generation rather than other areas in Jacksonville where people move on an average every 5-10 years.
Ortega
Historic Ortegalies on the St Johns River just south of Riverside, starting at the confluence of the St Johns, and Cedar Rivers. It is practically an "inland island". Ortega stretches from the St Johns River to the East, and the Ortega River to the West, and is bordered by the Cedar River to the North, and the property line of the US Naval Air Station Jacksonville to the South. There are many sections of Ortega that have been around since right after the Civil War while other sections were just built in the past few years. All sections of Ortega are quite exclusive. Ortega is home to hundreds of mid-size, to large, spacious, turn-of-the-century homes and Southern Style mansions near the St Johns River, and many hundreds more modern brick homes on the Cedar and Ortega Rivers to the North and West. Along with Avondale, and Riverside, Ortega was originally, and still is home to some of the wealthiest of Jacksonville families. Ortega, due to its exclusivity, never went into decay, despite its age. The Ortega area is popular with those families who prefer to live in an area with a Southern lifestyle and culture, and own larger old Southern Style homes, with easy access to the river, and yet still near downtown. Ortega is exclusively residential, except on the southern tip, where a business district of restaurants and supermarkets exists next to the property line of the US Naval Air Station Jacksonville. Ortega is also home to the historic, and exclusive, Florida Yacht Club and Timuquana Country Club. It has been said by many that Ortega is one of the prettiest neighborhoods in Jacksonville.
Riverside
Riverside lies on the St Johns River just south of Downtown Jacksonville and is home to the historic "5 Points" and "King Street" business districts. There are also apartment towers along the river and hundreds of large spacious, turn-of-the century homes, not to mention brick streets. Since the 1970s, the "Riverside/Avondale Preservation District" has guided the rebirth of this late-1900s era neighborhood. Along with Avondale and Ortega, Riverside was originally the home to the wealthiest of Jacksonville families. In the late 1950's & 60's, the area went into decay, with many of those grand old homes being converted into rooming houses. After being designated a "National Historic Neighborhood", by the late 1990s, Riverside had recovered, with many homes restored to their original form. The Avondale, Riverside, and Ortega area is popular with those families who prefer to own large old Southern Style homes, with easy access to the river, just next to downtown.