Timeline of Jacksonville, Florida

The following is a of the history of the city of Jacksonville, Florida, United States.

Prior to 20th century

• Prior to 1564 - One early 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.
• 1564 - French Fort Caroline established by René Goulaine de Laudonnière.
• 1565 - Spanish forces take Fort Caroline.
• 1822
• Settlement named "Jacksonville" to honor Andrew Jackson.
• Town grid laid out.
• Jacksonville becomes seat of newly formed Duval County.
• 1832
• Town incorporated.
• William J. Mills becomes mayor.
• 1838 - Bethel Baptist Church established.
• 1845 - Florida becomes part of the United States.
• 1846 - October 12: Gale.
• 1857 - City Park created.
• 1858 - Florida, Atlantic & Gulf Central Railroad begins operating.
• 1862 - Town occupied by Union forces.
• 1869 - St. James Hotel built.
• 1871 - Furchgott, Benedict & Co. dry goods store in business.
• 1872 - Cookman Institute established.
• 1873 - Florida Circulating Library active.
• 1875 - Windsor Hotel built.
• 1876
• Duval High School established.
• Union Congregational Church built.
• 1877 - Board of Health established.
• 1878 - Library and Literary Association formed.
• 1881 - Florida Daily Times begins publication.
• 1882
• Synagogue dedicated.
• Florida Baptist Academy established.
• 1884 - Board of Trade organized.
• 1885 - Park Opera House in business.
• 1886 - Boylan Industrial Home and school established.
• 1887
• Yellow fever epidemic.
• The Metropolis newspaper begins publication.
• St. Andrew's Episcopal Church built.
• 1888 - Subtropical Exposition held.
• 1890 - Population: 17,201.
• 1892 - Edward Waters College active.
• 1893 - Streetcars began operating.
• 1897 - Woman's Club founded.
• 1900 -
• "Lift Every Voice and Sing" song first performed.
• Population: 28,429.

20th century

1900s-1950s

• 1901
• May 3: Great Fire of 1901.
• Brewster Hospital established.
• Continental Hotel opens.
• 1903
• Mason Park opens.
• Florida Automobile Association organized.
• 1904
• Lincoln Park opens.
• First Baptist Church built.
• 1905
• Jacksonville Free Public Library opens.
• Protestant Union Revival held.
• 1907
• Manhattan Beach opens.
• Dixieland Amusement Park opens in South Jacksonville.
• South Jacksonville chartered as a city.
• 1908 - Filmmaker Kalem Studios active.
• 1909 - YMCA building constructed.
• 1910
• Atlantic Boulevard laid out.
• Population: 57,699.
• 1912
• St. James Building constructed.
• City Rotary Club formed.
• 1914 - Jacksonville Zoological Park established.
• 1917
• National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Jacksonville chapter established.
• John W. Martin becomes mayor.
• 1920 – Population: 91,558.
• 1921 - St. Johns River Bridge opens.
• 1923 - John T. Alsop becomes mayor.
• 1925
• Negro Welfare League organized.
• WJAX radio begins broadcasting.
• 1926 - Carling Hotel opens.
• 1927 - Florida Theatre and 5 Points Theatre built.
• 1928 - Gator Bowl Stadium built.
• 1929 - Jacksonville Historical Society founded.
• 1930 – Population: 129,549.
• 1934
• Jacksonville Junior College established.
• WMBR radio begins broadcasting.
• 1938
• WJHP radio begins broadcasting.
• Theatre Jacksonville built.
• 1940
• U.S. military Naval Air Station Jacksonville commissioned.
• Population: 173,065.
• 1946 - Annual Gator Bowl college football game begins.
• 1947
• Jacksonville Urban League formed.
• Hanna Park created.
• 1949
• WJXT (television) begins broadcasting.
• W. Haydon Burns becomes mayor.
• 1950 - Population: 204,517.
• 1953 - Mathews Bridge opens.
• 1955 - Jacksonville Expressway Authority established.
• 1957 - WFGA-TV (television) begins broadcasting.

1960s-1990s

• 1960
• August: "Ax Handle Saturday" racial unrest.
• Population: 201,030.
• 1962 - Civic Auditorium opens.
• 1963 - December, Hotel Roosevelt fire
• 1964 - September 10, Hurricane Dora occurs.
• 1967
• Hart Bridge opens.
• Mary Singleton and Sallye B. Mathis became the first female African Americans elected to the City Council.
• 1968
• Consolidation of city and Duval County governments.
• Hans Tanzler becomes mayor.
• 1970 - Population: 528,865.
• 1973 - Florida Municipal Home Rule Powers Act ratified.
• 1979 - Jake Godbold becomes mayor.
• 1980
• Foreign trade zone established.
• Population: 540,920.
• 1984 - Jacksonville Bulls football team formed.
• 1989 - The Jacksonville Skyway begins operating
• 1990 - Population: 635,230.
• 1993 - Corrine Brown becomes U.S. representative for Florida's 3rd congressional district.
• 1995
• Jacksonville Jaguars football team formed.
• Jacksonville Municipal Stadium opens.
• John Delaney becomes mayor.
• 1998 - City website online (approximate date).
• 2000
• "Better Jacksonville Plan" for urban growth approved.
• Population: 735,617.

21st century

• 2001 - Ander Crenshaw becomes U.S. representative for Florida's 4th congressional district.
• 2003 - May 13: Jacksonville mayoral election, 2003 held; John Peyton wins.
• 2010 - Population: 821,784.
• 2011 - March 22: Jacksonville mayoral election, 2011 held; Alvin Brown wins. He was the city's first elected African-American mayor.
• 2013 - Corrine Brown becomes U.S. representative for Florida's 3rd congressional district again.
• 2015 - Lenny Curry becomes mayor.
• 2022 - Jacksonville celebrates its bicentennial.
• 2023
• May 16 - 2023 Jacksonville mayoral election; Donna Deegan wins, becomes the city's first female mayor.
• August 26 - Mass shooting at a Jacksonville Dollar General store.

See also

• History of Jacksonville, Florida
• List of mayors of Jacksonville, Florida
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Duval County, Florida
• of other cities in the North Florida area of Florida: Gainesville, Pensacola, Tallahassee

Notes

References

Bibliography

Published in 19th century

Published in 20th century

• 1918 ed.
• 1918 ed.
• 1921 ed.
• Map
• (fulltext)

Published in 21st century

External links

• Digital Public Library of America. Items related to Jacksonville, Florida, various dates

Images