Heritage Publishing, Inc. © 2013


Live • Work • Play Quaint neighborhoods, beautiful beaches, urban amenities


and outdoor adventures blend to make the First Coast a unique Southern gem. Newcomers will find a mixture of rural simplicity and vibrant metropolitan flair. From rustic fish camps to world-class resorts, from neighborhood boutiques to Broadway productions, Northeast Florida has it all. An eclectic combination of rich history and progressive vision, Florida’s First Coast is the perfect place to live, work and play.


HISTORY Long before Spanish Conquistador Juan Ponce de Leon


became the first European explorer to arrive on the mainland in 1513, Native American tribes lived in settlements near the region’s numerous waterways. Archeologists have excavated some of the oldest pottery in the United States, dating back to 2500 B.C. in what is known today as Atlantic Beach, leading some scholars to believe the first year-round Native American settlements in North America were located right here on the First Coast.


Although the French Huguenots established a colony at Fort


Caroline (near the mouth of the St. Johns River) in 1564, they were soon ousted by the Spanish, who controlled the region for more than 100 years thereafter.


Over time, the First Coast became marred in conflict,


caught between the struggling forces of European powers, a developing United States and Native Americans who desperately tried to hold onto their land.


Eventually, the Spanish ceded control of Florida to the U.S.


government with the signing of the Adams-Onis Treaty in 1819. In the treaty, Florida was sold to the United States for $5 million in exchange for firmly established Western boundaries, which left Texas and other territories west of the Rocky Mountains to the Spanish.


American settlement along the First Coast expanded rapidly


after the treaty was signed. In the early 1800s, townships sprang up in Baker, Clay and Duval counties.


During reconstruction, following the Civil War,


Jacksonville and nearby St. Augustine drew tourists from the North. Capitalizing on its pristine beaches and warm weather, Northeast Florida became a popular winter resort area for the rich and famous, bringing the Gilded Age to the region—a time of rapid population and economic growth in the U.S.


The early 20th century ushered in the boardwalk era at the


area’s beaches. Local merchants built dance pavilions, restaurants and other attractions to entertain visitors and residents. During this time, New York-based filmmakers moved their winter operations south. Producers were drawn to Northeast Florida by its warm climate, exotic locations, excellent rail system and cheap labor. More than 30 silent films were made here, before conservative politics forced filmmakers to move their operations to California.


After WWII, the U.S. Navy became a primary employer


and economic force in the region. A new age of economic growth came along with the increased military presence. Since the late 19th century, harbor improvements have made the First Coast a major military and civilian deep-water port, which has become the third largest in Florida.


Today, Northeast Florida is one of the fastest growing


regions in the United States. The area’s solid economic base is fueled by a large military presence, tourism and significant employers in the service industries including banking, insurance and health care.


_________________________________________________________________________ Left: Statue of Andrew Jackson in Downtown Jacksonville, photo by Jacqueline Persandi Center: Photo courtesy of JAX Chamber Right: Veterans Day Parade, photo courtesy of City of Jacksonville


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148  |  Page 149  |  Page 150  |  Page 151  |  Page 152  |  Page 153  |  Page 154  |  Page 155  |  Page 156  |  Page 157  |  Page 158  |  Page 159  |  Page 160  |  Page 161  |  Page 162