Jacksonville Florida. Life of people in Jacksonville, Florida. Crime and safety in Jacksonville

Jacksonville - biggest Florida city . Founded in 1791 as Cowford , it is rapidly developing thanks to trade through sea and river routes. In 1821 Spain transfers Florida USA, and a year later the settlement was renamed in honor Andrew Jackson , governor of the state and later the seventh American president.

The city played the role of food supplier for the troops Confederation and was often besieged. After restoration, it took the place of the district's shopping and tourist center. In 1901, fire in one of the factories destroyed most of wooden buildings and left more than 10,000 people homeless.

Urgent reconstruction was carried out under the supervision of an architect Henry John Clouteau and patronage of the army.

Industry flourished here at the beginning of the century finance And insurance , in the 40s the army builds three naval bases, and in the 60s the outflow of population to the suburbs begins. The mayor's office is deprived of the lion's share of taxes to support the city, whose infrastructure is rapidly deteriorating. The problem was solved in 1967 through administrative unification.

In the 90s, an infrastructure improvement plan was developed, which has been gradually implemented over several years. Thanks to these transformations, Jacksonville today is on the list of the most attractive places for work and leisure American cities .

Nature in Downtown Jacksonville

Jacksonville boasts the largest and most diverse range of parks and green spaces U.S.A - from the city zoo and the famous nature reserve Cutty Shack to hotels in forest areas.

Metropolitan Park on the river bank Jones - a place for picnics and folk festivals. Art exhibitions take place here crafts and yachts , and jazz festival , holiday World of Nations and fireworks Independence Day .

In a charming historical park on the island St. George The elegant hotel from the early 20th century and the adjacent garden have been restored. There is a club nearby Ribot , which is often chosen for wedding ceremonies for the beauty of its trees and flower beds. Municipal Kummer Art Museum is located in a spacious garden, where trees, shrubs and fountains are formed into a picturesque composition.

Extensive Arboretum famous for its hilly landscape, lakes, hundred-year-old oak trees and rich fauna. There are a lot of hikers in this reserve routes and pavilions , and landscape artists love to come here for plein airs.

Water recreation

The ocean coast attracts wave lovers and diving . In the open beach pavilion Sea-Walk you can listen to music in Katherine Abbey Hannah Park - ride a bike, and Mayport - visit seafood restaurants and casinos on the water. Canoeing, kayaking and paddle -boarding . At rental stations: boats for sea and freshwater fishing, pleasure boats boats and yachts . A river taxi runs between the north and south shores and hosts concerts in the evenings live music .

Cultural mix

Every year in Jacksonville There are music and culinary festivals. Jazz and blues - historical melodies of the peninsula. Many famous musicians honed their skills in local clubs. So, one of the northern regions Jacksonville called " Harlem blues ". In April - a three-day open blues festival And Rockville , in May - jazz music. On the May holiday World of Nations - costumes, rhythms and cuisines of different nations, as well as the solemn ceremony of naturalization of new US citizens.

Shopping and gaming in Jacksonville

Along with great shopping Saint John Town , Avenue And River City Marketplace , V Jacksonville There are also non-trivial living courtyards: the A1A gallery stretching along the city beaches and a cozy arcade Beach Town : a shopping and entertainment district surrounded by palm trees. One of the unusual attractions: popular role-playing game areas such as Breakout And Mastermind .

Bright evenings

Nightlife doesn't just happen in modern glass skyscrapers. Downtown , with panoramic bars and variety shows, but also on city beaches. Lemon bar loved by the local public for its original cocktails, and the restaurant Azuria - for exquisite gastronomic cuisine. Bar Flyin Iguana offers more than a hundred types tequila , and a gastronomic pub By - more than fifty types of beer. A variety of cuisine and homemade beer can be found in many cafes in the area King Street District , and in the Comedy Zone club, where stand-up stars perform, you can laugh at good jokes.

Conditions of the excursion
Tickets and hotel for the guide are paid additionally; The minimum cost of the excursion is per group up to 3 people , additional payment for each additional passenger - $49 ; for a comfortable trip we recommend maximum 5 people in a car; duration of the excursion calculated taking into account the road and traffic jams along a given route, but not less than the specified time. The cost of each additional hour is $49 ; tips guides are always welcome, but not required and can be provided by you at will; To shorten the excursion time, it is better to fly to Jacksonville by plane from Miami. If you go by car, it's better combine with other Florida excursions. The cost of one full day of work (12 hours) of a guide - $299 .

Conditions of the excursion

Tickets and hotel for the guide are paid additionally;
The minimum cost of the excursion is per group up to 3 people , additional payment for each additional passenger - $49 ;
for a comfortable trip we recommend maximum 5 people in a car;
duration of the excursion calculated taking into account the road and traffic jams along a given route, but not less than the specified time. The cost of each additional hour is $49 ;
tips guides are always welcome, but not required and can be provided by you at will;
To shorten the excursion time, it is better to fly to Jacksonville by plane from Miami. If you go by car, it's better combine with other Florida excursions. The cost of one full day of work (12 hours) of a guide - $299 .

Jacksonville is a city located in the northeast of one of the US states, namely Florida. The city occupies a huge territory, almost 2300 square km. This means that Jacksonville is the largest populated area of the United States on the continent, if we take into account area; only a few settlements in Alaska, due to the large geographical expanses, can surpass it in area. Jacksonville's population is about 821 thousand people. The Jacksonville metropolitan area has a population of more than 1,300 thousand people. At the end of 2010, Jacksonville was one of the ten fastest growing cities in the United States.

The name Jacksonville was given to the city in honor of Jackson Andrew, who was the governor of Florida and later the seventh president of the United States. The city's well-known shortened name is Jax.

Jacksonville City Map

Jacksonville's Main Street Bridge is one of the city's landmarks.

The land on which Jacksonville is now located was discovered by Spanish settlers in 1513, but was practically deserted until the arrival of the French, who founded Fort Caroline in 1564. Which was soon destroyed by the Spaniards, who seized control of these lands. Ultimately, after a short period of British rule in this territory, these lands were given to the United States. By 1859, Jacksonville was incorporated as a city and was home to the largest port in Florida, serving as a center for the shipping of timber and cotton.

The city of Jacksonville developed as the region's industrial center because it was located on a navigable river and near the ocean. This port is the largest in the south and the second largest in the eastern United States. A balanced and sound economic policy that relies on industry, financial transactions, biological medicine, information services, ship repair and port industries, and tourism. The largest provider of jobs here is the military, which has several large bases located here. For example, north of Jacksonville there is a large military base, Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, where submarines containing ballistic missiles on their sides are based. 20 km from the city, near the St. Johns River, there is a strategic base, Naval Station Mayport, where the Fourth US Fleet is based. It is known that the region's economy receives about $6 billion every year from the paramilitary bases in Jacksonville. The tourism business is also very important to the economy; approximately 10 percent of the city's blue-collar workers are involved in tourism in one way or another. In 2008, just under three million people came to Jacksonville.

Race ratio in Jacksonville as of 2010:

Caucasians - 55.1%

African Americans - 30.7%

Mongoloids - 4.3%

Hispanics - 7.7%

According to the 2000 census, about 12% of people live below the poverty line. The average income per person was $23,700 (2009).

Riverwalk and Jacksonville Landing

St. Johns River is the longest running river in the state. It divides the city into several parts. A large number of districts of the city are located in seven main parts:

Southside (southeast of the city)

Arlington (east of the river area)

Jacksonville Beaches (areas on the Atlantic Ocean)

Urban Core (city center and downtown)

Northside (north of the city)

Northwest Jacksonville (northwest of the city)

Southwest (southwestern part of the city)

Urban Core has several skyscrapers, but all of them are no higher than 200 meters. The tallest building is the Bank of America Tower, 188 meters high and 42 floors.

Jacksonville Landing

Popular downtown attractions include Jacksonville Landing and the Jacksonville Riverwalks. The first one is a glass and steel complex with an orange roof. It is located on the banks of the local St. Johns River. The complex contains shops, restaurants and entertainment areas. The Riverwalks are located on both sides of the river, the northern Northbank Riverwalk is three km long, and the southern Southbank Riverwalk is only two km long.

One of the city's largest museums is located near the northern embankment. This is the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville (MOCA Jacksonville).

South embankment in St. Park Johns River Park contains the Friendship Fountain, which is one of the most famous places for both natives and visitors to the city. In 1965, when the fountain was built, it was considered “the tallest and largest fountain in the world.” In 2010-2011, the fountain and square changed greatly. The South Waterfront boasts one of the city's most visited museums, the Museum of History and Science (MOSH).

Jacksonville's Main Street Bridge is one of the most popular parts of the city, crossing the river in the center of the city. This is a bridge, the middle part of which rises up thanks to lifting towers, this is done so that large ships can pass along the river without obstacles. The bridge has four lanes of traffic, as well as sidewalks for pedestrians, which helps to popularize it among runners and those who like to walk.

American cities have wonderful zoos. This also includes the Jacksonville Zoo. Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has about 2,000 animals and 1,500 rare plants and is rightfully considered one of the city's greatest prides.

Jacksonville has only one professional sports club that competes in the major leagues in the United States. This is due to the relatively small number of inhabitants. The Jacksonville Jaguars have been Jacksonville's representatives in the NFL (National Football League) since 1995 at EverBank Field, located in the heart of the city.

Jacksonville (Jacksonville, sometimes in Russian Jacksonville or Jacksonville) is a city located in the northeast of Florida. The city spreads over a vast territory of almost 2300 sq. km. This makes Jacksonville the largest city in the continental United States by area; only a few cities in Alaska, due to their vast geographic boundaries, have a larger area. The population of Jacksonville is 842 thousand people. More than 1.3 million people live within the Jacksonville metropolitan area. As of the end of 2010, Jacksonville is one of the ten fastest growing cities in the United States.

Jacksonville received its name in honor of Andrew Jackson, the governor of Florida and the 7th president of the United States. The city's popular nickname is Jax.

Jacksonville's Main Street Bridge is one of the symbols of the city

What is now Jacksonville was discovered by Spanish settlers in 1513, but remained largely uninhabited until the arrival of the French, who founded Fort Caroline in 1564. The fort was later destroyed by the Spaniards, who gained control of these territories. Eventually, after a short period of British rule, the area was ceded to the United States. By 1859, Jacksonville was incorporated as a city and had the largest port in the state of Florida, handling timber and cotton.

Jacksonville's location on a navigable river near the Atlantic Ocean contributed to the city's growth and industrial development in the region. The deep-water port is the largest in the South and the second largest on the East Coast of the United States. A balanced and diversified economy is based on manufacturing, finance, insurance, biomedicine, information services, ship repair and cargo handling industries, and tourism. However, the largest employer in the region is the military, with several large bases nearby. In particular, just north of Jacksonville is the huge Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, home to a fleet of ballistic missile submarines. Just 20 km from downtown at the mouth of the St. Johns River there is an important naval base, Naval Station Mayport, where the US 4th Fleet is based. It is estimated that the total economic impact of the military presence in Jacksonville is more than $6 billion annually. Tourism is also an important economic sector, with approximately 10% of jobs in the region directly or indirectly related to tourism. More than 2.8 million tourists visited Jacksonville in 2008.

Racial composition of Jacksonville as of 2013:

white (no Hispanics) - 54.2%
African Americans - 30.3%
Hispanic - 8.2%
Asians - 4.4%
mixed race - 2.5%

According to 2013 data, more than 17% of the population lives in poverty. Average per capita income is $25,521 (2013).

The St. Johns River is Florida's longest river and divides the city into several main areas. Jacksonville's numerous neighborhoods are concentrated in 7 main sectors:

Southside (southeast of Jacksonville)
Arlington (Arlington, area east of the St. Johns River)
Jacksonville Beaches (areas on the Atlantic coast)
Urban Core (central part of the city along with downtown)
Northside (north part of Jacksonville)
Northwest Jacksonville (northwestern part of Jacksonville)
Southwest (southwest Jacksonville)

Several skyscrapers rise in the downtown area of Jacksonville, although none of them exceed 200 meters. The tallest building, the 42-story Bank of America Tower, is 188 meters high.

Popular downtown spots include the Jacksonville Landing and the Jacksonville Riverwalks. The Landing is a two-level glass and steel complex with an orange roof located on the north bank of the St. Johns River. The complex consists of shops, restaurants and entertainment venues. Riverwalks are located on both banks of the river, the northern embankment Northbank Riverwalk is more than 3 km long, the southern Southbank Riverwalk is 2 km long.

Steps from the north waterfront is one of the city's largest museums, the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, also known as MOCA Jacksonville.

On the southern embankment in St. Park. Johns River Park features the Friendship Fountain, one of the most recognizable and popular attractions for locals and tourists in Jacksonville. When the fountain was built in 1965, it was marketed as "the tallest and largest fountain in the world." In 2010-2011, the park and fountain were seriously modernized. Also on the south waterfront is one of Jacksonville's most visited museums, the Museum of Science & History (MOSH for short).

Jacksonville's Main Street Bridge, crossing the river in the heart of downtown, is one of the city's most recognizable symbols. It is a vertical lift bridge, meaning that the entire middle section of the bridge is raised by lift towers to allow tall ships to pass on the river In addition to four lanes, the bridge has pedestrian sidewalks, making it popular with runners and walkers.

There are excellent zoos in cities across the United States. The Jacksonville Zoo, located north of downtown, was no exception. With its 2,000 animals and 1,500 rare plants, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is one of the city's key attractions.

Unlike much of the rest of Florida, the coastline near Jacksonville remains relatively untouched. The sandy beaches of Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, and Jacksonville Beach are ideal for walks and a relaxing holiday. Sport fishing, boating and water sports are also offered.

Adventure Landing is an amusement park located southwest of downtown Jacksonville. On the Atlantic coast in Jacksonville Beach there is also the Adventure Landing Shipwreck Island water park.

The relatively small number of people living in the region has contributed to the fact that Jacksonville is home to only one professional club that competes in the country's major sports leagues. The Jacksonville Jaguars have represented Jacksonville in the National Football League since 1995 and play at EverBank Field located downtown.

Distances from Jacksonville:

Miami - 510 km
Orlando - 190 km
Atlanta - 480 km
Charlotte - 560 km

Jacksonville's climate is humid subtropical, but cooler than southern Florida. In summer the city is very hot and humid, with frequent rain from June to September. Winters in Jacksonville are comfortable, with 10-15 nights where temperatures are below freezing. Snow is extremely rare. Like all of Florida, and in fact the entire eastern United States, Jacksonville is threatened by hurricanes.

This may seem strange, but in the 2.5 years of living in Jacksonville, I wrote very little about this city. This is due to the fact that Jacksonville is such an anthill city, where there is practically nothing interesting, where decent people do not usually travel in any other way except by car, and where, in fact, you can only walk around the beaches. Recently, after all, I walked around the city center, the so-called downtown, and took some photographs of it.

This is what downtown looks like from the other side of the Saint John's River.

The business center is literally a few modern tall buildings and older urban buildings behind them.