Timeline of Jacksonville, Florida

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Jacksonville, Florida, USA.

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.

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.
 * 2023 - August 26: Mass shooting at a Jacksonville Dollar General store.

Published in 20th century

 * 1918 ed.
 * 1918 ed.
 * 1921 ed.
 * Map
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 * 1921 ed.
 * Map
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 * Map
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