$\"logo\"/$ The Jaxson on Jacksonville Today

Analysis and original reporting from the team behind The Jaxson, which is dedicated to urbanism and culture on the First Coast. The Jaxson explores the big issues facing Jacksonville in the modern era of urban growth, with a look at today's development in the context of yesterday's history. The Jaxson is a partnership of Modern Cities and WJCT Public Media.

The Jaxson on Jacksonville Today

Analysis and original reporting from the team behind The Jaxson, which is dedicated to urbanism and culture on the First Coast. The Jaxson explores the big issues facing Jacksonville in the modern era of urban growth, with a look at today's development in the context of yesterday's history. The Jaxson is a partnership of Modern Cities and WJCT Public Media.

Featured image for “THE JAXSON | Before and after: The rebirth of Downtown Hastings”

THE JAXSON | Before and after: The rebirth of Downtown Hastings

Located in southwest St. Johns County, Hastings is experiencing economic rebirth. Here’s a before-and-after transformation of this new Florida Main…

By Ennis Davis

Featured image for “THE JAXSON | How a skate park was built under a bridge”

February 25, 2025

THE JAXSON | How a skate park was built under a bridge

This is the story of how the Artist Walk Skate Park under the Fuller Warren Bridge was born.…

By Mike Field

Featured image for “THE JAXSON | 5 forgotten Black-owned businesses in Jacksonville”

February 19, 2025

THE JAXSON | 5 forgotten Black-owned businesses in Jacksonville

Here are five early 20th century African-American-owned businesses associated with Jacksonville.…

By Ennis Davis

Featured image for “THE JAXSON | The Great Migration and Black Jacksonville”

February 12, 2025

THE JAXSON | The Great Migration and Black Jacksonville

In honor of Black History Month, here are six ways Jacksonville reshaped the cultural demographics of the entire country.…

By Ennis Davis

Featured image for “THE JAXSON | When Jacksonville became a Super Bowl city”

February 4, 2025

THE JAXSON | When Jacksonville became a Super Bowl city

These are the lasting effects on Jacksonville of hosting the Super Bowl in 2005.…

By Mike Field

Featured image for “THE JAXSON | How Downtown’s train station was saved”

January 28, 2025

THE JAXSON | How Downtown’s train station was saved

This is the story of the Station Celebration, a forgotten dispatch that rallied thousands of Jaxsons together to help save…

By Mike Field

Featured image for “THE JAXSON | A trip down memory lane: 1970s Jacksonville”

January 22, 2025

THE JAXSON | A trip down memory lane: 1970s Jacksonville

Here’s a visual history of seven sites photographed as a part of a 1970s city of Jacksonville planning study.…

By Ennis Davis

Featured image for “THE JAXSON | Rehabilitated urban passenger rail stations”

January 15, 2025

THE JAXSON | Rehabilitated urban passenger rail stations

The Prime Osborn Convention Center could become a major mixed-use economic hub. With that in mind, here is a look…

By Ennis Davis

Featured image for “THE JAXSON | 3 things changing the urban landscape in 2025”

January 8, 2025

THE JAXSON | 3 things changing the urban landscape in 2025

In 2025, here are three predictions about the urban core that could permanently change Jacksonville for the better.…

By Ennis Davis

Featured image for “THE JAXSON | 6 major projects planned for LaVilla”

December 18, 2024

THE JAXSON | 6 major projects planned for LaVilla

In addition to the new University of Florida campus, here are six other major projects under construction in the historic…

By Ennis Davis

Featured image for “THE JAXSON | Merrill-Stevens: Legacy of the Southside Shipyard”

December 11, 2024

THE JAXSON | Merrill-Stevens: Legacy of the Southside Shipyard

The history of a former World War I-era shipyard now occupied by Bishop Kenny High School.…

By Andrew R. Nicholas

Featured image for “THE JAXSON | 14 historic JAXPORT photographs”

December 4, 2024

THE JAXSON | 14 historic JAXPORT photographs

Here’s a photographic journey showing JAXPORT’s facilities over the past 108 years.…

By Ennis Davis

Featured image for “THE JAXSON | The history of Jacksonville’s San Marco neighborhood”

November 27, 2024

THE JAXSON | The history of Jacksonville’s San Marco neighborhood

Across the St. Johns River from Downtown Jacksonville, San Marco is a historic neighborhood known for its architecture, restaurants, boutiques…

By Ennis Davis

Featured image for “OPINION | It’s time for the Laura Street Trio’s owner to bow out”

November 20, 2024

OPINION | It’s time for the Laura Street Trio’s owner to bow out

There’s one constant in each of the failed plans, false starts and continued deterioration of the Trio over the years:…

By Mike Field

Featured image for “THE JAXSON | Ray Charles in Jacksonville”

November 12, 2024

THE JAXSON | Ray Charles in Jacksonville

Here are six sites associated with Ray Charles’ time as an up-and-coming musician in Jacksonville.…

By Ennis Davis

Featured image for “THE JAXSON | The history of Jacksonville’s San Mateo neighborhood”

October 30, 2024

THE JAXSON | The history of Jacksonville’s San Mateo neighborhood

Fifteen minutes north of Downtown Jacksonville, San Mateo is a post-World War II neighborhood characterized by a mature developed landscape…

By Ennis Davis

Featured image for “THE JAXSON | Jaxlore: Annie Lytle Elementary, ‘The Devil’s School’”

October 23, 2024

THE JAXSON | Jaxlore: Annie Lytle Elementary, ‘The Devil’s School’

The former Annie Lytle Elementary School by I-95 between Riverside and Brooklyn has long had a reputation as the “most…

By Bill Delaney

Featured image for “THE JAXSON | 3 surviving factory buildings from Jax’s Cuban cigar-making era”

October 16, 2024

THE JAXSON | 3 surviving factory buildings from Jax’s Cuban cigar-making era

By 1895, Jacksonville was home to thousands of Cuban immigrants and 15 cigar manufacturing companies.…

By Ennis Davis

Featured image for “THE JAXSON | 9 historic Durkeeville photographs”

October 8, 2024

THE JAXSON | 9 historic Durkeeville photographs

During the early 20th century, the greater Durkeeville community became a segregation-era hub of Black culture, business and social life…

By Ennis Davis

Featured image for “THE JAXSON | The ‘malling’ of Baymeadows”

October 1, 2024

THE JAXSON | The ‘malling’ of Baymeadows

A look at the rise, repositioning and survival of Deerwood Village Mall, one of the Southside’s oldest shopping malls.…

By Ennis Davis

Featured image for “OPINION | Great Cities Symposium a chance for Jax to learn from national leader”

September 24, 2024

OPINION | Great Cities Symposium a chance for Jax to learn from national leader

Since 2019, the Great Cities Symposium has brought remarkable civic and business leaders to Jacksonville from peer cities to share…

By Bill Hoff

Featured image for “THE JAXSON | The history of Jacksonville’s Norwood neighborhood”

September 18, 2024

THE JAXSON | The history of Jacksonville’s Norwood neighborhood

Located along the banks of Moncrief Creek, Norwood is a Northside neighborhood that was laid out in 1912.…

By Ennis Davis

Featured image for “THE JAXSON | Florida’s 5 largest cities in 1900”

September 10, 2024

THE JAXSON | Florida’s 5 largest cities in 1900

Even in 1900, when Florida was the 32nd largest state in the country, Jacksonville was by far its largest city.…

By Ennis Davis

Featured image for “THE JAXSON | The fascinating history of Black Hammock Island’s Cedar Point Preserve”

September 4, 2024

THE JAXSON | The fascinating history of Black Hammock Island’s Cedar Point Preserve

Jacksonville’s Black Hammock Island has a fascinating history from 6,000 years of civilization. Here are four facts about Cedar Point…

By Ennis Davis

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