Centered around Ward Street in LaVilla, Jacksonville's notorious early 20th century red light district was a dense and complicated landscape that most Jaxsons know very little about. Home to more than 60 bordellos and popular madams Cora Crane, Belle Orloff and Lyda De Camp, here are five forgotten facts associated with the district. Read More
Since 2019, the Great Cities Symposium has brought substantive civic and business leaders to Jacksonville from peer cities to share their experience and expertise leading impactful projects in their communities. This year urban design luminary Victor Dover is the featured speaker at the 2026 Great Cities Symposium on February 5th, presented by Gateway Jax and Scenic Jacksonville. Read More
Redevelopment has begun at 721 N. Pearl Street, where the long-standing First Baptist Church Lighthouse Garage is being transformed into an activated retail destination. Read More
Set on a narrow peninsula shaped by the Arlington River and Big and Little Pottsburg Creeks, the neighborhoods surrounding the intersection of Atlantic Boulevard and University Boulevard hold some of Jacksonville’s oldest continuously occupied homes. These waterways and crossroads have long defined the character of Oak Haven and Love Grove. The following five intersecting facts explore highlights their shared history. Read More
Tucked along the west bank of the St. Johns River, just north of Downtown Jacksonville, the neighborhood of Fairfield holds a history far richer than its modest footprint suggests. Once a thriving hub of entertainment, innovation, and ambition, Fairfield played a formative role in Jacksonville’s early growth. Over time, however, waves of industrialization and large-scale infrastructure projects reshaped the area, leaving behind a layered legacy that mirrors the broader story of urban development in Northeast Florida. Read More
