Jacksonville is the largest city (by land size) in the continental United States of America. It has over 740 square miles. This big city has been named after Andrew Jackson, the Seventh president of the United States.
There is a lot of amazing facts about Jacksonville that I think you may enjoy. Let’s go over some of them!
All About The Name.
As explained by my local plumber in Jacksonville FL, Jacksonville is named after Andrew Jackson who was also the first military governor of Florida. You heard right, he was the seventh president of the United States, too. Before it was named Jacksonville, it was called Cowford for all the cattle that they had to cross the St. Johns River.
What Are Some Major Attractions in Jacksonville.
If you plan on visiting Jacksonville, I have some must-sees in mind for you. We all know that Jacksonville is known for its beaches, but there is much more. I want to give you a list of the best places to visit while in Jacksonville
The Jacksonville Zoo.
The Jacksonville Zoo is 7 miles from downtown Jacksonville. It has all kinds of animals to see. Not only will you be able to see the different animals, they have a train that you can ride on, and much, much more. Everyone who visits the Jacksonville Zoo pays the additional fee to ride the train.
Here are a few things you can see at the Jacksonville Zoo:
- Stingrays
- Frogs
- Giraffes
- Tigers
- Lions
- Birds of all kinds.
- Great Apes, and much more animals.
- A playground with water/splash ground.
- The list goes on…
You can find more about the Jacksonville Zoo including prices and hours at Jacksonvillezoo.org.
The Cummers Museum of Art and Gardens.
The Cummers Museum of Art and Gardens has been around since 1958. They are all about education holding seminars in conjunction with Jacksonville schools. They have more than 5,00 pieces of art to view. Not to mention, they have a beautiful garden that is a must-see with fountains and reflecting pools.
Things to see at the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens are;
- 5,000 different pieces of permanent art dated all the way back from 2100 BC.
- The education center filled with interactive activities.
- 5 acres of historical gardens with pools, and fountains to enjoy.
- There is much more to see!
Cummersmuseum.org has information on prices, and what they have to see on their website in the link.
The Home Of Zephaniah Kingsley at the Kingsley Plantation.
The Kingsley Plantation is a little piece of Florida’s history that has remained in good condition. What makes Kingsley Plantation different is Zephaniah’s wife was a former slave. Her name was Anna and she worked hard to end slavery and was an advocate for slaves even though they had over 200 slave workers.
A few of the things that you can see at the Kingsley Plantation are;
- The home on the plantation.
- The barn.
- The slave quarters.
- And educations about the 18th and 19th century history.
If you are interested in more, including directions, you can visit the Kingsley Plantations website in the link.
The Museum of Science and History.
The Museum of Science and History, also called the Mosh, is located right in Jacksonville. A lot of people like to take their kids to the museum. It is rich in education. You can learn alot about the human body. The exhibits they show are interactive, and tend to keep children as well as adults, engaged in the information.
A few things that you can learn about at the Mosh Museum are;
- Animals from the ocean.
- Discover and learn about wildlife.
- Education about Native AMericans and the time over the years.
- Kidspace for children under 5 to explore and run around.
- The space gallery.
- History of Northeastern Florida.
The list goes on. You can find more information about the Mosh Museum at their website posted in the link.
Don’t Forget the Sports!
Jacksonville is home to the Jacksonville Jaguars. They are the NFL team for Jacksonville. There have been a lot of victories for the Jacksonville Jaguars, but a lot of defeats too. Their fans stay loyal with a large committed fan base. There home field is the Everbank field.
If you are in town, and want to see them play, you can find times and tickets at their website, www.jags.com.
Jacksonville is Famous for its Beaches.
Jacksonville has beautiful miles and miles of beaches. Some have restaurants right on the beach so you can enjoy the waves and some dinner. Other Beaches can be drove right onto. You can enjoy the beautiful sight and scent of the beach right in Jacksonville.
You can find more information about Jacksonville beaches at visitjacksonville.com.
I hope that you were able to learn a few new things about what JAcksonville is famous for. Please visit some of the links to further your knowledge about the places above. Jacksonville truly is a wonderful place that holds a lot of history.
