Jacksonville: The City So Big It Swallowed Its County
Jacksonville is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States - 875 square miles, the result of a 1968 consolidation that merged the city with surrounding Duval County. The consolidation solved some problems (unified services, clearer governance) and created others (endless sprawl, car-dependent development). The city of 950,000 occupies northeast Florida, bypassed by tourists heading to Orlando or Miami, known mainly for its Navy bases and its NFL team. Jacksonville is Florida's first city - the first major destination for tourists arriving by rail in the late 1800s, before the railroad extended to Miami. The tourist trade moved south; Jacksonville remained, quietly becoming one of America's largest cities while receiving almost none of the attention.
The Consolidation
In 1968, Jacksonville and Duval County merged - the largest city-county consolidation in American history. The merger happened because the old Jacksonville was failing: corruption scandals, substandard schools, a downtown in decline. The consolidation unified services, eliminated duplication, and absorbed the suburbs that white flight had created. The result is a city that covers more territory than New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago combined, with a population density that's correspondingly low. Jacksonville is what American sprawl looks like when the boundaries keep expanding to include it.
The Navy
Naval Station Mayport is the third-largest naval base in the country; Naval Air Station Jacksonville provides aviation support. The military presence provides 25,000 jobs directly and supports tens of thousands more. The bases survived the closure rounds that eliminated installations elsewhere; Jacksonville's congressional delegation protected what Jacksonville depends on. The Navy presence creates a character different from tourist Florida - more conservative, more transient, more connected to the military communities that move through. Jacksonville is a Navy town in a state known for beaches and theme parks.
The Beaches
Jacksonville's beaches - Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach - form a separate community from the consolidated city. The beach culture is more local than tourist-oriented; the surfers are locals; the bars serve locals; the condos house retirees who wanted ocean without Miami prices. The beaches provide the coastal identity that Jacksonville's downtown lacks - the confirmation that yes, this is Florida, despite the city feeling more like a Southern metropolis than a beach destination. The Atlantic is 20 miles from downtown; the beach towns feel like a different world.
The Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars entered the NFL in 1995, beating the expansion odds to make the AFC Championship game in their second season. The sustained competitiveness didn't last; the Jaguars have mostly been bad, the stadium (now TIAA Bank Field) rarely full, the relocation rumors constant. The owner, Shahid Khan (also owner of Fulham FC in England), has committed to Jacksonville, but the small market and losing records create challenges. The Jaguars provide NFL identity for a city that otherwise lacks national profile; whether they stay long-term remains an open question.
Visiting Jacksonville
Jacksonville is served by Jacksonville International Airport (JAX). The Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens offers a small but quality collection. The beaches are worth the drive for actual Florida coast experience. The San Marco and Riverside/Avondale neighborhoods provide walkable urban character. The Jacksonville Zoo is surprisingly good. The Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve protects 46,000 acres of wetlands and historic sites. For food, the restaurant scene is improving but not a destination. The weather is similar to other Florida cities: hot and humid in summer, mild in winter. Jacksonville rewards visitors who aren't comparing it to Miami or Orlando.
From the Air
Located at 30.33°N, 81.66°W where the St. Johns River approaches the Atlantic Ocean. From altitude, Jacksonville appears as endless sprawl - 875 square miles of development, the river winding through, the naval stations visible, the beaches visible to the east as a separate cluster. The scale is remarkable; this is America's largest city by area. What appears from altitude as vast suburban development is Florida's forgotten city - where consolidation created megacity footprint, where the Navy provides the economic base, and where tourists pass through on their way somewhere else.