13 Things In Jacksonville You Didn’t Know Existed

4. This Place Is One Hidden Gem Of A Russian Restaurant


Source: Gastronome Cafe via Facebook

A truly hidden gem of a Jacksonville eatery, Gastronome Cafe is a specialty Russian/European market worth seeking out to find all sorts of assorted items you can’t find at a traditional grocer. There’s also a small cafe with a few tables. For any effort you put into tracking Gastronome down, you’ll be rewarded with the best gyros, blintzes, Russian dumplings and cappuccino in town.


5. Who Knew J.C. Penney Was Was A Utopian Idealist?


Source: Flickr user Ebyabe

In 1926, James Cash Penney (yes, of J.C. Penney), tried do something we’ve all dreamed of, but rarely have the fortitude or hubris to do: he created his own utopian village. Well, he tried, at least. Penney farms, an experimental town intended to be a "scientifically-managed agricultural community” didn’t last long after the stock market crash.

Instead, Penney ended up using Penney Farms as a home for retired ministers. Today, it exists as a Christian retirement home and small Jacksonville town.