Jacksonville's Eight Oldest Parks

4. Confederate Park - 1907



Confederate Park is a 6.01-acre park between downtown and Springfield. It is part of a network of parks that parallel Hogans Creek.  Containing the city's first playground, the space opened in 1907 as Dignan Park, in honor of the city's former chairman of the Board of Public Works, Peter Dignan. In 1914, the park hosted the annual reunion of the United Confederate Veterans (UCV). An estimated 8,000 former Confederate soldiers attended the reunion. As a part of the festivities, the UCV selected the park as the location for a monument honoring the Women of the Southland.  Later that year, the city changed the name of the public space from Dignan to Confederate Park.


Confederate Park during the 1920s. (State Archives of Florida)



3. Springfield Park - 1898



Now called Henry J. Klutho Park is an 18.34-acre public park, located between downtown and the historic neighborhood of Springfield.  This park is part of a network of parks that parallel Hogan’s Creek, with Klutho Park being the largest. Most of this park was created and developed between 1899 and 1901. The property was land that was donated by the Springfield Company. It was home to the city’s first zoo, which opened up in 1914. Henry Klutho was a well-respected architect in the area—with many of his building gracing the high-rise downtown. He designed the Hogans Creek Improvement Project in 1929-30 an thus, the park was named in his honor.


Springfield Park in 1940. (State Archives of Florida)