Jacksonville's Eight Oldest Parks

[Metro Jacksonville]

Jacksonville's Eight Oldest Parks





Read More: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2016-jun-jacksonvilles-eight-oldest-parks

[Noone]

Thanks for the history. Enjoyed the tour.

[mtraininjax]

Great information! Thanks for sharing.

[camarocane]

Terrific article!

[coredumped]

I love seeing how to people dressed up to go to the park back in the day. Looks hot, as in temperature!

Isn't Jessie Ball duPont Park (dixie land park/treaty oak) older than some of these? I believe that was 1909, correct?

[thelakelander]

Dixieland Park was a private amusement park that opened in 1907, outside of Jacksonville's city limits. This area didn't become a part of the City of Jacksonville until 1932 when the City of South Jacksonville merged with Jax. Then, in 1964 the undeveloped land around the tree was donated to the city.

[acme54321]

It's pretty mind boggling to think of the neighborhoods that have been lost to the stadium district.  Cool article.

[coredumped]

Dixieland Park was a private amusement park that opened in 1907, outside of Jacksonville's city limits. This area didn't become a part of the City of Jacksonville until 1932 when the City of South Jacksonville merged with Jax. Then, in 1964 the undeveloped land around the tree was donated to the city.

Look at Lake, getting me on a technicality!

But seriously, you're right, it was a private park. As far as outside of the city, most of the parks on the list were outside Jacksonville until the consolidation, no?

[thelakelander]

^I'm not sure Treaty Oak was a "park" in the years following the closure of Dixieland. I'd have to do more research but it sounds like it was an undeveloped lot with a "special tree" sitting on it for many years. The parks on the list were the first 8 parks established by the City of Jacksonville. When developed, all were within city limits. The list came from a 1920s COJ document.

[Wacca Pilatka]

^I'm not sure Treaty Oak was a "park" in the years following the closure of Dixieland. I'd have to do more research but it sounds like it was an undeveloped lot with a "special tree" sitting on it for many years. The parks on the list were the first 8 parks established by the City of Jacksonville. When developed, all were within city limits. The list came from a 1920s COJ document.

You're correct.  It wasn't established as a park until 1964.  The motivation for establishing Treaty Oak Park was a proposal that entailed destroying the tree to build an office building on the site.  This led Jessie Ball DuPont or her foundation, I forget which, to acquire the lot and donate it to the city for use as a park.

[Tacachale]

^I'm not sure Treaty Oak was a "park" in the years following the closure of Dixieland. I'd have to do more research but it sounds like it was an undeveloped lot with a "special tree" sitting on it for many years. The parks on the list were the first 8 parks established by the City of Jacksonville. When developed, all were within city limits. The list came from a 1920s COJ document.

You're correct.  It wasn't established as a park until 1964.  The motivation for establishing Treaty Oak Park was a proposal that entailed destroying the tree to build an office building on the site.  This led Jessie Ball DuPont or her foundation, I forget which, to acquire the lot and donate it to the city for use as a park.

I think that's also where the story that the tree was used for treaties, and therefore was of historical significance came from. It's one of at least 3 trees in Jacksonville where people made up stories about them in order to save them.

[thelakelander]

What are the other two?

[Wacca Pilatka]

Taca, you're correct that the story that the tree was used for treaties was emphasized during the 1960s efforts to save the tree, but the treaties legend goes back much farther than that.  A plaque at Dixieland Park identified the tree as a treaty site and if I recall correctly, specifically mentioned that Chief Osceola convened councils under the tree.