Jacksonville Beach, Florida

Spain ceded Florida to Great Britain by treaty in 1763, only to have Spain regain it again, and then a final time in 1821 to the United States.

In 1883 a group of investors formed the Jacksonville and Atlantic Railroad with the intention of developing a resort community that would be connected to Jacksonville by rail.

On August 22, 1884, Mrs.

In 1885, the San Pablo Diego Beach Land Co.

On May 13, 1886, the town was renamed Pablo Beach after the San Pablo River.

In September 1892, work on the wagon road to Pablo Beach (Atlantic Boulevard) was begun.

The Spanish–American War broke out in 1898.

By 1900 the railway company began to have financial difficulties and Henry Flagler took over as part of his Florida East Coast Railway.

=== Jacksonville Beach === The amusement park phase of Jacksonville Beach began in 1905 with The Pavilion which was later expanded and called Little Coney Island.

== History == It was incorporated on May 22, 1907, as Pablo Beach, and changed to Jacksonville Beach in 1925.

Pablo Beach made aviation history on February 24, 1921, Lt.

The Shad's Pier was created in 1922 by Charles Shad and with help by Martin Williams.

An issue with contracting, and constant weathering of its wooden structure aged Little Coney Island, causing it to be torn down in 1925.

Constructed in 1947, the American Red Cross Volunteer Life Saving Corps Station is an Art Moderne style lifeguard station designed by local architect Jefferson Davis Powell.

By 1949 the Ocean View Pavilion was in decline and then a fire destroyed it a few years later.

When the city of Jacksonville consolidated with Duval County in 1968, Jacksonville Beach, together with Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, and Baldwin, voted to retain their own mun...

Driving on the beach was prohibited in 1979.

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 2, 1993.

Judy Van Zant, widow of lead singer of Lynyrd Skynyrd Ronnie Van Zant, and her daughter Melody opened the Freebird Cafe in 1999.

=== 2000 census === As of the 2000 census, there were 20,990 people, 9,715 households, and 5,207 families residing in the city.

=== 2010 census === As of the 2010 census, there were 21,362 people, 10,040 households, and 4,987 families residing in the city.

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 5, 2014.

Freebird Live, as it later became, was a popular music venue that became a staple for Jacksonville Beach for 16 years until its closure in 2016.

=== 2020 census === As of the 2020 census, there were 23,830 people, 11,351 households, and 6,031 families residing in the city.

== Demographics == As of the 2023 American Community Survey, there are 10,837 estimated households in Jacksonville Beach with an average of 2.16 persons per household.

The current mayor is Christine Hoffman, who was re-elected to a four-year term in November 2024.