Jacksonville Beaches facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Beaches
Jacksonville Beaches, Jax Beaches
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     from the left, Neptune Beach, Milam House in Ponte Vedra Beach, One Ocean Resort in Atlantic Beach, Boardwalk at Jacksonville Beach, and the Jacksonville Beach Pier
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Florida |
| Counties |  Duval St. Johns |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 87,525 |
| ZIP Code |
32082, 32227, 32228, 32233, 32250, 32266
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| Area code(s) | 904 |
The Jacksonville Beaches, also called Jax Beaches or just "The Beaches", are a group of towns. They are located on the northern part of a barrier island in Florida. These communities are separate from the main city of Jacksonville. They are divided by a waterway called the Intracoastal Waterway.
The Jacksonville Beaches are found in Duval County and the northern part of St. Johns County. They are part of the larger Jacksonville metropolitan area. The main communities here are Mayport, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, and Ponte Vedra Beach.
Contents
Exploring the Beaches Area
The communities of the Jacksonville Beaches are all on a barrier island. This island has the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The St. Johns River is to the north. The Intracoastal Waterway is to the west.
The island was once a peninsula. This means it was almost completely surrounded by water but connected to the mainland. In 1912, a 10-mile channel was dug. This channel connected the San Pablo and Tolomato Rivers. It helped create the Intracoastal Waterway. This digging also separated the land from the mainland, making it an island. The island does not have an official name. Some people have suggested naming it San Pablo Island.
Communities of the Beaches
The northernmost beach community is Mayport. It is in Duval County. Since 1968, Mayport has been part of the city of Jacksonville. Most of Mayport is home to Naval Station Mayport. This is a large U.S. Navy base. It is also completely within the city of Jacksonville.
Moving south along the coast, there are three towns. These towns have their own local governments. They are Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, and Jacksonville Beach. All three are also in Duval County. Even though they have their own governments, their residents get county services from Jacksonville. They also vote for Jacksonville's mayor and City Council.
Further south, in St. Johns County, is Ponte Vedra Beach. Usually, only the communities on the northern part of the island are called "The Beaches." Areas further south, like Vilano Beach, are not typically included. The Palm Valley area is also on the island. Sometimes, it is considered part of the Beaches.
A Look at Beaches History
The first people to live in the Jacksonville Beaches area were Native Americans. Like much of the Jacksonville area, the Timucua people lived here. They were here when Europeans first arrived.
Mayport was the first part of the beaches to grow. A small group of fishermen and river pilots settled there. This happened especially after the U.S. bought Florida in 1821. However, the entire Beaches area had very few people until the late 1800s.
From Fishing Villages to Resorts
In the late 19th century, the Beaches became popular resorts. Jacksonville Beach was first called Ruby, then Pablo Beach. It grew around fancy hotels built in the area. A railroad connecting the town to Jacksonville helped it grow even more.
Atlantic Beach also grew as a resort town. It was built around a large hotel. Smaller hotels were also built in Mayport. Neptune Beach became its own town in 1931. It separated from Jacksonville Beach.
Ponte Vedra Beach and Palm Valley were more rural in the early 1900s. Palm Valley was mostly farmland. In 1914, valuable minerals were found at Ponte Vedra. After this, it grew as the town of Mineral City. After World War I, new homes and buildings were developed. The town's name was then changed to Ponte Vedra Beach.
How the Beaches are Governed
Sometimes, there have been disagreements between the Beaches and the Jacksonville city government. The three towns in Duval County have had discussions with the city. These discussions were about how taxes and government services are shared. This led to a lawsuit in 1979. It resulted in an agreement about how they would work together.
In 1993, the Beaches governments filed another lawsuit. They said the agreement had been broken. Some members of the Jacksonville City Council wanted to review the agreement in 2006. This made many local residents upset. During these times, the Beaches sometimes talked about forming their own county, called "Ocean County." However, these issues were settled. This happened after Neptune Beach resident John Delaney was elected Mayor of Jacksonville in 1995.
