This month, 195 years ago, Duval County was created. At the time, the town of Jacksonville was already two months old, founded on June 15, 1822. But Jacksonville was not without a county identity at its founding. Clearly, there is more to this story. In fact, less than a year earlier, much of the story is revealed:

When General Andrew Jackson traveled to Pensacola in 1821, to facilitate the transfer of Florida from Spain to the United States, he did so at the request of the nation's president, James Monroe. His wife, Rachel, also made the trip. It was not the first time Monroe requested Jackson's services. Reluctantly, the 54 year-old battle-worn soldier, statesman, and plantation owner agreed to "briefly" serve as U.S. Commissioner to the Floridas with all powers of the nascent U.S. government. In this role, Jackson served as the Military Governor of the territories of East and West Florida.

On July 17, 1821, after much tension between Jackson and the Spanish officials, the transfer was sealed, but only after Jackson tossed the Spanish Governor in jail for refusal to provide the documents of a private citizen. Bolstered by bottles of champagne, the Spanish Governor’s friends settled in at the jail for an overnight visit and to taunt Jackson.

With the U.S. government in charge, settlers headed to Florida. In less than three months, likely on October 8, Jackson was gone, returning to his beloved Tennessee. Six months later, on March 30, 1822, President Monroe signed a Congressional act establishing a unified Florida government with an appointed governor, William Pope Duval, and a 13 member Legislative Council. Isaiah Hart, a recent landowner at the Cowford Crossing on the St. Johns, was ready. Hart convinced neighbor John Brady to join with him is giving up land for streets, and the original blocks of Jacksonville were established on June 15, 1822. The street names and city name largely reveal the interwoven history of the youthful U.S. and the new little town.

On the June 15, founding day, only two counties existed in Florida. So, the new town of Jacksonville was located, although briefly, in St. Johns County! On August 12, 1822, two new counties were carved out, Jackson County in honor of Andrew Jackson and Duval County, honoring the first Territorial Governor of Florida, William Pope Duval — creating a total of four counties in Florida.

Looking back 195 years ago and 67 counties later, it was all exciting times for the emerging town of Jacksonville. Looking forward, in the year 2057, the United States will have finally held Florida as long as Spain.

Daytime Program!

Emerging Florida and the Women Who Changed the World with speaker Susan Caven on Thursday, September 14th at 12pm at Old St. Andrew's, 317 A. Philip Randolph Blvd.

In 1821, when Florida became part of the United States, northerners began traveling to St. Augustine to see the exotic new territory. Margaret Cook, an entrepreneurial widow, purchased the solidly built Ximenez building and operated it as an elegant inn. She was the first of several refined female owners who, with good household management skills, accommodated a sophisticated northern clientele. Speaker Susan Caven will talk about the women associated with the one-time inn, now a museum, who helped create the foundation of the hospitality industry and modern tourism—the backbone of Florida’s economy.