Some Information on each of these neighborhoods:

Riverside and Avondale

Riverside and Avondale are two adjacent and closely associated neighborhoods, alternately described as one continuous neighborhood, to the south of Downtown on the St. Johns River. Both neighborhoods are primarily residential, containing some of the city’s most notable examples of residential architecture, with integrated business districts, including the historic Five Points area and King Street District.

The entire area south of Jacksonville was originally plantation land prior to the Civil War. After the war, a group of investors purchased the southern part of Miles Price’s plantation to develop as a new residential suburb. Price retained the northern part of his land and developed it as the suburb of Brooklyn. Riverside and Brooklyn were annexed by Jacksonville in 1887, but growth only boomed after the Great Fire of 1901, when many of the city’s most prominent residents chose to rebuild their homes in Riverside. Growth continued through the early 20th century, resulting in one of the most varied architectural landscapes in Florida, including what is likely the largest collection of surviving bungalow houses in the state. In the late 1950s & 1960s, the area went into decay, with many of those grand old homes being converted into rooming houses. However, after being designated a “National Historic Neighborhood”, by the late 1990s, Riverside had recovered, with many homes restored to their original form.

Avondale was developed later. In 1920 it was proposed as a new upscale development, the most expansive Jacksonville had ever experienced. Avondale is known for its quiet, tree-lined residential streets and hundreds of quaint homes, most dating from the early 1920s during the Great Florida Land Boom. A few Avondale homes pre-date 1900. Most homes in the neighborhood reflect the middle to upper income taste in residential architecture of the 1920s, including numerous Prairie School, Art Deco, Craftsman Style, Classical Revival, and Mediterranean Revival styles. Avondale is characterized by numerous bungalows and spacious, graceful homes. Unlike some other neighborhoods, Avondale never experienced a period of decline during the latter 20th century, and retains much of its original gentility.

Riverside and Avondale are routinely recognized as among the great neighborhoods in Jacksonville and Florida, and in 2010 they were named one of the top ten neighborhoods in the United States by American Planning Association.

Murray Hill

Murray Hill (Heights), in Jacksonville took the name of a neighborhood in Manhattan, New York City. While the neighborhood was created in 1907, the town of Murray Hill was incorporated in 1915 with its own mayor. The City of Jacksonville annexed the town on August 15, 1925. Murray Hill is a neighborhood in Jacksonville that is filled with multiple parks, restaurants, bars, community gardens and an art center. Most of the parks are located within the neighborhoods. Some of the parks in Murray Hill are: Four Corners Park, Murray Hill Playground, Jasmine Park, Powers Park and Cameron Park. The community garden, located right by Four Corners Park, was maintained by the Murray Hill community. However in 2017, two new homes were built, on the land previously used for the garden. The architecture in Murray Hill is very diverse. There are brick, wood, stucco, concrete, bungalows, cottages, modern and southern style homes. Most of the homes are smaller, thus making it perfect for younger families, and retirees. The homes in Murray Hill are older, but the area is not registered as a historic neighborhood. The oldest existing house in Murray Hill was built in 1898 located on Talbot Avenue. The main strip located in Murray Hill is called Edgewood Avenue South. This road is filled with store fronts that have older and newer merchants. Some of the older/original merchants are: Edgewood Bakery, Dreamete and Murray Hill Theater. Newer Merchants include: Maple Street Biscuit Company, Knead Bake shop, Bold Bean, Across the Street, Community Loaves, Moon River and B Street Eats. The neighborhood has been going through a period of gentrification. Murray Hill is right beside the thriving neighborhoods Riverside and Avondale. Murray Hill is just minutes from Downtown Jacksonville and the sophisticated neighborhood San Marco.

Ortega

Ortega is located on the St. Johns River just south of the Riverside and Avondale area. It lies on a peninsula jutting into the St. Johns River, separated from the mainland by the St. Johns River to the east and the smaller waterway known as the Ortega River to the north and west. It was formerly an island until a land bridge was constructed on the southern end; this now carries U.S. Route 17, or Roosevelt Boulevard. Ortega is one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Jacksonville and one of the wealthiest in the United States; it was listed as the 46th wealthiest in Worth magazine.

Ortega is bisected by U.S. 17; the older area to the east of the road is known as “Old Ortega”, while the area to the west is known as “Ortega Forest”. On July 14, 2004 a section of Ortega to the east of 17 and north of Verona Avenue was designated as the Old Ortega Historic District by the National Register of Historic Districts. The history of the area includes a number of interesting characters: botanist William Bartram; highwayman and cattle rustler Daniel McGirtt; and Don Juan McQueen, who attempted to establish a plantation on his 1791 Ortega land grant, but was forced to leave due to attacks of Georgians and the French. Gangster George “Machine Gun” Kelly and his wife were rumored to be the mysterious couple who abruptly left their rented Grand Avenue home hours before a midnight police raid in 1933. Ortega is home to hundreds of mid-size to large, turn-of-the-century homes and Southern-style mansions. Many of these homes are situated directly on the river, and the nature of the “island” allows ease of access to the waterways for all residents. Along with Avondale and Riverside, Ortega is home to some of the wealthiest of Jacksonville families. It is marked by a distinctly traditional Southern culture complete with one of the South’s most exclusive debutante coiteries. The island is almost exclusively residential, the only exception being a small square in the section known as “Old Ortega” on the northside where a small collection of restaurants, boutiques, and a pharmacy are found. Ortega, with its giant oaks, waterfront mansions, and series of parks is widely considered one of the most beautiful residential areas of Northeast Florida. Naval Air Station Jacksonville is also located on the southside of this neighborhood.