river city: Jacksonville, Florida

Growing up in the city of Jacksonville, Florida, was the greatest childhood experience I could ever hope for. I was born into the same fruitful city that I was brought up in. Despite Jacksonville, Florida, being the largest city land area size in the lower forty-eight states. It provided me a feel of city life, while at the same time providing me with the slow pace of country life. It was a city of multiple personalities, Jacksonville held so many opportunities for so many different experiences, from the industrial side of the Northside, the fast paced feeling of a big city, the soothing waves of the beaches, the open range feel of the flat plain of the west side, to the suburban life of the Southside. My childhood was defined by the city of Jacksonville and all it had to offer. Which is why Jacksonville should continue to be sustained as a great place to raise a child, and grow up in.
At the time of my birth Jacksonville held a population of 672,971 people. Two decades later that population had exploded to 836,507. A twenty-four percent increase in population. One of the fastest population growths in US cities over that twenty year span. While Jacksonville had been founded in 1791 it is still a very young city. With such an explosion in the population in the last twenty year, Jacksonville still ranks 535 in population density. Included below is an old newspaper article from 1967, when Jacksonville went through its consolidation and became the largest city. This article helps show the growth that Jacksonville began to undertake as well as the amplitude amount of space still to grow and develop as a city. Similar to the growth that I experienced during my childhood in Jacksonville. Much of this can be also said about the people of...

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Carter, John. "Johnson Named Best Middle School | Jacksonville.com." Johnson Named Best Middle School | Jacksonville.com. 20 Aug. 2005. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/082005/neR_19540207.shtml
Auvil, Jennifer Plum. "Top 10 Beaches in Florida." Editorial. Beaches. Travel Channel, n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2013. .
Jacksonville's Consolidation Headlines. 1967. Photograph. Jacksonville Historical Society, Jacksonvile. By Lauren Swain Mosley.