JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – LaVilla, established in 1866, is the oldest neighborhood in Jacksonville and is the heartbeat of the city that would become Jacksonville.
This community made so many significant contributions to the city’s early history and national history, influencing American music, arts, culture, and commerce.
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After many years of work, the National Register Nomination is expected to be completed by winter 2025. The goal is to get state and national recognition.
Mayor Donna Deegan, LaVilla Preservation, Community First Credit Union, Corner Lot Development, Community Planning Collaborative, Faver Gray, Gateway Jax, and the Brookins Brown Blodgett Corporation held a news conference on Tuesday afternoon to brief the community about plans to seek and secure designation of LaVilla’s remaining historic resources on the National Register of Historic Places.
LaVilla was a significant cultural center for blues, jazz, and ragtime. It was home to the first public blues performance held at LaVilla’s Colored Airdome in 1910. It was home to the largest train station south of Washington, D.C. It was considered the Southern Headquarters of what became known as the Chitlin’ Circuit. LaVilla also played a foundational role in what became known as the Great Migration.
Fast forward to the 1990s and many of the homes of multi-generational families are gone. However, many buildings of historic significance remain.
The LaVilla Preservation organization has been working on raising needed funds and supporters for the pursuit, which includes the LaVilla Historic Resources Survey Update and Application for National Register in two phases.
Phase I provides an updated Historic Resources Survey for the neighborhood, which is nearly complete. The second phase is the development of a National Register nomination.
For more information about LaVilla Preservation visit www.lavillauptown.org.
LaVilla Preservation, Inc. states on its website that it “is a non-profit organization established in 2023 to guide the revitalization process, develop a strategic plan, promote neighborhood assets, and encourage inclusive reinvestment in business and property development while also protecting the historic character of the LaVilla neighborhood.”