Not long ago, Springfield was better known for its crime rate than its charm; however, neighbors today say the area has begun turning heads for a very different reason, as the historic Jacksonville community has transformed from a place many avoided into a destination where people want to live, work, and play.

A major initiative in the Springfield neighborhood is the Emerald Trail project, which aims to connect historic neighborhoods and foster community engagement.

Did you know there was a haunted mansion in Springfield? Located at the corner of Third and Pearl Street, an eerie abandoned mansion has a deep, dark history like no other home in the historic neighborhood, and has a history some may describe as unsettling.

Vibrant murals pop on building facades throughout Springfield’s Phoenix Arts & Innovation District. It’s a “regenerative development” project that aims to transform 8.3 acres into a creative hub for artists, both local and abroad.

In the heart of Springfield, a remarkable organization is changing lives. Rethreaded, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting women who have survived human trafficking, is helping them put the pieces of their lives back together—one thread at a time.

The Glorious Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, which stood for more than 80 years in the city’s Springfield neighborhood, was demolished in June after city officials declared the building structurally unsound and too dangerous to remain standing.

Springfield’s business district has emerged as a vibrant retail destination, hosting approximately 250 businesses that range from boutiques to specialty shops, according to the Springfield Preservation and Revitalization Council(SPAR).

Known for its colorful homes and wraparound porches, Springfield is one of Jacksonville’s oldest neighborhoods. Once overlooked, the historic community just north of downtown has become a magnet for new residents and businesses. However, revitalization is coming at a cost as longtime locals say the price of that popularity is a rise in home prices and the potential loss of what made Springfield special in the first place.

During the Great Fire of 1901, they formed a bucket brigade to help stop the flames from spreading to their homes. Hogan’s Creek also acted as a natural barrier.

If you’re out at Klutho Park in Springfield, you might notice a modern-style giraffe statue overlooking the green spaces. It’s there to mark the site of Jacksonville’s first zoo, which was built in the early 1900s.

These days, Hollywood is the movie-making capital of the world. But had Los Angeles not lured filmmakers to go west, we might be hearing “Lights, Camera, Action!” in Jacksonville, and the River City could have been the film-making capital of the world.

A Springfield resident worked with the nonprofit Sustainable Springfield to build a disc golf course in Klutho Park, which is maintained now by SPAR and is a daily attraction for residents across the city.

Springfield has historic homes and neighborhoods that give it a charming feel, but the area has also seen a major boom in new construction, growth and potential.

In an effort to learn about the best food offered in the Springfield area, we called around and were provided three spots, though if we had time, we would have visited every restaurant.

Just north of downtown Jacksonville, Historic Springfield is a neighborhood where history lives on through restored homes, century-old streets, and a close-knit community.

R.V. Daniels consolidated into R.L. Brown at the end of last school year. The principal shares how they're preparing for the new school year, and a community member shares the emotional impact of losing a neighborhood school.

Springfield is one of the oldest and most historic parts of Jacksonville, and as a result, it’s been at the center of one of the most divisive debates in the city’s history: Confederate monuments.

Each Fourth of July for the past 18 years, people in the Springfield community come together for a throwback baseball game at Klutho Park.

As Pride Month comes to a close, one organization is making sure it wraps up June with an experience including flavor, flair and fierce performances.

Rebecca Lobo and Jen Rizzotti have spent the last few years coaching the AAU team that their sons play for.

Springfield and Eastside residents are actively shaping the future of Jacksonville’s Emerald Trail project, weighing in on plans for its final segment during a community meeting at the Union Terminal Warehouse.

The Republican-controlled Federal Trade Commission has voted to dismiss a lawsuit against PepsiCo that the previous commission filed in the waning days of the Biden administration.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has signed an executive order protecting the privacy of autism-related health data.

Police say the driver of a car that barreled through a building used for a popular after-school camp in central Illinois, killing three children and a teenager, may have had a medical emergency.

You can explore Jacksonville’s oldest suburb this weekend and take a peek behind the porches at the 46th Historic Springfield Tour of Homes and Gardens.

Stumpy's Hatchet House is perfect for those who love adventure and seek release.

The murder trial of a former Illinois sheriff’s deputy who fatally shot Sonya Massey, an unarmed black woman, in her Springfield home last summer will be moved out of the capital city.

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is searching for a 67-year-old endangered woman with dementia on Thursday afternoon.

Nineteen sea turtles that rehabbed in Missouri after suffering the effects of cold water temperatures in New England are now back in the Atlantic Ocean off of Jacksonville, Florida.

The Prairie Land Potawatomi Nation has reclaimed land in Illinois that was promised to the tribe’s leader 175 years ago but stolen by the federal government 20 years later.

Demolition crews are actively working at the old Solomon Auction Building in Jacksonville’s Urban Core after the building collapsed Monday evening. The Solomon Auction Building, while old, is not considered historic; however, its recent destruction raises questions about the criteria for preserving buildings and when it might be time to let go.

It’s been five years since COVID-19 changed the world around us. Everything from how we shop to how we socialize, a wrench was thrown into our regular days and we were forced to experience a new normal and millions of people died around the world.

Netta Furry Babies relocated from Springfield to Orange Park offering more than just a visit with a personalized experience for pets with their grooming, daycare and boarding services. From pampered grooming sessions to safe and fun daycare and overnight stays, your pet will feel at home when they stay at the facility. www.netta-furry-babies.com

Republican Vivek Ramaswamy will launch his bid for Ohio governor on Feb. 24 in his native Cincinnati, with ensuing events in the Columbus, Toledo and Cleveland areas.

Despite legally migrating to the U.S. under the country’s Temporary Protected Status program, many of the thousands of Haitians in Springfield, Ohio, are fearful President Donald Trump’s promised migration crackdown will soon include them.

Carmelo Anthony may go into the Basketball Hall of Fame twice next year.

Grubhub Inc. will pay $25 million to settle a dispute over alleged deceptive business practices with the Illinois attorney general and the Federal Trade Commission.

A federal judge has overturned Illinois’ ban on semiautomatic weapons, leaning on recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings that strictly interpret the Second Amendment right to keep and bear firearms.

City leaders will celebrate the grand opening of the Emerald Station with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday morning.

A Navy veteran who went from making six figures to being homeless for nine years finally has a new home thanks to a Jacksonville nonprofit.

The city council voted down the proposal to rename a Springfield street to honor the late civil rights activist Ben Frazier.

Many small Alabama cities have been beset by the same polarizing debate that thrust Springfield, Ohio, into the spotlight after former president Donald Trump promoted debunked misinformation about Haitian migrants.

The leader of a nonprofit representing the Haitian community has invoked a private-citizen right to file charges against former President Donald Trump and his running mate, JD Vance.

Virtually everyone calls the U.S. immigration system broken.

Journalists at a news site that covers issues facing the Haitian community in the United States say they've been harassed and intimidated with racist messages for covering the false story about immigrants eating the pets of people in Springfield, Ohio.

A fire that destroyed a Springfield home under renovation overnight spread to the home next door, causing significant damage.

A small Ohio city has been inundated with hoax bomb threats since last week’s presidential debate, when former President Donald Trump falsely accused members of Springfield’s Haitian community of abducting and eating cats and dogs.

Ohio state police will help protect schools in a city that has endured dozens of violent threats in the wake of a national political furor over Haitian migrants.

For many Haitian immigrants, Sunday mornings in Springfield, Ohio, are spent joyfully worshipping God as they sing and pray in their native Creole.

Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance isn't backing away from the false claims he and Donald Trump have been making that Haitians living in an Ohio community are abducting and eating pets.

Donald Trump and his running mate continue to disparage Haitian migrants in an Ohio community, further fueling false claims the Republicans have promoted even as the city has seen bomb threats and school evacuations and local officials called for a cooling of the anti-immigrant rhetoric.

The father of an Ohio boy killed last year when a Haitian immigrant driver hit a school bus is imploring Donald Trump and others to stop invoking his son's name in the debate about immigration.

Both candidates made several controversial claims, which have been closely analyzed by the News4JAX Trust Index team. Here’s a breakdown of some of the major statements and how they hold up under scrutiny.

Many cities have been reshaped by immigrants in the last few years without attracting much notice.

Former President Donald Trump has amplified false rumors that Haitian immigrants in Ohio are abducting and eating pets.

President Joe Biden has signed a proclamation to establish a national monument to commemorate the 1908 race riot in Springfield, Ill.

President Joe Biden is expected to sign a proclamation designating a national monument in Springfield, Illinois, at the site of a 1908 race riot that later fueled the formation of the NAACP.

A push to change the name of a Springfield street to honor the late civil rights activist Ben Frazier will be discussed during a public hearing at Tuesday’s city council meeting.

An owner of a now defunct trucking company has pleaded guilty to federal charges related to a deadly crash in New Hampshire that killed seven motorcyclists.

The Springfield neighborhood has hosted a 4th of July throwback baseball game at Klutho Park for the past 17 years.

What stands out during a cicada invasion is the sound.

If you’ve never had the fried chicken and biscuit experience at Silkie’s Chicken & Champagne Bar, unfortunately, you’re out of time.

A missing 72-year-old woman last seen in Springfield on Monday morning was found in the evening.

Illinois Democrats have changed the way candidates for the General Assembly get on the ballot.

The neighbors in Historic Springfield are inviting the surrounding community to drop in and check out a select few homes as part of SPAR's Home and Garden Tour.  People can walk, ride bikes or drive to see the diversity of the neighborhood and the design personalities of homeowners.  The invitation includes people hanging around after the tour to experience the variety of businesses, restaurants and more that are building the neighborhood up to thrive even more.  The tour is open from noon to 5 pm Saturday and Sunday.  Find out more information at www.sparcouncil.org . Tickets are available at www.904tix.com .

Caitlin Clark will have the start of her WNBA career to show the U.S. women’s basketball selection committee whether she deserves a spot on the Paris Olympic roster.

Federal investigators say the driver of a Ford electric SUV involved in a February fatal crash in Texas was using the company’s partially automated driving system before the wreck.

For two mornings in a row, JEA customers in parts of Downtown, Springfield and the Eastside have experienced power outages. More than 2,000 customers have been affected. A JEA spokesperson says they are aware of the ongoing outages and are looking into it but there’s no word on what’s causing the outages.

Walmart plans to build or convert more than 150 U.S. stores in the next five years, while continuing to remodel existing stores.

A male juvenile is recovering after getting shot in the area of West 17th Street and North Laura Street.

A 42-year-old man was arrested in connection to a deadly hit-and-run accident that happened in Springfield in October of 2023.

Developers are calling the 8.3-acre property the “Phoenix Arts and Innovation District” in North Springfield which is located north of downtown and the Eastside.

JSO said the man accused in her death, would face murder charges today, but he has been dead since 1988.

The Hyperion Brewing Company will no longer be serving brews for the Springfield community after it officially closes its doors before April, the company announced in a Facebook post.

Illinois will usher in 320 new laws on New Year’s Day.

In 1915, the Florida Legislature paid for half of the $25,000 it cost to build the statue that sat in Springfield Park until Wednesday.

Jacksonville Councilman Nick Howland was critical of the city’s decision on Wednesday to remove a Confederate monument from a park in Springfield.

Pillsbury Mills was a groundbreaking, history-making flour mill in central Illinois for most of the 20th century.

College athletes who have transferred multiple times but were denied the chance to compete can now play through the remainder of the academic year.

The Supreme Court has declined to put on hold a new Illinois law that would ban high-power semiautomatic weapons like the one used in the mass killing of seven people at a 2022 parade in a Chicago suburb.

If you’ve ever just wanted to take a look inside some of Jacksonville’s most historic homes, now is your chance!

I'm A Star Foundation will host its 11th Let’s Move Jacksonville event, sponsored by Farah and Farah.

Cooper Flagg, the nation’s consensus top player in the 2024 recruiting class, announced Monday that he will play his college basketball at Duke.

Cooper Flagg, the consensus top player in the 2024 recruiting class, says his focus is on the tragedy of a mass shooting in his home state of Maine, an indication that an announcement on where he will play college basketball could be delayed.

Anthonio Cobb, 49, is facing one count of attempted murder after police said he shot a 14-year-old who he caught breaking into his car in Springfield last week.

High school students’ scores on the ACT college admissions test have dropped to their lowest in more than three decades, showing a lack of student preparedness for college-level coursework, according to the nonprofit organization that administers the test.

A 14-year-old was shot and several cars were burglarized on Walnut Street Thursday morning, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.

Oregon has taken an unprecedented step in offering psilocybin, also known as magic mushrooms, to the public.

Police bodycam video from Springfield, Missouri, has filmed an unusual foot pursuit, as two officers tried to catch an escaped lemur.

This happened in March and is part of a series where we are looking back at viral videos.

In Jacksonville’s Springfield area just north of downtown, part of an abandoned building collapsed amid strong winds Wednesday afternoon and sent bricks and debris into Walnut Street.

Bronny James went into cardiac arrest during a basketball workout at the University of Southern California last month because of a congenital heart defect.

Duval County Schools says to expect delays on the first day at Abess Park Elementary school.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has signed a law banning firearms advertising that officials determine produces a public safety threat or appeals to children, militants or others who might later use the weapons illegally.

The Illinois Supreme Court has upheld the state’s ban on the sale or possession of the type of semiautomatic weapons used in hundreds of mass killings nationally.

Illinois will soon outlaw advertising for firearms that officials determine produce a public safety threat or appeals to children, militants or others who might later use the weapons illegally.

Mere Mason is a multi-discipline artist from Jacksonville’s Springfield neighborhood.

Illinois became the first state in the nation to eliminate cash bail as a condition of pretrial release from jail on Tuesday.

Springfield Preservation and Revitalization Council hosts 16th old timers baseball game at Klutho Park. Springfield residents compete in the family friendly event, which residents say is one of the most popular community events of the year.

Smoky haze, hot weather and powerful storms brought dangerous and uncomfortable conditions to parts of the U.S. heading into a long July Fourth weekend that typically draws Americans to outdoor gatherings.