Hemming Plaza

Hemming Plaza is a 1.54-acre (6,200 m) public park, located in the heart of the government center in downtown Jacksonville, Florida. It originally served as a village green, was the first and is the oldest park in the city. The area was established as a public square in 1857 by Isaiah Hart, founder of Jacksonville. After Hart's death in 1861 and the end of the Civil War, the Hart family deeded the land to the city for $10. It was first known as “City Park”, then “St. James Park” after the grand St. James Hotel was constructed across the street in 1869. The following year, another major hotel was built across from the park. The area was renamed Hemming Park in 1899 in honor of Civil War veteran Charles C. Hemming, who placed a 62-foot...