Wherever slavery has existed, the enslaved have endeavored to escape to freedom. Under Spanish rule, Florida was a destination for freedom seekers escaping plantations in Georgia, the Carolinas and Alabama to establish communities of their own prior to the Civil War. Though long overlooked and underrepresented, these communities shaped the Florida we know today as much as anything else in the state's history. Here are the stories of six of these forgotten communities. Read More
The ultimate impact of COVID-19 and social distancing on urban development remains to be seen. Nevertheless, here are five major downtown developments that have already or will be breaking ground soon. Read More
Between 2012 and 2017, the First Coast witnessed every local Kmart store being closed as the long time national retail chain struggles to survive. In a city filled with an increasing amount of mostly vacant retail centers, former Kmart stores have become redevelopment beacons. Here is a look at the fall and adaptive reuse rebirth of six former First Coast Kmarts. Read More
Originally called Africa or Little Africa, Lincolnville was settled by recently freed enslaved in the marshes of Maria Sanchez Creek just west of St. Augustine in 1866. Largely developed between 1866 and 1930 where the former Yallaha and Buena Esperanza orange grove plantations once stood, Lincolnville is a historic Gullah Geechee community and home to the largest concentration of late Victorian era buildings in the oldest city in the continental U.S. Read More
