Hemming Park, a 1.5-acre public square in the center of the city, is Jacksonville’s first and oldest park and the site of many significant historic events. Land for the public square – identified in Isaiah Hart’s original plans for Jacksonville – was sold to the city in 1866 by Hart’s heirs, for a price of $10. The park became the cultural and social center of the city, and for over a century it was the heart of downtown, the hub of commerce, and the public meeting place for citizens from all walks of life.
