Once a part of St. Johns County, Duval County, Florida was created in 1822 and named in honor of William Pope Duval, Governor of Florida from 1822 until 1834. Duval County once covered an enormous amount of land until the early to mid 1800's when Alachua County, Nassau County and Clay County were created from Duval. As the city of Jacksonville covers most of Duval County, its history is what has made the city not only one of the largest in the Country, but one of the most diverse as well, however the few little towns in the area have added their own two cents into the history, bringing more diversity to the county. Atlantic Beach, for example, was just a small little community in the early 1900's until Henry Flagler constructed the Mayport branch of the Florida East Coast Railway just north of the city hall! Baldwin, originally known as 'Thigpen', changed its name to honor Dr. Abel Seymour Baldwin, president of the Florida Atlantic and Gulf Central Railroad in the mid 1800's. It was a group of businessmen that came up with the idea of extending a railway to Jacksonville Beach and develop a place for winter tourists to visit. Thus began the Jacksonville and Atlantic Railway Company, connecting over 16 miles of land between South Jacksonville and the beaches. In the 1960's many scandals began to show face among the Jacksonville officials, the grand jury was called in to investigate the scandals and in the end, indicted 11 and forced many others to resign. This twist in history led to the county government merging with the City of Jacksonville's government creating the Consolidated City of Jacksonville! The city beaches and the City of Baldwin remain separated from the Consolidated City of Jacksonville and maintain their own municipal governments.

Today Duval County is the home to cities such as Baldwin, Atlantic Beach, Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach, Mayport and Neptune Beach. Surrounded in many different waterways, Duval County provides ample opportunities for water recreation; surfing, water boarding, fishing, boating, swimming and jet skiing are abundant in the area. But the water isn't the only attraction to Duval County; there are many wonderful things to do in the area. The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is the only walking safari in all of Northeast Florida, with over 1,500 different species of animals to watch over and learn about. Home to the Jacksonville Jaguars pro football team and the Jacksonville University Dolphins, chances to get involved with the football sector are running amok throughout Duval County. The Timucuan Preserve visitor center, located at Fort Caroline National Memorial, houses many exhibits in regards to the history of the area and the Timucuan Indians. If your interests lie more in line with shopping, night clubs and a variety of restaurants to please any palate, Jacksonville Landing has it all! Full service restaurants, a large indoor food court, shopping from name-brand stores to local retailers and everything in-between, and over 300 annual events there is never a dull moment in Duval County.

The real estate options in Duval County are overrun with waterfront property, apartments in the city and land lots. Lying on the Atlantic Ocean provides a chance to own some of the most beautiful luxury waterfront property in the state of Florida. Spending your days in the quiet cities of Neptune Beach or Mayport with all the amenities of the big city life in Jacksonville gives the lucky home owner in Duval County the best of both worlds! Whether you are looking for a quiet place to retire or a bustling University Town, Duval County has it all!