The expansive area consists of historic communities, cultural landmarks, protected ecosystems and vital transportation and logistics facilities, all fundamental to the history and development of Jacksonville.

The Northside area has yielded some of the oldest known pottery from what is now the United States, uncovered by a University of North Florida team on Black Hammock Island in the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve.

Archaeological research dates human habitation in the area eventually known as the Mocama Province to at least 2500 BC.

[2][3] Established near the mouth of the St. Johns River, on Fort George Island, San Juan del Puerto was a Spanish Franciscan mission, founded some time before 1587.

The Spanish abandoned the mission around 1702, partly in response to raids from Native Americans and allied English colonists from South Carolina during Queen Anne's War.

Richard Hazard owned the first plantation on Fort George Island in 1765, harvesting indigo with several dozen enslaved Africans.

Although the site of East Florida's first steam-powered sawmill, completed in 1828, major growth in Panama Park only came after 1905.

[13] On July 19, 1925, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens moved to a 37.5-acre (152,000 m2) site on the Trout River, off Heckscher Drive.

The Jacksonville Municipal Airport opened on October 11, 1927, at the intersection of North Main Street (U.S. 17) and Busch Drive.

The dedication ceremony was notably attended by Charles Lindbergh, who flew to Jacksonville in the "Spirit of St. Louis" to promote the new airport.

By 1941 the airport had expanded to 600 acres (240 ha) adding five hangars, a terminal building and five asphalt runways.

Imeson's work led to the creation of the Jacksonville Municipal Airport, as well as improvements to its runways, hangars and terminal buildings.

Jacksonville International Airport, also located on the Northside, was dedicated on September 1, 1968, replacing Imeson Field.

Fire, police, health & welfare, recreation, public works, and housing & urban development were all unified under the new government.

Jacksonville Consolidation was led by J. J. Daniel and Claude Yates, who found support from both inner-city blacks, who wanted more involvement in government after passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, that provided federal oversight and enforcement of their right to vote, and whites in the suburbs, who wanted more services and more control over the central city.

Lower taxes, increased economic development, unification of the community, better public spending, and effective administration by a more central authority were all cited as reasons for a new consolidated government.

Other services once used this station, including the Champion, Floridian, Florida Special, Palmetto, Silver Palm, Sunset Limited and Vacationer.

The bridge crosses the St. Johns River using a cable-stayed design, connecting Arlington to the Northside of Jacksonville.

Maintained by the Jacksonville Port Authority, the cruise ship terminal is located near the Dames Point Bridge, on the northern banks of the St. Johns River.

[21] Five cruise ships were chartered to serve as floating hotels during the week preceding Super Bowl XXXIX in February 2005.

[24] Together with the Urban Core, Arlington, Southside, Westside and the Beaches, Northside is considered one of the large regions of Jacksonville, and the remaining municipalities in Duval County.

The 20-mile-long (32 km) long tributary of the St. Johns River is located entirely within Jacksonville's Northside, and is considered brackish in its lower section.

[39] located off Dunn Avenue, near I-295, it houses many of FSCJ's health programs, including nursing, dental hygiene, and emergency medical services.

In 2019, RS&H and Jacobs Engineering were chosen to perform the design, while Balfour Beatty was selected as the construction manager for the concourse B project.