Kathy Slaughter

Jacksonville, NC Area Guide

The city of Jacksonville epitomizes the best in costal North Carolina living. Located in Onslow County, North Carolina, inland from the Atlantic Ocean on the New River, Jacksonville is less than a 30 minute drive from some of North Carolinas greatest beaches. In addition to becoming a thriving tourist destination, the Jacksonville area is also the proud home of the Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, America’s “Expeditionary Forces in Readiness,” with its sister base Marine Corps Air Station New River. This military presence generates a solid economic base for Jacksonville and Onslow County and enriches our local culture.

About 70,000 people call Jacksonville, North Carolina and the surrounding military installations home. Due in part to the large number of military residents in the area, Jacksonville is also the “youngest city” in the United States, with the average age for residents being a mere 22.5 years.
Jacksonville was awarded the All-America City award by the National Civic League in 1992. According to the City of Jacksonville, “this award was a direct result of the active involvement of citizens in the governance of the community. When attempting to resolve public issues or shared problems, Jacksonville promotes collaborative interaction of citizens, government, business, and the voluntary sector.”

City of Jacksonville Mission: “To provide the leadership, vision, and oversight necessary to ensure the responsible stewardship of Jacksonville's environment and natural resources, for the effective and efficient delivery of municipal services, and for the proper planning for the future.”

Jacksonville History

The history of Jacksonville begins with the end of the Tuscarora Indian Wars in 1713. With the evacuation of the Tuscarora to the Niagara region of New York, the area that would later become Jacksonville was settled permanently by Europeans. Located at the headwaters of the New River, the area became the center of production for naval stores, particularly the pine derivative, turpentine.

A fierce hurricane wiped out Johnson, the county seat of Onslow County, in 1752. Wantlands Ferry, located further up the New River was chosen for the site of the new county courthouse. The settlement in the area eventually incorporated in 1842 (though not formally laid out until 1849) as Jacksonville, named in honor of President Andrew Jackson. The new Jacksonville relied heavily on agricultural products, the development of naval stores and other natural bounty of the area that could be shipped downstream along the New River. Historical writer Bill Sharpe describes Jacksonville during this era: “the river yielded world-famous oysters and the hogs, world-famous hams. The county seemed heedless of the restless yearning of its neighbors for development.”

Throughout the 19th century, Jacksonville and Onslow County continued to rely on naval stores, lumber, and tobacco crops for industry. The fate of the Jacksonville area changed when in 1939, Colonel George W. Gillette of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers surveyed and mapped the area from Fort Monroe, Virginia to Fort Sumter, South Carolina which included the Onslow County coastline and the New River. The survey results proved promising for the development of amphibious training facilities in the Onslow County region. Congress appropriated funds for the purchase of approximately 100,000 acres along the eastern bank of the New River.
The Marine Barracks, New River, later renamed Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base, was established in 1941. About 700 families immediately relocated to the area, causing a population boom in the then small town of 800 residents. Not only did Marines and their families migrate to the area, but hundreds of additional civilian workers moved to the area to work on defense projects for the war effort.

The military presence fuels the economy of modern-day Jacksonville. Along with the economic impact of the military, retail, tourism, and other support services contribute to the area’s economy.

Jacksonville Parks and Recreation

Jacksonville offers its residents plentiful opportunities for recreation. The Jacksonville Department of Recreation and Parks not only offers numerous parks for residents’ enjoyment, but a variety of sports leagues, children’s activities and informational seminars.

For a list of parks and programs, please visit our city parks page