Green Cove Springs – Old Florida Right Next Door

Green Cove Springs – Old Florida Right Next Door

If you’ve ever wondered how Green Cove Springs got its name, you came to the right place. This town gets is named for the natural sulfur spring located in what is now known as Spring Park. The spring remains a constant and cool 77 °F and feeds a spring‑fed swimming pool shaded by majestic Florida live oaks. The spring run flows directly into the St. Johns River, and the adjacent pier offers lovely views and fishing spots. The park also features picnic pavilions, playgrounds, splash pads, and a Story Walk along the spring run trail. The park is magical, and the spring is fresh and otherworldly.

This beautiful park is the pride of Green Cove Springs, 30 miles south of Jacksonville on the west bank of the St. Johns River. Here you’ll find a charming small city and the seat of Clay County. The town is known for its lush greenery, historic roots, and scenic riverfront. With a population of around 10,000, it enjoys a relaxed, old‑Florida feel while being part of the Jacksonville metro area.

Nature, Continued

The greenscape continues outside of Spring Park too. Just north of town, Camp Chowenwaw Park, where Black Creek meets the St. Johns River, offers camping, hiking trails through the hardwood hammocks and floodplain swamps, paddling, fishing, a nature center, and a pollinator garden. It’s a quiet 150‑acre haven for families and nature lovers.

Residential Life

If you are looking for leafy streets in affordable neighborhoods, look no farther than Green Cove Springs. It has small town charm like many of Jacksonville’s older neighborhoods (Avondale, Riverside, Murray Hill) and with very good public schools – including a 15:1 student-to-teacher ratio.

Green Cove Springs has cute local shops and local festivals galore. You won’t need museums to help you see the old-school charm. But just in case you WANT museums – Green Cove Springs has them…

Museums

The Military Museum of North Florida

Located on the grounds of the former WWII Naval Air Station Green Cove Springs (later known as the Naval Auxiliary Air Station), this museum showcases military vehicles, ship models, uniforms, weapons, and a D‑Day exhibit. It showcases our area’s proud military history and modern-day might, including a Blackhawk flight simulator and an F6F Hellcat fighter display.

The Clay County Historical Society Museum

Housed in the 1890 courthouse annex on Walnut Street within the city’s Historic District, this museum features exhibits including a country store, kitchen, train caboose, vault, and old railroad depot. The complex also includes Florida’s second‑oldest jail and the 1894 courthouse. It’s a charming small museum that will help you get the feel of late 19^th century North Florida.

St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, while not a museum, was built in 1879 in Carpenter Gothic style and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This beautiful church has original stained-glass windows crafted by Colgate Art Glass. And it’s in the heart of the downtown Historic District, also on the National Register, where you’ll find stately homes, a courthouse, and Old Florida architecture.

Have I convinced you that Green Cove Springs is worth a look?

Please get in touch and let me show you some wonderful properties on the market in this beautiful old town!