Conference Venue
The hotel headquarters for the meeting is the Hampton Inn Downtown Jacksonville/I-95. Please use this conference-specific booking link to reserve your room. The hotel address is 1331 Prudential Dr., Jacksonville, FL 32207. The room rate is $139/night + tax (single/double occupancy). Hotel amenities include a free breakfast, free parking, a pool, and a fitness center. The Southern Grill restaurant is right across the street and is open 7 days a week from 6 AM to midnight. You will find other restaurants and bars nearby as well. The hotel is within walking distance to the Board Meeting, the Thursday Reception, and the Friday Banquet.
Friendship Fountain at night
Conference Events
Conference events will begin Thursday, October 2. The Board of Directors Meeting will be held in the morning at San Marco Place. The Thursday walking tour will take place in the afternoon and focus on Jacksonville’s urban development and ethnic neighborhoods. The group will travel via the People Mover from the hotel to downtown Jacksonville and explore locations that reflect the conference theme. In the evening, we will enjoy the Opening Reception at San Marco Place.
On Friday, October 3, paper sessions will be held at Jacksonville University, with a business luncheon from noon to 1:30 PM at the River House on the JU campus. A shuttle service to and from the hotel will be available, and there is free parking on campus for those with their own car. An evening reception, banquet, and awards ceremony will be hosted at in the evening at a location to be determined.
On Saturday, October 4, our bus tour field trip — Parks, Plantations, and Preservation — will explore lesser-known historic sites in Northeast Florida. The group will travel by tour bus first to Fort Caroline National Memorial, the first French settlement in North America. Next we will drive by the Mayport Naval Station and learn about the role of the US Navy in Jacksonville’s history. At Mayport, we will cross the St. John’s River by ferry and travel to Kingsley Plantation, which was owned by a former slave (among others). Lunch is included and will be at Billy Jack’s BBQ on the St. John’s River (don’t worry…there are vegetarian options!). After lunch, we will drive back into urban Jacksonville to the Durkeeville historic neighborhood where we will visit the Durkeeville Historic Society and Museum, participate in a walking tour led by one of the museum guides, and finish at the J.P. Small Baseball Stadium and Museum, home to Jacksonville’s Negro League team, the Jacksonville Red Caps, from 1938-1942.