Mandarin, one of Jacksonville’s oldest residential communities, offers visitors and residents options to explore shopping, outdoor adventures, historical sites and riverfront activities. Named in 1830 for the Mandarin orange, Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, and resident of the area, described Mandarin as “a tropical paradise.” Today, Mandarin’s old mighty oaks still line the streets draped with Spanish moss providing breathtaking canopy roads throughout the area. It is home to several historical sites such as St. Joseph Historic Church and Walter Jones Historical Park. Mandarin boasts several A-rated public schools, nationally recognized private schools, dozens of shopping centers and quiet and quaint residential neighborhoods both on the river and in its historical center.