Fort George Island

Scott & Karen invited us so spend the afternoon with them riding bikes on Fort George Island.  We were happy to join them to discover another part of this part of Florida.

  


Fort George Island is located between Jacksonville and Fernandina Beach and is rich with history.  It is bordered by the marshes of the St. Johns River estuary. The park is one of seven state parks known as the Talbot Island State Parks.  The other six state parks are Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve, Amelia Island, Little Talbot Island, Yellow Bluff Fort, Big Talbot Island and George Crady Bridge Fishing Pier


The French and Spanish explorers who arrived at Fort George found the island inhabited by Timucua Indians.  Many relics of this era remain today.  In 1736, James Oglethorpe built Fort George in order to protect the southern border of the colony called Georgia.  The fort was eventually abandoned and ownership of the area went to the Spanish.  Americans obtained vast farms and plantations on the island even though it was Spanish owned.  The most well known of these plantation owners is Zephaniah Kingsley.  After control of the island returned to America, Kingsley became a supporter of rights for freed slaves.  His home and the remnants of the tabby cabins of his slaves remain on the island today.  

In 1928, the Ribault Club was built for the rich, wealthy and famous who visited the island frequently.  The exclusive club built in the architectural style of Colonial Revival was the spot for Northerners escaping the the cold. Recreation included tennis, golf, yachting, hunting and fishing. Today, it serves as a visitor center with meeting space and special event rooms.  Boats, canoes, and kayaks can be launched just behind the club.  

How many peacocks can you see?

We proclaim with our red doors that our church is a haven for emotional and spiritual healing, and is a place of refuge and safety, forgiveness and reconciliation — in other words, red doors invite the passers-by into a space filled with the Holy Spirit.
The color red also evokes the blood of Jesus Christ, which protects the wayfaring soul from spiritual harm.
Jesus Christ is our refuge. The red doors at St. George remind us that our parish community too must be a refuge for all those who enter through them. In this holy place, there will be no outcasts. Our doors are open to all!

Stay tuned tomorrow for more of Fort George Island

Joy