Today we have finished a 5 day Road Scholar program in NE Florida on Amelia Island. We stayed in Fernandina Beach, toured Cumberland Island, Amelia Island, and the Okefenokee Wildlife preserve nearby in southern Georgia. The lectures centered around the history of the area, and the economic impacts caused, and endured by the residences since 1562. Amelia Island is known as the First Coast for it's early settlement, along with the term of, The Isle of Eight Flags, for the various political interests involved over the years. It was interesting to find out that the shrimping industry started on Amelia Island.
FRENCH Flag ----1562 to 1565. Explorer Jean Ribault was first recorded European visitor.
SPANISH Flag ---1565 to 1710. Pedro Menendez de Aviles drove French out killing 350 colonists. Several English raids took place during this time period including South Carolina's governor James Moore leading British and Indian forces in 1702.
ENGLISH Flag ---1710 to 1783. Georgia governor James Oglethorpe invades and renames island, Amelia in honor of Englands George II daughter. 1776, Spain releases all rights and land grant rights to Florida.
SPANISH Flag --- 1783 to 1812. The town of Fernandina was platted in 1811 by George G.F. Clark in honor of king Ferdinand VII of Spain.
PATRIOT Flag --- 1812 to 1813. With approval from President James Madison, Georgia's governor, George Mathews fielded insurgents called "Patriots of Amelia Island" and seized the island. After raising the Patriot Flag they replaced it with the US Flag.
SPANISH Flag ---1813 to 1817. Spanish pressure forced evacuation of US forces from island. Spain built Fort San Carlos on the island in 1816.
GREEN CROSS Flag --- 1817 to 1817. Scot born Gregor McGregor and a small force capture the island for the "Green Cross".
MEXICAN REBEL Flag -- 1817 to 1861. American irregulars and pirates plague the area for years under the Mexican Rebel Flag, until President James Monroe drives them out, vowing to hold Amelia Island in trust for Spain.
CONFEDERATE Flag -- 1861-1862. Confederate forces sieze island and Fort San Carlos (renamed Fort Clinch).
AMERICAN Flag -- 1862-present. Union forces under Commodore Samuel Dupont retake Amelia Island and raises the American Flag.
This information is a summary that comes from the City of Fernandina Beach website. All this attention over the last 350 years is due to Amelia Island having the only natural deep water port along the Florida coastline.
