The grand old hotels of Fernandina

In the late 1800s, five hotels operated in Fernandina (now Fernandina Beach). The Mallory Steamship Line regularly delivered tourists from the north. The arrival of steamships helped transform what was a rural barrier island into a popular destination for vacationers. Northerners were eager to experience the warm weather and elegant accommodations of Amelia Island. The island was hailed as "The Queen of Summer Resorts" by the 1896 edition of American Resorts Magazine.

In the late 1800s, Queen Victoria reigned in England, setting a style that was so distinctive and long-lived that the years between 1850 and 1910 are collectively referred to as the "Victorian Era." The influence of the queen is seen in the architecture, fashions, art, and music of the time. It was a golden time for Amelia Island and Fernandina. A living testimony to the Victorian influence are the so-called "painted ladies" that grace the streets that crisscross the 50-block historic district. Sadly, the grand hotels are gone, but their history is recorded and has been handed down by descendants of those who enjoyed the good life in a thriving resort community in the last quarter of the 19th century.

Following the Civil War, Amelia Island presented a significant opportunity, and entrepreneurs were quick to seize it. Recognizing the island as an attractive destination for discriminating travelers, David Levy Yulee and the Florida Railroad Company were quick to build properties for the elite of the Northeast.

Their first hotel property was the Florida House, built in 1857. It is considered the oldest continually operated tourist hotel in Florida. Its antebellum style has been described as comfortable rather than elegant. Guests included the elite of Eastern society, such as the Carnegies, Goulds, Rockefellers, Morgans, and even Henry Ford, who were said to have enjoyed the hospitality of the Florida House.

The grandest hotel was the Egmont, taking up an entire block. It was four stories high, with the first two stories featuring gracious piazzas. Across the street, a park featuring orange trees and native plants provided a popular spot for strolling. Barbed wire was required to keep the cows from eating the beautifully planted gardens. It was lighted by gas and heated by steam. Her glory days are forever gone; the Egmont was torn down in 1906 after a failed attempt to find a buyer or tenant. Originally built for $150,000, it could be bought for $3,000, which included four large lots. Salvage from the hotel can be found in many houses in the historic district.

The final property built by the railroad was the Strathmore, with its sweeping porches, proximity to the sea, and hard beaches popular for carriage rides. Its architect was a local favorite, Robert Sands Schuyler, and it reflected his fine eye for elegant detail. It was built in 1881 and destroyed by the 1898 hurricane. It had a short but charmed life.

The Mansion House, also called the Virginia House, was located at Broome and Third streets. With 50 rooms and a park with orange trees, fountains, and flowers, it shared the fate of so many hotels in those days — it burned to the ground.

Henry Flagler and his north/south railroad changed all that. He not only made it possible to travel further south in Florida, but he also developed resorts that northerners began to prefer.

Although it is sad to think that the thriving, elegant hotels of the late 1800s were passed by for other new properties further south, it proved a blessing for Amelia Island. If not for the movement south, the island might have become another over-commercialized beachside resort destination, with the lovely, now-preserved Victorian-era homes torn down.

The island's popularity is back and thriving, with properties like the Omni and the Ritz-Carlton enjoying great success. Once again, our island is blessed with the finest resort properties, which, like the grand hotels of the late 1800s, cater to every desire of their discriminating guests.