THE EGMONT HOTEL: An Elegant Lady

Picture life in the late 1800s, several decades after the Civil War has ended. Home is in "the North," and it is wintertime, days cold and gray like the color of a Confederate rebel's uniform. Yet the South beckons with warmth and sunshine. But where in the South could a traveler find amenities, much less luxurious ones, in this time of reconstruction? Thanksgiving guests have recently departed and a blanket of snow covers the ground, leaving a cold emptiness. But one guest left behind a copy of the Florida Mirror, brought back from an excursion to Florida, and there, in the corner, an advertisement for The Egmont Hotel in beautiful Fernandina, Florida! It reads:

And the most Elegant in all its Appointments. Heated by Steam, Lighted by Gas, Hot and Cold Baths, Oral Anunciator. Fire-place in every Room, &c., & c. PRACTICALLY FIRE-PROOF. Fire Hose on every floor, and special accommodations for Families and Large Parties.

EGMONT COACHES at every Boat and Train. Rowing, Sailing, Fishing and Hunting in the Inlets, Sounds and on the Isles of the Sea. Sportsman¹s Paradise. First class Livery. Twenty-four miles of the Finest Beach in the World. Bowling Alley, Shooting Gallery, Billiard Room. &c., connected with the House.

Perfect! Now, to travel by steamer or train? Perhaps one of the Clyde-Mallory steamships out of New York...
In January of 1878, the Atlantic Gulf West India Transit Company completed construction of the Egmont Hotel, which took up most of the block at Beech and 7th Streets. David Yulee, of Florida Railroad fame, took an active interest in raising funds for this venture. Though it was the first tourist hotel in the state and considered one of the best in the South (this was before Henry Flagler's heyday in Florida), the Egmont only provided a luxurious retreat for prominent Northern tourists for about a decade. But let's revisit her in her golden age.

A December 7, 1878, article in the Florida Mirror tells readers that the hotel was named after Lady Egmont. Research did not yield a clue as to why this hotel was named for the Countess. She was the wife of the second Earl of Egmont, to whom British government granted 10,000 of the 11,600 acres of Amelia Island during the years of British Rule. A brochure for the Winter Season of 1884-1885 expands on the hotel's namesake: "...The hotel is named in honor of the Countess Dowager of Egmont, of the last century. While Florida was a British possession,

The Egmont Hotel stood at the corner of Beech
and Seventh Streets from 1878 until 1906
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the Countess had an indigo plantation covering the present site of the town. Such was visited by the elder Bertram
[William Bartram] during 1767, and is described in his work on Florida. A copy of a fine portrait of the Countess, made in 1758, copied by permission of the present Earl of Egmont, hangs in the parlor of the hotel."
The Countess must have been beautiful and elegant, as this was reflected in the hotel. Four stories high, with spacious piazzas on the first two floors, the Egmont could catch the sea breezes. Taking advantage of the climate, gardens were lush on the grounds. Nearby was a park of orange and palmetto trees (perhaps actually Sabal palms), and flowers and fountains decorated the space between the hotel and the street behind it. In September of 1880, the Florida Mirror reported "We notice that the barb wire guard around the hotel enclosure designed to prevent cattle from nipping the grass...has the desired effect."

This artwork was taken from an Egmont Hotel
brochure for rhe winter season of 1884-1885.
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Inside, guests could choose from about 70 rooms. And the dining hall could seat 100 guests. Of course, the cuisine was exquisite, and the furnishings and service exceptional. Services included providing guests with recreational activities.
The hotel season was December to May, so guests would enjoy Amelia Island's cooler temperatures. Lawn tennis and croquet were popular activities. To experience more of the area, hunting (for quail, snipe, deer and bear were "readily found" on nearby

Cumberland Island), fishing and trips to Fort Clinch or the beach were just some of the excursions available. If that was not to your fancy or weather was inclement, the shooting gallery or Billiard room might sound appealing. Or you could go bowling!
The bowling alley was adjacent to the North Colored Methodist Church. The Egmont Hotel owned the rest of the block, but the church would not sell because of profits made from hotel guests. So there was somewhat of a "rolling war." On one side was the rolling of the bowling balls and crashing of pins, and at the charismatic church was the "holy rolling," including loud singing and shouting which would go on into the night. Apparently, the bowlers were louder, as the church eventually moved to another location.
The location of Fernandina also made the hotel a destination for first-class travellers making connections by rail or water to other locales.

One such distinguished guest was President Ulysses S. Grant in 1880. Mr. Yulee welcomed the President and his entourage, and the Egmont was a sight of splendor. The grounds were decorated with Oriental lanterns, and four hundred camellias spelled out the president's name in the windows. President Grant took a tour to Cumberland Island and later attended a grand ball given in his behalf. The next day he continued his first tour of Florida on a train to Jacksonville.

The four Egmont Houses (three of which are shown here) were built from lumber from the Egmont Hotel and still reside on her former site.
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Sadly, the Egmont's golden age would end within ten years or so. Mr. Yulee, who had been active in direction of the hotel, moved to Washington, D.C., in the early 1880s. And competition for the tourist business came from offered that the building, originally costing $150,000 to build, could be bought for $3,000. This price included the four large lots. Eventually, after Mr. Swann could not find a buyer, he purchased all the Egmont property himself for $2,100. Mr. Swann attempted promoting the property for usesincluding a girls' school and a sportsman's club. In 1899, it was even
suggested the old hotel be considered an ideal place for a cigar factory. Sadly, none of these ideas came to pass, and the hotel was torn down in 1906.
But like all gracious ladies, her elegance is remembered, and her legacy lives on. You can see this today on 7th Street, where four lovely homes built with her lumber stand today on the former site of the Egmont Hotel.