The Walking Tour

A Walking or Driving Tour of the Historic District
Fernandina moved from Old Town to its present location to become the terminus of Florida's first cross-state railroad, constructed 1856-61 from Fernandina to Cedar Key. In 1973, a 30-block area was named a Historic District in the National Register of Historic Places because of the amazing preservation of late Victorian architecture. In 1987, the District was expanded to include 50 blocks.


Start at the docks on Centre Street.
Just east of the docks is the Depot of Florida's first cross-state railroad. This second depot, opened in 1899, now houses the Chamber of Commerce.
Across from the Depot is the Duryee Building, constructed in 1882, now home of the Marina Restaurant.
On the NW corner of Centre and 2nd is the Palace, Florida's oldest saloon in the same location. The 1878 building originally housed a haberdashery; the saloon opened in 1903.
On the SW corner of Centre and 2nd is the Dotterer Building, built as a grocery about 1878.
On the NE corner of Centre and 2nd is the Chandlery, built following the 1876 fire with third floor added about 1901. Adjoining the Chandlery is the Jeffreys Building.
At mid-block is the Three Star Saloon, erected in 1877.
Next door is the 1885 Angel building which housed a bakery-grocery, now home for Books Plus and Robison Jewelry.
On the SW corner of Centre and 3rd is the 1884 City Mart, now home of Fantastic Fudge, Centre Street Treasures and offices.
On S. 3rd a half block off Centre is the Florida House, the state's oldest hotel. One building was erected 1857-59, the other in 1882. It has been restored as a bed and breakfast inn.
On the NE corner of Centre and 3rd is the Kydd Building, constructed in 1873 and now home of Southern Touch. Beside it is the 1911 Allan Building, a former department store converted into offices.
At Centre and 4th an 1891 metal facade joins the 1880 Swann/Waas building, now home of The Prudential Island Realty, and the 1884 building, now Partin's.
On the NE corner is our 1912 Post Office
and beside it the Lesesne House built in 1860.
Nassau County Courthouse at Centre at 5th was built in 1891 and is regarded by the State as "the finest surviving Victorian courthouse in Florida." At Centre and 7th is the Horsey House, built about 1902.
Turn right at S. 7th for four blocks.
The Thompson House is the first of three houses on the right built for members of the prominent Thompson family by architect John Hedges. Built circa 1872, it was the home of state senator William Naylor Thompson.
The Lucy Cottage was built circa 1877 for Thompson's sister, Miss Lucy O. Thompson. Present owner is Miss Lucy Nolan, granddaughter of Senator Thompson.
The last of the Thompson houses, built in 1882 for the senator's brother Pratt, was the first brick house in the city to be used solely as a residence. Story has it that now it is the haunt of Fernandina's most famous ghost and first lady of the house, Miss Nettie Thompson.
The Tabby House at 27 S. 7th is individually cited in the National Register. Made of crushed oyster shell and poured Portland cement, it was designed by the New York architect, R.S. Schuyler. It was built in 1885 for C.W. Lewis.
The Bailey House across the street, now a bed and breakfast inn, is also cited in the National Register. It was built in 1895 for Effingham Bailey, steamship agent.
On the SW corner of 7th and Ash stands the Addison House. Built circa 1876, it is now a bed and breakfast.
In the second block on the right stand the four Egmont Houses, constructed of lumber from the elegant Egmont Hotel, which was erected on the site in 1877 and razed in 1901.
At 130 S. 7th is the Lasserre House, built in 1904 by Captain Bill Bell.
Kelly House at 214 S. 7th was built in 1889 by developer Samuel Swann. Note stained glass windows lining the stairwell.
Fairbanks House at 227 S. 7th is also cited in the National Register. It was built in 1885 by R. S. Schuyler for Major George Fairbanks. It is now a bed and breakfast inn.
Waas House at 327 S. 7th was built as a small cottage in 1856, expanded and remodeled to the Queen Anne style 1899-1901 by Dr. W. T. Waas.
Turn left at Date, go one block to S. 8th, turn left again.
At 303 S. 8th, note the Mahoney-Mills House built 1888-9 by Captain James Bell.
At NE corner of S. 8th and Beech stands a triumph of the Gingerbread Age built by Captain Bill Bell in 1889. It is now home of the Beech Street Grill.
On the SW corner of 8th and Beech lies the Lowe House, built in 1907 by Captain Bill Bell.
At S. 8th and Ash is the Trinity United Methodist Church built in 1891. Across the parking lot on S. 9th is the white clapboard First Baptist Missionary Church built in 1874.
At Atlantic & Centre Streets, turn right.
On the NE corner stands St. Peter's Episcopal Church, another magnificent work of R.S. Schuyler. It was built in 1884, rebuilt in 1893. Worth viewing inside.
Across from it is the Hoyt House, built in 1905 and recently converted into an inn.
At 914 Atlantic is the Old School House, built in 1886 by R.S. Schuyler.
Turn right at S. 10th for one block.
At the NE corner of 10th and Ash is the Steamboat House (also known as the Rutishauser House), built about 1883.
On the SE corner is the Merrick-Simmons House, built in 1856 and listed on the National Register.
On the NW corner is the 1885 Eppes House.
Turn right on Ash for one block.
At 103 S. 9th is the Williams House, built prior to the Civil War with the porch gingerbread added in the 1880s by R.S. Schuyler.
Now an inn, it was recently named "Top Inn of the Year" by Country Inns magazine. Next to it is the newly renovated "Hearthstone at the Williams House," circa 1859.
Ash Street between 6th and 7th displays several period houses, notably the Jeffreys-Wolff House on the NE corner of Ash and 6th, built about 1875.
Turn right on S. 6th and cross Centre St.
At 9 N. 6th on left is a railroad house built about 1857.
Mid-block at left is the First Presbyterian Church, circa 1860, one of Florida's oldest.
In second block, first house on left is the Hirth House, built in 1886 by R.S. Schuyler.
Second on right is the Baker House, built in the 1850s but remodeled about 1910. It was purchased prior to 1859 by Archibald Baker, and the seventh generation of the same family resides here.
Baker's grandson, Judge Hinton Baker, built the corner house about 1905.
Third on the right is the Prescott House with exquisite architectural detail. It was built about 1876 by Josiah Prescott.
Queen Anne manse next at left is the Humphreys House, built 1900-02 by Dr. D.G. Humphreys.
Beside it is the Chadwick House, built about 1883 by the owner of a tugboat company and livery stable.
At 130 N. 6th is the Meddaugh House. Built in 1850, it is individually listed on the National Register.
Turn left on Broome for one block.
Wolff House at 502 Broome was built about 1885. House across the street (414 Broome) was built about 1866 by Major W.B.C. Duryee.
Turn left at 5th Street.
At mid-block on the right is one of our earliest prefabs. The basic house was precut in England and erected about 1911.
Turn right on Alachua for one block.
House on the corner (415 Alachua) was built in 1902 by a black druggist and physician, Dr. Percy N. Richardson, but it is best known as the home of Noble Hardee, who with his brothers, Ira and John, founded Standard Hardware Co.
John Hardee's house is at the corner of N. 4th Street. The original part of the house was built by Stephen Chadwick about 1904 but was bought by the Hardees in 1912 for $100.
Diagonally across from it is Villa Las Palmas, a magnificent residence built in 1910 by a prosperous lumberman, N.B. Borden. Second owner was the shrimping pioneer, Harry Sahlman.
Turn right on N. 4th for one block
At N. 4th and Broome is St. Michael's Catholic Church built in 1872. Beside it is Fernandez Reserve & the 1882 Convent.
Turn left on Calhoun for one block.
The red brick structure at Calhoun and N. 3rd Streets was originally the Church of St. Peter Claver built circa 1920.
Turn right on N. 3rd
After Fernandina moved from Old Town to its present location, the harbor pilots built their homes on The Hill on N. 3rd because of the fine view of the river. At the crest of the Hill is the handsomely restored Merrow House, built in the 1870s by Josiah Merrow, a lumber inspector. It is now an office for the port of Fernandina.
Retrace your route on N. 3rd back to Alachua and turn right.
At the corner of Alachua and 2nd, see Standard Marine Supply Corp. in the 1882 Huot Building
and the Crab Trap Restaurant in the 1877 Seydel Building.
Turn left back towards Centre Street (Only if you are walking! If you are driving, you must go around the block because 2nd Street is one-way going north.)
Mid-block at left is C.H. Huot's 1878 Building adjoining Sanford & Hoyt's 1879 Building with its charming cast-iron facade. Both now house the 1878 Steak House.

A Walking or Driving Tour of the Historic District

Start at the docks on Centre Street.

Just east of the docks is the Depot of Florida's first cross-state railroad. This second depot, opened in 1899, now houses the Chamber of Commerce.

Across from the Depot is the Duryee Building, constructed in 1882, now home of the Marina Restaurant.

On the NW corner of Centre and 2nd is the Palace, Florida's oldest saloon in the same location. The 1878 building originally housed a haberdashery; the saloon opened in 1903.

On the SW corner of Centre and 2nd is the Dotterer Building, built as a grocery about 1878.

On the NE corner of Centre and 2nd is the Chandlery, built following the 1876 fire with third floor added about 1901. Adjoining the Chandlery is the Jeffreys Building.

At mid-block is the Three Star Saloon, erected in 1877.

On the SW corner of Centre and 3rd is the 1884 City Mart, now home of Fantastic Fudge, Centre Street Treasures and offices.

On S. 3rd a half block off Centre is the Florida House, the state's oldest hotel. One building was erected 1857-59, the other in 1882. It has been restored as a bed and breakfast inn.

On the NE corner of Centre and 3rd is the Kydd Building, constructed in 1873 and now home of Southern Touch. Beside it is the 1911 Allan Building, a former department store converted into offices.

At Centre and 4th an 1891 metal facade joins the 1880 Swann/Waas building, now home of The Prudential Island Realty, and the 1884 building, now Partin's.

On the NE corner is our 1912 Post Office

Nassau County Courthouse at Centre at 5th was built in 1891 and is regarded by the State as "the finest surviving Victorian courthouse in Florida." At Centre and 7th is the Horsey House, built about 1902.

Turn right at S. 7th for four blocks.

The Thompson House is the first of three houses on the right built for members of the prominent Thompson family by architect John Hedges. Built circa 1872, it was the home of state senator William Naylor Thompson.

The Lucy Cottage was built circa 1877 for Thompson's sister, Miss Lucy O. Thompson. Present owner is Miss Lucy Nolan, granddaughter of Senator Thompson.

The last of the Thompson houses, built in 1882 for the senator's brother Pratt, was the first brick house in the city to be used solely as a residence. Story has it that now it is the haunt of Fernandina's most famous ghost and first lady of the house, Miss Nettie Thompson.

The Tabby House at 27 S. 7th is individually cited in the National Register. Made of crushed oyster shell and poured Portland cement, it was designed by the New York architect, R.S. Schuyler. It was built in 1885 for C.W. Lewis.

The Bailey House across the street, now a bed and breakfast inn, is also cited in the National Register. It was built in 1895 for Effingham Bailey, steamship agent.

On the SW corner of 7th and Ash stands the Addison House. Built circa 1876, it is now a bed and breakfast.

In the second block on the right stand the four Egmont Houses, constructed of lumber from the elegant Egmont Hotel, which was erected on the site in 1877 and razed in 1901.

At 130 S. 7th is the Lasserre House, built in 1904 by Captain Bill Bell.

Kelly House at 214 S. 7th was built in 1889 by developer Samuel Swann. Note stained glass windows lining the stairwell.

Fairbanks House at 227 S. 7th is also cited in the National Register. It was built in 1885 by R. S. Schuyler for Major George Fairbanks. It is now a bed and breakfast inn.

Waas House at 327 S. 7th was built as a small cottage in 1856, expanded and remodeled to the Queen Anne style 1899-1901 by Dr. W. T. Waas.

At 303 S. 8th, note the Mahoney-Mills House built 1888-9 by Captain James Bell.

At NE corner of S. 8th and Beech stands a triumph of the Gingerbread Age built by Captain Bill Bell in 1889. It is now home of the Beech Street Grill.

On the SW corner of 8th and Beech lies the Lowe House, built in 1907 by Captain Bill Bell.

At S. 8th and Ash is the Trinity United Methodist Church built in 1891. Across the parking lot on S. 9th is the white clapboard First Baptist Missionary Church built in 1874.

At Atlantic & Centre Streets, turn right.

On the NE corner stands St. Peter's Episcopal Church, another magnificent work of R.S. Schuyler. It was built in 1884, rebuilt in 1893. Worth viewing inside.

Across from it is the Hoyt House, built in 1905 and recently converted into an inn.

At 914 Atlantic is the Old School House, built in 1886 by R.S. Schuyler.

Turn right at S. 10th for one block.

At the NE corner of 10th and Ash is the Steamboat House (also known as the Rutishauser House), built about 1883.

Turn right on Ash for one block.

At 103 S. 9th is the Williams House, built prior to the Civil War with the porch gingerbread added in the 1880s by R.S. Schuyler.

Ash Street between 6th and 7th displays several period houses, notably the Jeffreys-Wolff House on the NE corner of Ash and 6th, built about 1875.

Turn right on S. 6th and cross Centre St.

At 9 N. 6th on left is a railroad house built about 1857.

Mid-block at left is the First Presbyterian Church, circa 1860, one of Florida's oldest.

In second block, first house on left is the Hirth House, built in 1886 by R.S. Schuyler.

Second on right is the Baker House, built in the 1850s but remodeled about 1910. It was purchased prior to 1859 by Archibald Baker, and the seventh generation of the same family resides here.

Baker's grandson, Judge Hinton Baker, built the corner house about 1905.

Third on the right is the Prescott House with exquisite architectural detail. It was built about 1876 by Josiah Prescott.

Queen Anne manse next at left is the Humphreys House, built 1900-02 by Dr. D.G. Humphreys.

Beside it is the Chadwick House, built about 1883 by the owner of a tugboat company and livery stable.

At 130 N. 6th is the Meddaugh House. Built in 1850, it is individually listed on the National Register.

Turn left on Broome for one block.

Wolff House at 502 Broome was built about 1885. House across the street (414 Broome) was built about 1866 by Major W.B.C. Duryee.

Turn left at 5th Street.

At mid-block on the right is one of our earliest prefabs. The basic house was precut in England and erected about 1911.

Turn right on Alachua for one block.

House on the corner (415 Alachua) was built in 1902 by a black druggist and physician, Dr. Percy N. Richardson, but it is best known as the home of Noble Hardee, who with his brothers, Ira and John, founded Standard Hardware Co.

John Hardee's house is at the corner of N. 4th Street. The original part of the house was built by Stephen Chadwick about 1904 but was bought by the Hardees in 1912 for $100.

Diagonally across from it is Villa Las Palmas, a magnificent residence built in 1910 by a prosperous lumberman, N.B. Borden. Second owner was the shrimping pioneer, Harry Sahlman.

Turn right on N. 4th for one block

At N. 4th and Broome is St. Michael's Catholic Church built in 1872. Beside it is Fernandez Reserve & the 1882 Convent.

Turn left on Calhoun for one block.

The red brick structure at Calhoun and N. 3rd Streets was originally the Church of St. Peter Claver built circa 1920.

Turn right on N. 3rd

Retrace your route on N. 3rd back to Alachua and turn right.

At the corner of Alachua and 2nd, see Standard Marine Supply Corp. in the 1882 Huot Building

Turn left back towards Centre Street (Only if you are walking! If you are driving, you must go around the block because 2nd Street is one-way going north.)

Mid-block at left is C.H. Huot's 1878 Building adjoining Sanford & Hoyt's 1879 Building with its charming cast-iron facade. Both now house the 1878 Steak House.

A Walking or Driving Tour
of the Historic District