Temporary gates on Old Town’s Estrada Street removed

Submitted by Jennifer Harrison
January 13, 2015 10:32 a.m.

Old Fernandina is renowned for the preservation of the Spanish grid of her streets, platted in 1811. In 1996, during work requiring heavy machinery at Smurfit-Stone’s well six, the grid was interrupted by the placement of a temporary gate across Estrada Street. Unfortunately, when Smurfit-Stone work was complete, they did not remove the gate.

Years passed with residents in Old Fernandina regularly protesting and asking for its removal. However during these years, as new General Managers came and went at Smurfit-Stone, the true ownership of the land was forgotten.

Although the area that was then cut from the grid by the placement of the gate is seemingly insignificant, it has considerable importance in Fernandina’s history as part of the historic grid. Once known as Southpoint there had once been houses along Estrada Street inside the gated area, one of which was later used by the pogy plant when they ferried pogy by barge across the creek and down the river to Southpoint where it was loaded onto boxcars.

In 1870 Seton Bridge was built from Southpoint across the marsh to link Old Fernandina with David Yulee’s new Fernandina. Once the new town was built the ladies of Old Fernandina had to travel nearly two miles around the marsh to go to church, and they missed the social companionship of their previous neighbors who had relocated. They raised $600 for the construction of a four feet wide, three-quarters of a mile long boardwalk across the marsh to the new town and named it Seton Bridge, possibly in honor of Charles Seton the first mayor of Fernandina.

When the mill changed hands again in 2012, with support from members of the city commission and forceful letters from the city manager, residents of Old Fernandina again sought to have the city’s land restored to the city. Hopes revived with the arrival of new General Manager Tom Sweetser who showed personal interest in reviewing all the documentation relating to the area, fast coming to the coming to the conclusion that the gate should be removed as soon as possible.

There have been several unavoidable delays, but this week the gate has finally been removed. In a generous gesture the fences incorporating Rock-Tenn’s land have been pushed back further than the Estrada Street easement. The result is a fine pocket park approximately 186 feet long by 60 feet in width. Thank you Rock-Tenn.

A plan for the Riverfront in Old Fernandina was shown to the city commission some months ago which has resulted in the creation of a sympathetic boundary of muhly grass and short posts joined by thick nautical rope around the Plaza area. A small unobtrusive parking area at the end of White Street now discourages visitors from driving across the historic San Carlos Plaza and jeopardizing the archeological remains known to exist below this old Spanish parade ground.

The proposed plan for the Historic Riverfront Trail in Old Fernandina is designed to educate visitors on the unique history of the area while providing a beautiful walk and access to the river. The proposed trail will travel from the Southpoint pocket park parking area, north along the riverfront to San Fernando Street, with at least a dozen historical features and interpretive signs on the way.

The plan also incorporates a loop through Old Fernandina for an Amelia Island Bike Trail which would help complete the bike trail from north end to south end of our island. A grand opening of the new pocket park is suggested for the late spring when landscaping has been completed.