Parks – Jacksonville Blogger

The First Protestant Prayer, Fort Caroline Monument and Lee Adams

Lee Adams, as he was known, was a botanical artist, painting birds, fruit, flora and fauna. He is known for his opportunity to paint four large murals for the 1964 World’s Fair in New York. His home was in Jacksonville, Florida where he attended West Riverside Elementary and graduated from high school in Duval County. For a time he and family lived in Mandarin as indicated in the 1940 census.

Early Years

For much of his life he painted birds, flora and fauna. His work is colourful and rich with detail to the intricacy of body parts including the beak, wings, legs and more. His paintings can be found in the St Vincent’s hospital, West Riverside, elementary school auditorium, the Beaches library, and a remarkable refurbished 12’ x 30’ mural of Ribault’s Landing on the fourth floor of the downtown Jacksonville library.

Lee Adams was the youngest of three children with two elder brothers, Thomas Burton Adams, Jr. and Alexander Hamilton Adams. His elder brother was a real estate developer turned politician. He was a member of the Florida Senate from 1956-1960, Florida State Secretary from 1961-1971 and the 10th Lieutenant Governor of Florida from 1971-1975.

Adam’s father, Thomas Burton Adams and mother, Carolyn Sykes Hamilton Adams are buried in the same cemetery as he and Lee’s wife, Mimi.

Making the Past Come Alive

My grandson, Ramey and I spent a day following leads to the life of Lee Adams, as he was called. It was at Oaklawn Cemetery that we met Nicole Ruff, one of Oaklawn’s consultants. It was great discussing the life of Adams, his influence on Florida, life in Mandarin and artwork that is now world-wide. Her help in our finding his grave and realizing that his family also had a family plot.

Adam’s wife, Mimi, was known for her environmental passion and headed up the Jacksonville Air Pollution Control Board. She was the first chairperson of the board formed in 1968. The two of them were interested in environmental issues. The Avondale park in Duval County is named in their honor and there are some plaques in various parts of the city given for their work on the environment.

This entire week, time was spent visiting each place where his work can be seen and it was found highly insightful. At the Beaches library, the mural work is colorful and beachy. At West Riverside Elementary School, Data entry clerk, Jeanine Mann, a seeming authority on the history of the school, gave the tour of the auditorium where three large paintings sponsored by large corporations hung high and grandeur. One painting was themed of NASA and space, another of Florida and transportation, including airplanes, trains, with communication ties, and the third of the cowboy and cattle segment of the Sunshine State. In that auditorium is also where the music class with Mr. Warren is held. While we were viewing paintings, he could be heard literally, singing to the children’s they entered the class. He also has stories to tell of the history of the school built in 1911.

Researching this artist, the most favourite in our minds was finding that of the 12 x 30 colourful mural of “Ribault’s Landing”, celebrating Christian Huguenots landing along the St. John’s River and the first Protestant prayer “within the limits of the present-day United States”. This painting, now hangs on the South wall of the 4th floor in the downtown Jacksonville library. In May of 2021 the city of Jacksonville announced the mural would be “installed in the Florida Collection” area after having been revived from years of neglect.

The scene, painted by Lee Adams and refurbished by artist Jim Draper, represents the story of Huguenot, Jean Ribault, his crew and Timuquan Indians at the landing in Fort Caroline in 1562. It was the place where the French “knelt in prayer, beseeching God’s guidance and commending the natives to His care”. The marker on Fort George Island says, “This was the first protestant prayer in North America.”

First Protestant Prayer Marker, Fort George Island, Jacksonville, Fl. This marker was erected by the Jacksonville Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution, on March 11, 1938. The text on the marker reads as : ” Jean Ribaut and a party of Huguenots landed the morning of May1, 1562 on this island. Here they knelt in prayer, beseeching God’s guidance and commending the natives to his care. This was the first Protestant Prayer in North America.”

Incredible Surprises

According to the Florida Times Union story by John Carter, the large mural was found rolled up in the basement at Robert E. Lee High School. It was originally created in 1959 and hung at the downtown 2nd floor dining area in the Sears building on Bay Street, not too far from the Main street bridge. In 1981, the store relocated moving to Regency Square and the building was demolished making way for the Omni hotel. The art piece was rolled up and taken to Lee High school. Although it has been said the artwork was stored in a box which was even nailed shut, the rolled up artwork was nested by rats, roaches and took a toll on the beautiful oil work. It would need a full restoration.

In the newspaper article, Jim Draper, Pedestrian Gallery owner helped with the restoration promoted by City Council President Jim Overton. Through a turn of events, and special project of the school principal, Jane Condon, the painting was displayed at the LaVilla School of the Arts for a time.

According to The Daily Record, the Fort Caroline refurbished painting was “officially unveiled on the fourth floor of the library” on Tuesday, May 1, 2012 in celebration of the 450th landing.

Lee Adams and his wife were killed in a tragic automobile accident on Roosevelt Blvd in 1971. We looked on Findagrave.com for the location of his internment but we had to search further. Soon, we found that he was buried at Oaklawn Cemetery along with family members.

Regarding Adams’ work

Finding Adams’ artwork is sketchy and quite expensive in most venues. On eBay, his art is going for $450. and up. On the “Invaluable” auction site, his “Parrots” piece is estimated between $800- $1,500. On Facebook Marketplace, there are two prints going for $50. I have purchased them along with World’s Fair tickets and the official guide. The paintings now hang on my wall. Pleasure.

See you tomorrow,

Nan

Sources:

Wikipedia, The Daily Record, Family Search, Jacksonville Library, Oaklawn Cemetery, Florida Times Union, Oaklawn Cemetery, Personal visits. 2-29-24

Photos: Wikipedia, US. Senate .gov, Ramey

Category: Animals, Art, History, Mandarin, Parks, People, Visit This | Comments Off

June 30

Lift Every Voice and Sing to be Honoured in Jacksonsville

The song written by James Weldon Johnson, a Black man from Jacksonville, Florida is being highlighted at a new “commons” area going up in Jacksonville, Florida. Located along Adam’s Street, a main road for getting onto the busy Jacksonville Interstate 95, the park will honor Johnson’s song which by some is called “ The Black National Anthem”.

According to the NAACP.org website, the lyrics were written by James Weldon Johnson and his brother composed the music. The song was first performed in a celebration of President Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. The song was “adopted but the NAACP and prominently used as a rallying cry during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950’s and 1960’s.”

See you tomorrow,

Nan

Sources: Wikipedia, NAACP, Person visit to the site

Category: History, Parks | Comments Off

February 23

French Explorer Made a Difference. You Can Too.

If you travel to Fort Caroline, near the mouth of the River, off the coast of Mayport, in Jacksonville, Florida, you can see the Fort Caroline monument “, Standing tall in the sand, it marks the spot on which Jean Ribault, became the first Protestant to set foot on American soil. The marker was unveiled “with appropriate ceremonies” by the Daughters of the American Revolution.

1924 Jacksonville Journal. Photo O’Brien E. Watt via Ramey Collection

That same week, there were festivities throughout the city of Jacksonville to celebrate this obviously exciting event. Gatherings and street parties were had with a “most brilliant close” to the placing of this historic monument according to the Jacksonville Journal. At the closing event held at the Mason Hotel Mason, Mrs. W. S. Jennings opened “with grace and charm”. The Honorable Mayor John T. Alsop of the city, expressed his “pleasure at having in Jacksonville a distinguished gather and welcomed the guest.” Also at the event was T. C. Imeson, chairman of the city commission, Dr. R. H Carswell, Mrs. Florence Murphy Cooley, and others. Mrs. James A. Craig thought it important to introduce her children and quoted Longfellow’s poem, “Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime and departing leave behind us footprints in the sands of time”.

I highly recommend that you take your families to see the monument and while you’re there remind them that they too can make a difference for Christ.

See you tomorrow,

Nan

Sources: Kingsley Plantation, Mayport documents, Jacksonville Journal, Personal visit.

Category: Faith, History, Parks | LEAVE A COMMENT

January 5

Could That Be Isaiah D. Hart’s Wagon?

Indeed it was not but I could visualize just the same.

Found in the yard of Lachapelles off Bulls Bay Rd.

I felt as if I might have found a remnant of the old Isaiah David Hart Plantation which was called “Paradise” and located West of Bulls Bay in West Jacksonville, Florida in the 1800s. Of course, Hart himself would have more than likely been riding on a wooden buckboard, buggy or carriage. Hart established the town of Jacksonville, Florida along the River St. Johns in 1822. He is counted by many as the actual 7th resident in the city and his brother, Daniel being the 8th but Hart is most known for being responsible for platting the city and having the streets laid out for an actual town which was called Cowford .(There are some who say the 2nd resident but…). Cowford, as it was called, was at a narrow place in the river. Its renaming was later suggested by John Warren to be named after Andrew Jackson the first provisional governor. Hart grew the area and later had a thriving Plantation West of Jacksonville in near-now called Marietta.

Today, I witnessed tall and I mean huge pine trees, willowing moss hanging from the massive Oak trees, dirt roads and several tributaries seemingly flowing from the Cedar River. Birds of every kind, especially blue jays, were talking among themselves and flying all around. All of those were marked items describing Hart’s former, some 2,000 acre plantation. There was no obvious log cabin or out-buildings built in the mids 1800’s that were present in today’s visit to the Bulls Bay area, but there was a buggy that I could definitely envision Hart or maybe his son, Ossian, who also lived on this land and was the 10th Governor of Florida riding in. (I am quite sure that was not his either but I still could envision it).

Over the years, this rural area has been used for sand excavating, sewage disposal, solid waste, borrow pits, drainage, reservoirs, waste land, marsh, swamps, animal out-growth, and of late, a slew of trucking and auto businesses tucked often on dead-end streets along Bulls Bay, Commonwealth Avenue and Prichard Road. The majority of the land though is pristine and unbothered. There are acres and acres of tall timber and agricultural promise.

This seems to have been built in the 1920’s or later-

In 1999, the City of Jacksonville purchased 1,222 acres which is now called Bulls Bay Preserve. There are a lot of wetlands, and tributaries from the Trout River, Ortega River and Cedar Creek waterways.

The Baldwin- Rail Trail is on the edge of this area with opportunities to hike and ride mountain bikes in flat Florida. There is even a “small waterfall” which is highlighted on the JaxParks page.

Walking/Biking trail running East and West parallel to commonwealth.

You are encouraged to visit the area where Jacksonville ’s founder once lived.

See you tomorrow,

Sources:

JaxParks, Visit Jacksonville, Jacksonvilleblogger.com, Wagon- Guy Lachepelle

Go visit: 8017 Old Plank Road, Jacksonville, Florida 32220

Category: Business, Neighborhoods, Parks, People, Visit This | Comments Off

December 29

Matanzas National Monument

Jean Ribault was a French naval officer serving under Admiral Gaspard de Coligny who attempted to colonize in Florida near the mouth of the St. Johns River at Fort Caroline.

With some 150 colonists, he landed on Florida soil and claimed the land for France. As a Huguenot Protestant, his belief in God was strong. In 1565 he founded the Fort Caroline settlement on the St. Johns River , even placing a monument there.

The Spanish who had their own claims to Florida at St. Augustine eventually scattered his group and captured Ribault. The name Matanzas is Spanish for “slaughters” named after the1565 slaughter of Jean Ribault and his group. Being Huguenot, they were as Protestant heretics.

The fort at Matanzas is small but accommodating. You can get their free on a boat ride set forth by the Florida State Parks system. The trip is about an hour long but you can stay longer and there are tables for picnicking.

See you tomorrow,

Category: Faith, Parks, Travel, Visit This | Comments Off

November 24

Florida, The First Thanksgiving? It Does Seem So….

Based on the former Congressman, Charles E. Bennett, the first actual Thanksgiving in America was when Rene Goulaine De Laudonniere, the French explorer set foot on Florida soil in 1564. Bennett, the author of many books on Florida including “Twelve on the River St. Johns”, “Fort Caroline and Its Leader”, “Florida’s “French” Revolution” and more makes note of the fact that over 50 years before the Pilgrims came to America, the French were here in 1562. Laudonniere, leading a second voyage, established Fort Caroline in Jacksonville, Florida thanking God and claiming Florida. There is a marker on the grounds of Fort Caroline of a marker designating as the land where the first Protestant proclaimed God.

On September 21, 1950 Charles Bennett sponsored a bill to establish Fort Caroline in Jacksonville, Florida a National Monument to commemorate the establishment of their search for religious freedom. His quote on that day was…

“The 425th anniversary of the beginning settlements by Europeans…renamed from Fort Caroline to San Mateo, to San Nicolas, to Cowford and finally to Jacksonville in 1822… “

According to History.com, the First “Thanksgiving” was September 8, 1865 when there were “Blaring trumpets and thundering artillery” serenading Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles arrival and claim of Florida thanking “God and his country” in St. Augustine so there are those who claim that.

Of course, we all know the story of the Pilgrims landing in 1620 having a meal with the Indians and a story of the First Thanksgiving.

Fort Caroline was founded by French Protestant Christians who were called Huguenots. They were seeking religious freedom.

Quotes from days gone by….

“What pleasure it would give us to find any indication of Charles’s Fort on the Carolina coast, where a French Protestant colony attempted a settlement, a full century before the English; or the stone pillar with the arms of France , erected, on that occasion, on the river of May.” Abiel Homes, 1814

“…The Fort Caroline settlement set a new pattern for religious freedom in America – a pattern which was to be imitated until religious liberty and personal freedom become the great trademark for the United States.” Charles E. Bennett, Laudonniere and Fort Caroline

“On June 30, 1564, construction of a triangular-shaped fort…was begun with the help of a local tribe of Timucuan Indians… Home for this hardy group of Huguenots…their strong religious…motivations inspired them.”

According to Bennett, The French Christian Huguenots in Florida set a day of Thanksgiving and offered the first Protestant prayer in North America on JUNE 30, 1564: “We sang a psalm of Thanksgiving unto God, beseeching Him that it would please Him to continue His accustomed goodness towards us.”

Most importantly is being thankful to God for his bounty at whatever point you came.

See you tomorrow,

Sources: History. com, NPS. gov, nationalparks. org, ribaultsong .com

Category: Government, Holidays, Parks, Visit This | LEAVE A COMMENT

November 20

The Jetties

When we were young, our parents took us to the jetties where we walked on the big rocks out to the Atlantic Ocean and would fish from seemingly the top of the world. The jetties were located Northeast of town about 30-40 minutes away. It was always fun but walking on those huge rocks could be worrisome. We would each have a handful of something to carry and then we’d bend, weave, crawl and scrap our way to a comfortable rock area, all while the water might be splashing and getting us wet. It was some event for a youngster and we loved it.

Mama would pack us a lunch and Daddy would pack the fishing gear and off we would drive , “a day and another” until we’d come to huge rocks by the ocean. We’d park the car, unload the stuff and head to the rocks. There we would be until the sun would set, fishing until our hearts content. Daddy seemed to spend most of his time getting Mama’s hook replenished or unhooked from the snags. The huge waves would take the fishing line into the cracks and crevices and he’d hold, pull, jerk and navigate until the line was free. Mama was happy. She would be fishing with his pole until he got her’s untangled. She’d fish non-stop and he seemed to be getting the lines untangled non-stop. That’s sort of how it went every fishing event. Both seemed to enjoy themselves.

Those were always long, fun days. We left early and came home late. There was the usual stop by the bait shop out Heckscher Drive and then the long drive to the beaches. Living on the Westside, it took a good 45 minutes or so just to get there.

So many times we came home with a “mess of fish” and had a fish fry. There were even times that Daddy skinned the fish, froze them and we’d have a Sunday school fish fry. There was then a lot of bragging going on about how big that fish really was.

Those were many of our days in Florida.

See you tomorrow,

Category: Family, Flora and Fauna, Parks, Sports, Visit This | LEAVE A COMMENT

November 13

The Jacksonville Agricultural Fair

The address- 510 Fairground Pl. Jacksonville, Fl 32203

Since 1955, Jacksonville has had an annual fair brining thousands of people to one location to ride rides, exhibit art, show off animals and win prizes of various kinds. It deems itself as a private 501(c)3 non profit corporation and highlights itself as being a “quality family fair”.

For years and years, the Jacksonville Fair was held on the grounds of the Gator Bowl, a well-known sports venue with one of the biggest rivalry games, the Florida-Georgia game. Sometimes, that game would fall about the same time as the fair and the two would collaborate the fun. Today, that field is called EverBank Field. According to the Greater Jacksonville Fair history story, in 1989 the Fair Association “broke ground” on its own property nearby the football stadium and a new fairground facility was born entertaining some 700,000 people.

The Jacksonville Fair is a huge event for the Jacksonville area bringing in millions of dollars to the area in the way of businesses, food vendors, game attendants, parking revenue and more. In 2002, the fair celebrated 65 years of fun and frolic. Yesterday was its last day for this year.

See you there next time,

Source: Jacksonville Fair

Category: Business, Parks, Visit This | LEAVE A COMMENT

August 11

Jacksonville is so Beautiful

I love this city. Do you love it as I do? There is so much to love. Jacksonville has so many attributes. It has huge open spaces, a lot of greenery, the oceans and beaches, sand hills and sand spurs. You can raise animals, cattle, horses , cats or dogs, or even birds and iguanas…. Take your choice.

Jacksonville has more than 20 miles of beautiful beaches! It has one of, if not the largest park systems in the nation. Jacksonville offers incredible fishing including the great King Fish Tournament! Oh, it has the St. Johns River, for goodness sake and it runs right through the downtown area. Beautiful.

It is the place where one of the first Bibles was brought to the shores of America and where the first Protestants sought to bring the Gospel of Christ. (Fort Caroline).

Located in Northeast, Florida, the weather is fine; sometimes too hot but rarely too cool. It’s perfect for the sports enthusiast.

On both sides of Jacksonville there are really historic places like Fernandina, an early land grant provider and to the south, the oldest city, St. Augustine. Not to mention Amelia Island and Daytona Beach, not too far in either direction.

Jacksonville is a beauty. Just sayin’.

See you tomorrow,

Category: Parks, Visit This | LEAVE A COMMENT

August 2

Parks in Jacksonville, Part 1

Visit Jacksonville indicates that the “Where Jacksonville Begins” has the “largest urban park system in the entire nation”. Wow! Be proud fellow citizens. Jacksonville already is known for being the largest city by landmass in the U. S. A. , for having the beautiful St. Johns River where “The Cowford” began in 1822(former name of Jax) and has about 25 mies of sandy white beaches. So Jacksonville is quite the city! To add to its beauty, it has an extensive park system.

Here is a short list of these destinations:

Fort Caroline National Park, Kingsley Plantation, Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, Huguenot Memorial Park, Riverside Park, Memorial Park Stockton Park, Losco Regional Park, Mandarin Park, Riverside Park, Talbot Islands State Parks including Little Talbot and Big Talbot, Dutton Island Preserve, Yellow Bluff Fort, Fort George State Park, Hannah Park, Fort Family Regional Park (Baymeadows), James Weldon Johnson Park (Formerly Hemming Park).

Now, That’s something to brag about but wait until this is added! By 2029 an almost 30 mile park will be added to that list. Called, “ The Emerald Trail”, it will span in and around the city turning and wind along paths, transform dead spots, vacant areas, shared bike paths, travel under bridges, by the river and more.

Those involved, along with the city government is Path Foundation, JTC Running, Kaizen landscaping, Giving Forward Community Endowment, Community Foundation and even individual donors like you.

Places that you’ve known before as eye sores will be transformed into beautiful flora and fauna and in a matter of hours you will be able to bike, walk or trail this new Jacksonville park.

Pay attention. That park may wind by your home or school. It is is slated as a park to encourage “healthy lifestyles” and will be a touchstone to 17 schools, 17 parks, Hogans Creek, McCoys Creek, downtown Jacksonville and the St. Johns River.

Not an ordinary park for a unique city.

See you tomorrow,

Sources- Emerald Trail photo- JTC Running, Visit Jacksonville, Giving Forward, Community Foundation, Kaizen, Path Foundation

Category: Parks | LEAVE A COMMENT