Beaches Museum

05/28/2026

Recognize this space? Our well-loved permanent exhibit is experiencing a much-needed expansion! The video enclosure walls are coming down, making space for more topics in the exhibit, better maneuverability, and a brighter look. Long-time volunteer Pam Blalock leads the charge!

While the permanent exhibit is closed for renovations, AB100, our temporary exhibit celebrating 100 years of the City of Atlantic Beach, and the Right Whales of Amelia Island traveling exhibit remain accessible to the public, as does our historic park!

05/25/2026

On May 25, 1948 work finally began on the B.B. McCormick Bridge, an important piece in the plan to connect Jacksonville to the Beaches on what would be known as Beach Boulevard.

The drawbridge would be completed in 1949 but the “road” wasn’t an easy one.

According to local historian Don Mabry, B.B. McCormick thought of the idea of a bridge from Jacksonville to the beaches in 1922 as he was “always trying to foster the growth of the beaches, Jacksonville Beach in particular. He and some others made a survey for a possible highway route which branched from Atlantic Boulevard and paralleled the Florida East Coast Railway line to the beach but coming into Jacksonville Beach at Twelfth Avenue South.”

Unfortunately the roadway was repeatedly postponed due to World War II. Finally in October 1945 construction of the new beach highway, McCormick’s dream since 1922, began in earnest. B.B. McCormick’s own company, B. B. McCormick & Sons, paved the way east and west of the bridge while the George D. Auchter Company constructed the twin bascule bridges, named the B. B. McCormick Bridge.

On December 17, 1949, as his health was failing, B. B. McCormick arrived by ambulance to cut the ribbon on the B.B. McCormick Bridge. From a gurney, he used his pocket knife to cut the ribbon opening the bridge and a new connection with Jacksonville and the beaches.

05/25/2026

New article by guest writer Johnny Woodhouse: Sisterhood of Service - Fletcher High Grad Followed Siblings into Women’s Army Corps.

In 1972, Private Judy Teate completed her basic training at the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) Center at Fort McClellan, Alabama, becoming the third of her four sisters to join the military during the Vietnam War era.

A 1970 graduate of Fletcher High School, where she participated in school plays and chorus, Teate enjoyed writing poetry and was affectionately regarded as the baby of the family, according to her big sister Billie Harbison...

Read her full story on our website: https://www.beachesmuseum.org/sisterhood-of-service-fletcher-high-grad-followed-siblings-into-womens-army-corps/?fbclid=IwY2xjawSCuFlleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeODFUbRzP0KnvlQz65cWVSSHiQHlLi7VyxoYz2CcXrR5d-Y6V8ER3kGpONo8_aem_Cn7a1qs4E79fJuicfIjJtQ

By Johnny Woodhouse In 1972, Private Judy Teate completed her basic training at the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) Center at Fort McClellan, Alabama, becoming the … Read the full article

05/22/2026

On May 22, 1907 Pablo Beach received its official Town Charter!

Local resident, H.M. Shockley became the mayor of Pablo Beach. Shockley was the owner of a general store in Pablo Beach.

The City Council members of the newly chartered town were C.H. Mann, C.M. Griner, T.H. Griffith, J.E. Dickerson, E.E. Willard, William Wilkerson, E.E. Suskind, Alexander Stevens and W.H. Shutter, according to The Florida Times-Union.

Shown here is Shockley's Pavilion advertising "Shockley's Famous Clam Chowder".

Wish we had that recipe!

05/21/2026

On May 21, 1895 the first bell rang at the Mayport Presbyterian Church!

The Church began in 1885 when members of the First Presbyterian Church of Jacksonville began to provide services in Mayport. Services were held in the Mayport School building until land was donated by founding member, Caius Norris. The church building was built in 1892 and was known as the Addie Fatio Community Chapel and was used by all denominations for worship. The church was chartered as a Presbyterian church in 1912.

The Reverend William Dodge, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Jacksonville, donated the bell as a memorial to Adeline "Addie" Clarier Fatio, a founding member of the church.

Mayport Presbyterian Church PCUSA

05/20/2026

Henry Flagler died on May 20, 1913. Many people know about Flagler’s involvement in the development of St. Augustine, but he also had a hand in developing our own Atlantic Beach.

After achieving some success in grain and salt he joined John D. Rockefeller to found Standard Oil, a petroleum refinery.

Soon, Standard Oil was doing one-tenth of all petroleum business in the United States and went on to become the largest and most profitable corporation in the world at its peak.

After a visit to Florida to improve his wife's health, Flagler recognized the potential for growth and tourism in Florida and went on to devote most of his remaining years to developing the area. He purchased the Jacksonville, St. Augustine, & Halifax Railroad and other small railways. From these projects, Flagler established the Florida East Coast Railway.

Flagler opened the Continental Hotel in June of 1901 in Atlantic Beach, Florida. The hotel featured its own golf course, a detached veranda that wrapped around the hotel for lounging, an 800 foot ocean pier – the Atlantic Beach Pier – for fishing, picturesque drives around the area, and “automobiling” and racing along the shore. Stretching along the oceanfront at 447 feet long and 47 feet wide, the wooden hotel provided a grand and palatial figure at the Atlantic Beach seashore.

Unfortunately, after Flagler sold the Continental Hotel it burned down in 1919.
You can learn more about the fascinating life of Henry Flagler here: https://www.beachesmuseum.org/flagler-came-beaches-area/

05/19/2026

Concert tonight! If you like live music, come on out! As always ticket purchases support the Museum and our mission to preserve and share the unique history and culture of the Beaches area😉

Jim Bickerstaff and the White Knuckle Flyers are performing at the historic Chapel to close out the Spring concert season on Tuesday, May 19! Tickets are available at https://bit.ly/whiteknuckleflyers -

You can check out studio and live recordings at https://jimbickerstaff.com/videos - once you do, you'll want to reserve some seats!

As a writer and performer, Jim has released four albums of his music working with some of the best studio musicians in the business. His fourth studio album, "Old Trees" was released in April, 2025.

05/16/2026

This photo shows A.G. Penman with a record-setting tarpon caught in 1944. This tarpon weighed 125 pounds! Penman would go on to break his own record with a 172-pound tarpon in 1949.

These days, the Atlantic tarpon is classified as Vulnerable and Decreasing on the IUCN redlist. Now tarpon is catch-and-release only without a tarpon tag, and only one tarpon tag may be issued per person annually in pursuit of a record. To learn more about best practices regarding tarpon, see myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/tarpon/

05/16/2026

Jim Bickerstaff and the White Knuckle Flyers are performing at the historic Chapel to close out the Spring concert season on Tuesday, May 19! Tickets are available at https://bit.ly/whiteknuckleflyers -

You can check out studio and live recordings at https://jimbickerstaff.com/videos - once you do, you'll want to reserve some seats!

As a writer and performer, Jim has released four albums of his music working with some of the best studio musicians in the business. His fourth studio album, "Old Trees" was released in April, 2025.