A Florida Nonprofit 501(c)3 tax Exempt Organization
West Nassau Historical Society - West Nassau Museum of History
Located Inside the Historic Train Depot at 45383 Dixie Avenue, Callahan
Mail to P.O. Box 1758, Callahan, FL 32011 (904 879-3406)
Abner McGehee
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This page was last updated: February 20, 2012
Luncheon with the Jacksonville Chapter, Florida Society, Sons of the American Revolution (SAR)
January 19, 2012 - San Jose Country Club
John Hendricks and Jan Johannes were invited to an SAR luncheon where details of a nearby historical park may come to fruition.
Meeting highlights the establishment of a "Battle of Thomas Creek" memorial park.
Most of us have heard on local TV and in the printed media of the possibility of moneys being available, through several sources, to commemorate the Revolutionary War's Battle at Thomas Creek. That battle and our own Battle at Alligator Bridge are known as the Southernmost Battlefields of the American Revolutionary War. This distinction, and the availability of funds and land, has brought together several factions to push forward with establishing a memorial park at the site of Battle of Thomas Creek, a dozen or so miles from Alligator Bridge.
There has been a lot of talk about a park for the Thomas Creek battle in the news, but having been invited to this luncheon, we have discovered that those heading the effort are very much aware of the Battle at Alligator Bridge and the significance of it paralleling that of Thomas Creek.
(Left) The National Park Service, one of the partners in establishing the park, explained land boundaries that, incidentally, are entirely within Duval County. The speaker, Craig Morris, is a long-time interpreter assigned to Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, the probable group that will maintain the park. John Hendricks can be seen directly below the left chandelier.
Representatives from the SAR and a grant assistance group (Susan Grandin) go over details of location and land ownership of the proposed park. Interestingly enough, the exact location of the two battles have not yet been determined. Artifacts have been located at one location which could in the future locate the Thomas Creek battle while the Alligator Creek bridge battle is somewhat in the air until it is determined which one of three crossings of Alligator Creek was used during the 1770s.
Many thanks to Gray Chandler, current President of the local SAR chapter, and Lindsey Brock for their warm hospitality.
The San Jose Country Club is the site of the monthly meetings of the Son of the American Revolution. Built in 1925, it is located off of San Jose Boulavard on Jacksonville's southside.
Activities / Recent Events
January 26th Membership Meeting
Speaker at the meeting was society member and railroad history enthusiest Bob Sieg who brought to us an interesting story of the rivalry between two railroads that traversed Nassau County a hundred years ago.
It was the early 1900s and the Seaboard and Atlantic Coastline were fearsley competing for the postal contract with the Federal government. A race was staged from Savannah to Jacksonville on their respective routes down through Georgia and into Florida. The Atlantic Coastline's route was 30 some miles longer yet, through a bit of trickary, were able to beat the Seaboard train into Jacksonville's terminal station.
Excellent story as it relates to the history of the railroads through Callahan for the Atlantic and Yulee for the Seaboard.
Thanks Bob. Wonderful job.
Below - Cerificates of appreciation were given to Marge Powell for her contributions to the Society and to Bob Sieg for the meeting presentation. Congratulations to you both.
Jacksonville Train Show
February 11, 2012
Every February, without fail, the train show comes to Jacksonville and all of the train history buffs and model railroaders come out of the wood work. And so, too, do members of the WNHS to display and tell our story. John Hendricks and Jerry Peterson, each year, load the truck with tables and chairs, posters, photographs, coffee cups, tee shirts and hats and a few artifacts. This year was no exception. There was a good crowd, lots of interest in our display and reacquaintances with old friends. This is a good opportunity to let the Northeast Florida community see what we have to offer.
Society members Aven and Clyde (Porky) Bacon were there with all of their regailia selling hats, cups, shirts, whistles and fun things for the kids.
The show is full of vendors selling everything imaginable from the railroad modeling world. Several layouts display the skill and patients that it takes to put together an exhibit like the one to the right. This is 'N' scale built on a 6x4 foot frame, primarily constructed of styrofoam and wieghing only 30 pounds.
