Ghosts, Galleons, and Glory: Exploring Mayport's Enigmatic Past

My travels have taught me a lot about myself, how my choices have been shaped by remembrances of things past, as if an old soul trapped in my not-so-young corporeal self pines for the bygone times.

A few years ago, I had that insatiable longing that led me to Mayport, a fishing village in Jacksonville, Florida. While walking in the neighborhood, a storied mansion tickled some ghastly thoughts that led to feverish research about the place.

Established in 1562 by French Huguenots who would later be dispossessed by the Spaniards in a violent clash, Mayport had for thousands of years been a Timucuan Indian settlement long before the European arrivals. Archaeology produced evidence of more than 10,000 years covering nine cultural epochs.

What struck me about their history was how the Timucuan Indian population precipitously declined from 150,000 in 1513 to a mere 3,230 twp centuries hence. It found parallels in Micronesian history where residents of the Marianas, Kosrae, and elsewhere, dealt with ship-borne diseases for which they lacked the antibodies to ensure their survival.

While dining at Safe Harbor that served fresh, savory dishes that pescatorians crave for, my thoughts meandered to the time when Mayport fell under Spanish control  following a struggle with the French Huguenots found themselves repatriating to France.

Unlike other places that boast centuries-old edifices, Mayport have some extant structures from the late 19th century, including the lighthouse and the Presbyterian Church that has stood there since 1892. Local lore points to Helen Cooper Floyd who claimed that the church was initially christened the Addie Fatio Community Chapel, a tribute to a parishioner.

But one story that stuck with me for obvious reasons and that of the William Joseph King House that easily sent chills down my spine. Even Mr. King himself had an account of encounters with resident spirits that lingered in the house since their untimely deaths.

A great distraction from these goosebump-inducing tales are the pelicans who congregate near Safe Harbor’s parking space. There birdwatchers like myself would have a field day taking snapshots of birds in flight and at close range.

Mayport is straddling between the past and the present, keeping its old-world charm yet welcoming new experiences to enrich it.