Amelia Island

The British settlements in the North soon took a keen interest in the area because of the naturally deep ports and the strategic trade route location. The island was named Amelia by Georgia’s governor James Oglethorpe in 1735 in honor of Princess Amelia, daughter of King George II. Though the Island was named Amelia by the British, it did not fall into British hands until Spanish Florida was traded for British Cuba in 1763 as a result of the Treaty of Paris. During the time of British rule which lasted until 1783, the island was known as Egmont.

In 1783, the Second Treaty of Paris ends the Revolutionary War and returns Florida to Spain. British inhabitants of Florida had to leave the province within 18 months unless they swore allegiance to Spain. In 1811, surveyor George J. F. Clarke plats the town of Fernandina, named in honor of King Ferdinand VII of Spain.

To drive out the Spanish, the “Patriots of Amelia Island,” an independent group of American civilians backed by the United States government, seized control of the island and raised their flag on March 17, 1812. The next day, they “ceded” Amelia Island to the United States. However, Spain’s strong protest forced the U.S. to relinquish its new possession, especially in light of the impending War of 1812 with England.

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