South Ponte Vedra Beach

Shaped by a mix of cultures ranging from early Spanish settlers in the 1500s to invading golfers in the 1980s, Ponte Vedra Beach has a rich and unique history. Ponte Vedra was home to pre-Columbian natives, Timucuan Indian warriors, the Spanish who settled historic Diego, Scottish outlaws, Palm Valley moonshiners and the employees of the National Lead Company who created a nine-hole company golf course that would later become the world-famous Ponte Vedra Inn and Club. Further developed by visionary real estate investors, what was once a sleepy, twenty-eight-mile stretch of beach is now known as Money Magazine's "Best Place to Live in Florida"? and is named among the top fifty places to live in the United States.

Ponte Vedra is well known for its beaches and world renowned for its PGA dream course, Sawgrass, but what did it look like before tourists flocked to the shores? How did Native Americans interact with the area before Spain's Ponce de Leon made his first landfall? How did Spanish rule shape the city? Join author Maurice Robinson on his journey through the hidden pages of Ponte Vedra history. Learn of America's first African fort, the community's first newspapers and the history of the city's unique Vicar's Landing. From pre-colonial beginnings to the development of Nocatee, these stories will show a side of Ponte Vedra rarely seen before.

This story is about a little boy who owes all of his blessings to God. He comes from a religious family. He doesn’t quite have a full understanding of God yet, but he does know that He exists. He is very thankful for the blessings he has received.

Shaped by a mix of cultures ranging from early Spanish settlers in the 1500s to invading golfers in the 1980s, Ponte Vedra Beach has a rich and unique history. Ponte Vedra was home to pre-Columbian natives, Timucuan Indian warriors, the Spanish who settled historic Diego, Scottish outlaws, Palm Valley moonshiners and the employees of the National Lead Company who created a nine-hole company golf course that would later become the world-famous Ponte Vedra Inn and Club. Further developed by visionary real estate investors, what was once a sleepy, twenty-eight-mile stretch of beach is now known as Money Magazine's "Best Place to Live in Florida" and is named among the top fifty places to live in the United States.

A call to live with the coast, as opposed to living at the coast; unless Florida coastal communities conserve beaches and mitigate storm impacts, the future of the beach-based economy is in question.

Many historians believe that Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon was describing the landscape of Ponte Vedra Beach when he first stepped ashore the land that he named La Florida, or "place of flowers." After exploring the area north of present-day St. Augustine, he proclaimed it a place of lush landscapes and beautiful beaches. Since that day in April 1513, people from all walks of life have delighted in the natural beauty of the area. They were drawn to the charming land for many reasons, but miners who came to dig minerals out of the beach sand were the first to visually capture its history. They brought cameras with them when they arrived in the early 20th century and left behind a rich trove of photographs. Those who followed recorded their own history in photographs, and the charm and character of the land is evident in the images that fill this book.