Walter Jones Historical Park

Our plans for the day were cancelled, so we decided to check out a local park instead. I'm so glad we did. The Walter Jones Historic Park is a little bit of Southern charm situated on the St, John's River. The paths were nicely shaded and the park was very clean. 

My husband and I love to visit historic sites and I imagine we will visit this one often. There is a restored farmhouse, barn, outbuildings, and sawmill. Growing up in rural Alabama, I had a lot of this in my hometown and it was great to have something so reminiscent of home here in Jacksonville. 

There are beautiful trees filled with Spanish moss and a boardwalk that leads out to the river. There is considerable growth between the observation decks and the river, but it is enjoyable all the same. I could have spent a lot of time there, had there not been a storm rolling in. 

As for the history of the park:

"Major William Webb purchased 31.2 acres on the St. Johns River 

in Mandarin in 1873. He built a home, barn and 1,000-foot dock 

extending into the St. Johns River. Walter Jones, proprietor of the 

Mandarin Store and Post Office, moved his family to the homestead 

in the early 1900s and his family members occupied the property 

until 1992. The City of Jacksonville acquired 10 acres of Major 

Webb’s original homestead from the descendants of Walter Jones 

in 1994 for the purpose of creating the city’s first historical park."

 City of Jacksonville

I loved this park and I can't wait to visit again!