Amelia Island Lighthouse Fernandina Beach Florida Framed Print

In 1802, a resolution of the Georgia General Assembly ceded jurisdiction of six acres on the southern tip of Cumberland Island to the U.S. Government for lighthouse purposes. At that time, this parcel was the southernmost site on the U.S. Atlantic coast, as Florida was back under Spanish rule, after the British left. It took eighteen years before Winslow Lewis built a lighthouse on Cumberland Island in 1820. In the interim, Congress had outlawed the importation of slaves in 1808. Given the proximity of Amelia Island to the Southern States, it soon became a major black market dealing in slaves and was home to scores of smugglers, drunkards, and prostitutes. The United States eventually stepped in and took control of the island in 1819, and in 1821 Spain officially ceded Florida to the United States.

Perhaps if the U.S. had gained control of Florida before construction of Cumberland Lighthouse, the tower might have been placed on Amelia Island. Instead, the lighthouse stood acro...

Coastal & Travel Photography | Prints & Wall Art ~ I believe travel broadens the mind and feeds the soul. I love to photograph the grand scenics of the beaches and marshes at sunrise and sunset and the historic, cultural, and architectural details of the towns and cities along the seacoast. Living in the small town beach community of Amelia Island on the East Coast of Florida, I'm inspired by the sound of the waves crashing, smelling the salty sea air and the pure joy of being able to dig my toes in the sand while searching for sharks teeth along the water's edge. Through my photography, I strive to capture that same sense of wonder we feel when exploring the big, wide world beyond our windows along with bringing a feeling of...