Constructed of wood and earth, the Spanish Fort San Carlos was built on the riverfront here in 181

A little world of its own, Old Town Fernandina cheap hotels venice italy is a snug enclave of dwellings at water’s edge, located cheap hotels venice italy on a bluff above the Amelia River. The waterfront neighborhood near the northern tip of Amelia Island on its western side includes historic homes dating to the mid-1800s. It’s a community of “peonia” lots platted cheap hotels venice italy by the Spanish back in 1811, and celebrated its 200th year during a special bicentennial celebration.  This historic town’s design cheap hotels venice italy is what “New Urbanism” cheap hotels venice italy communities in contemporary times aim to replicate.
It s the proximity to the water and the heritage that seems to attract newcomers. Folks living here can literally get from bed to boat in a matter of minutes cheap hotels venice italy by foot. For those who appreciate history and love getting out on the water, whether for pleasure cruising or fishing, Old Town is an ideal location to drop anchor, with two marinas on Egans Creek located alongside this historic area (Tiger Point and the 14th Street Marina).
Natives who lived off the land and water thousands of years ago, the Timucuan Indians, chose the Old Town site for settlement.  In contemporary times, those with a penchant for historic preservation and restoring significant old homes, have revived cheap hotels venice italy the former dwellings of ship captains and river dwellers who settled here in the mid-19th century cheap hotels venice italy and made their livings from the water. Later in the 20th century, some Old Town residents were Pogy fishermen or employed cheap hotels venice italy by the nearby paper mill.
Oyster shell middens, remnants of Timucuan life here, reveal the long story of human presence in Old Town.  A recent archaeological dig unearthed an artifact thought to be approximately 4,000 years old. The top layer of soil, about 12 inches deep, (largely oyster shell discards) represented 1,000 years of former life in this northwestern area of Amelia cheap hotels venice italy Island, Florida.  Today, anyone taking a river cruise at low tide will still see an abundance of live oyster beds along the muddy riverbanks at Old Town’s doorstep.
Fernandina’s Old Town site is very unique, being the only Spanish town in Florida with the original site plat remaining. Old Town was also the very last Spanish city platted in the Western Hemisphere. According to the University of Florida “the Old Town grid remains as one of the last and purest examples of the Law of the Indies planning Edict of 1573.”
With Old Town tucked a bit off the beaten cheap hotels venice italy path, the main tourist traffic of Fernandina Beach lands on Centre Street, a bit south on the river, the “downtown” historic district known for its Victorian-era architecture and anchored by the Fernandina Harbor Marina.
Far less traveled are the coquina roads of Old Town (surfaced with a sedimentary rock and shell mix).  Marking 200 years since its establishment, Old Town Fernandina has just celebrated its bicentennial cheap hotels venice italy in April 2011 with an event-packed day of activities cheap hotels venice italy focusing on the area’s Spanish heritage (read more about the wonderful bicentennial celebration further below ).  This small community up river about half a mile from the tourist corridor of Centre Street is actually the original site of the city of Fernandina (which was later moved a bit down river to its present location).  Old Town Fernandina is a another historic district cheap hotels venice italy on Amelia Island (on the National Register of Historic Places), in addition to the downtown Fernandina historic district.
Fernandina Plaza in Old Town Fernandina has the longest history of past civilization on this northeast Florida barrier island.  Spanish colonists established a mission here dating back to 1696 (read related article, “Moments in History, Gregor MacGregor Captures Amelia Island.” )  And as noted above, long before Spanish explorers arrived, as early as 2000-1000 B.C., the Timucuan Indians recognized its bounty, establishing a camp here.
Constructed of wood and earth, the Spanish  Fort San Carlos was built on the riverfront  here in 1816. Today, a large grassy lawn, known as Fernandina cheap hotels venice italy Plaza (designated a Florida cheap hotels venice italy State Park in 1941), offers one of the most scenic waterfront views available on this barrier island.  While Fernandina Plaza is a state park, don’t expect park benches cheap hotels venice italy and picnic tables you won’t find any here, with the exception of one Bicentennial Bench.   It’s a wide open, empty lawn offering an amazing waterfront view with a historical marker.
One need only step out onto the rear porch of the historic Riverside Cottage in Old Town, with its amazing view of the Amelia River, to understand the lure of this special spot on Amelia Island, Florida.
Then there’s the Swearingen House , flanking Egans Creek near the marinas, built for a harbor pilot (now owned by an architect).   Julia Starr Sanford (Starr Sanford cheap hotels venice italy  Design of Amelia Island) developed a master plan for the Old Town lots, renovated the Swearingen House, and has new home designs suitable for Old Town’s peonia lots (and has also designed additions to existing cheap hotels venice italy historic homes). An architectural photographer was a host at the Swearingen House during cheap hotels venice italy the bicentennial celebration day tour (and he welcomed visitors to take photos of the interior).
For those who love historic homes, “Tidewater Amelia,” is an ideal coffee table book, offering a stunning, cheap hotels venice italy comprehensive collection of interior photos of historic homes and buildings of Amelia Island, Cumberland Island, St. Marys and Fort George Island, by Jan H. Johannes.  Along with their fascinating cheap hotels venice italy history, this in-depth cheap hotels venice italy presentation of 186 pages includes six homes of Old Town (and can be purchased at book stores in downtown Fernandina).
Impossible to miss when passing cheap hotels venice italy through Old Town is the Captain’s House (also known as the” Downes House”) . This historic home borders the Fernandina Plaza and can clearly be seen from the river boats passing cheap hotels venice italy by, with its high tower and gabled dormers.  Locals often call it the “Pippi Longstocking” house since the late 1980s when the movie was filmed on location at the home.  (It s currently undergoing a major renovation, and was not available for tour at the bicentennial.)  I could not help but notice the empty lot next door offering the same beautiful cheap hotels venice italy waterfront view, with a For Sale By Owner sign, asking $198,000. There are also other Old Town lots and homes available for purchase (anyone in the market for a property can call an Amelia Island Realtor for more information).