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Historic Florida East Coast Train Station
Welcome to the Atlantic Beach Turtle Crawl! If this is the first turtle you’ve found, there are 23 others scattered throughout our park system, in places of historic significance, and even in some unexpected locations. If you’re up for a scavenger hunt to find every turtle on our Turtle Crawl, you can find a map HERE.
The Common Snapping Turtle are easily recognized by their dark carapace (upper shell) with deeply serrated back margin and a small plastron (bottom shell) that does not completely cover all of the animal’s flesh. This large freshwater turtle is an ambush predator that can weigh up to 75 pounds and can live over 30 years. Usually docile in water, snapping turtles can be aggressive when traveling across land. If you find a snapping turtle in your yard, give it the respect it deserves. They have powerful, sharp jaws.
The Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) station in Atlantic Beach was a product of Henry Flagler's expansion of his railway system around 1900, built to serve the growing luxury tourism at the Continental Hotel. The railway line to Mayport, which included the Atlantic Beach station, was abandoned in 1932 due to decreased ridership with the rise of automobiles. While the station no longer exists, the FEC railway had a significant impact on the development of Atlantic Beach.
- Expansion of the line: In 1900, Henry Flagler purchased the Jacksonville and Atlantic Railway and incorporated it into his Florida East Coast Railway system. He then expanded the line to create the Mayport Branch.
- Construction of the station: A train station was erected north of the former Atlantic Beach City Hall (now the Adele Grage Cultural Center) to serve the newly constructed Continental Hotel, a luxury oceanfront resort.
- A hub for tourism: The station was strategically placed on the west side of the hotel, facilitating access for the many guests who arrived by train to enjoy the hotel's amenities, which included golf courses, a fishing pier, and tennis courts.