Top 10 Attractions and Hot Jobs on Amelia Island, The Isle of Eight Flags

The woodlands of Cumberland Island National Seashore on the Atlantic Coast of Georgia continue across a span of Atlantic water and into the northern part of Ferdinanda Beach. This woodlands and beach make up the first semblance of civilization on the Florida eastern coast. As the northern portion becomes forested, it is contained in Fort Clinch State Park near Amelia Island and Amelia City, both of which are communities nearby to the south. All these sits run along the Amelia River as well.

An entrance road to the park begins at Ocean Beach Blvd, proceeds north into the park, and travels to the oceanfront at the far end of the peninsula. North 14th Street also enters the park, nearer to the fort itself, originating near Fernandina Plaza Historic State Park. The state park has been named the Number 82nd Greatest Place to Stand in America by readers of StoodThere.com

Fort Clinch was built in the 19th Century circa 1847, before the American Civil War, but was also used during the Spanish American War. The fort was named for an American general in the two Seminole wars fought in Florida by the Native Americans against the USA. However, the fort saw only minor action, being captured by the Confederacy in 1861 and recaptured by the Union in 1862. The Seminole Nation never attacked it, to my knowledge. This area of Florida existed under eight different political flags ofter the local Native Americans moved to the background or out of the area around Fernandina Beach during the 18th-19th Centuries. This makes a total of eight occupations of the land, from 1562 (French) through 1862 (USA), exactly 300 years.

Today, the fort and park stand an approximately 260 acres of forest, sand beaches, grasses, and tidal marshes.

On many Saturdays and Sundays during tourist seasons, Fort Clinch re-enactors stage live dramas of the Civil War. Visitors can see any of a range of activities that can include black gunpowder artillery demos, marching drills, and Union soldiers and civilians working in the laundry, the infirmary, and the fort's kitchen. No two visits will be exactly alike! Especially fun to see is the Candlelight Drama on Saturday evenings during the First Weekend of every month except December. On some weekends, it is the Confederacy that you will see in uniform. The Spanish American War is visited on still other weekends at the fort.

December brings about the Holiday Union Soldiers Encampment, a lot of fun for families at the holiday season.

The state park offers many other activities besides those within the fort. These include camping, hiking, swimming, picnicking, fishing, biking, ranger programs, candlelight tours, and others.

Old Town Fernandina is a small group of historic and new homes clustered at the waterfront to the west of Amelia Island. The state park at Fernandina Plaza actually contains at least 20 B&Bs for visitors to stay.

Timucuan Native Americans settled here long before the Spanish explored. An archaeological dig into their history uncovered many oyster shell mounds with artifacts underneath the top foot of decaying shells. Plenty of live oyster beds still operate at the waterfront here. Fishing, oystering, and paper milling were big industries for the white settlers as they stayed in the area. Oyster mounds (middens) can be found elsewhere in Flordia, along the migration rotues of the Indigenous Natives for several thousand years into the past.

Fort San Carlos was built by the Spanish in or near the Fernandina Plaza in 1815, but was taken over by the US and then abandoned in the early 1820s. The Beach at Fernandina is called the Beach of Restless Ghosts and several ghost tours of the area are available from local travel and tourism companies.

Fort Clinch is listed on Amelia Island, but the island has its own-named state park as well, one of 200 acres of land. Horses and turtles are the big attractions here. State-sponsored horse stables allow for horseback riding on the beaches here and visitors gather with rangers to watch the sea turtles hatch and crawl to the Atlantic Ocean to begin their lives. Other wildlife and native plants are observable as well, including endangered species. Looking at the map above, you can see additional nature preserves and wildlife protection areas.

Amelia Island is the last island in a chain of sea islands on the Atlantic Coast of America, extending from South Carlina to the northernmost part of Florida. The nearest large city is Jacksonville FL.

PIRATES ON THE ISLAND!

Pirates appear on Amelia Island during the first full weekend of May and the Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival, because they like food and fun. They also like to see who will be voted Miss Shrimp! The festival is held in the Old Fernandina District.

• Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival

  Every May and June the Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival presents an unforgettable musical experience under the direction of Christopher Rex

• Amelia Island Jazz Festival
• Cumberland National Sea Shore
• Fernandina Marina
• Nassau Wildlife Management Area
• Recreation Guide to District Lands: Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve State Park
• Yulee Railroad Days - Yulee Railroad Days, just west of the center of Amelia Island.

If you consider a move to Amelia Island or the surrounding locations, download a very useful and easy to use Relocation Guide.

You may be surprised that 15,000 jobs are listed as open in and around Amelia Island in August 2011. Further, many of these jobs are included in the industry sectors of Commercial and Investment Banking, Food Services and Catering, and Surety Insurance. The numbers of jobs listed on Amelia Island jumped by a huge percentage from 2010 - 2011.

• Occupational Therapists
• .net Developers
• Assistant Store Managers
• Restaurant Managers
• Customer Service Representatives and Cashiers
• Financial Analysts
• Salespeople

1. Project Managers - IT
2. Java Developers
3. Mortgage Underwriters
4. Business Analysts
5. Store Managers
6. Occupational Therapists
7. Physical Therapists
8. Underwriters - Insurance
9. Senior Software Engineers
10. Sales Representatives

1. JPMorgan Chase - Banking and Investment
2. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida - Insurance
3. Aerotek
4. Citigroup - Financial Products
5. Brookdale Senior Living - Retirement or assisted living and active seniors accomodated.
6. Mayo Clinic
7. Bank of America
8. CSX
9. Incepture
10. BAE Systems - IT, electronics
11. US Air Force
12. Medtronic
13. Technisource