Historic William Bartram Trail Marker Restoration

This marker stands at the waterfront in the historic district of Fernandina Beach, and was restored by the Club in January of 2021. To help defray costs, The Bartram Garden Club obtained a grant from District IV of the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs. Click here to see a copy of a newspaper article commemorating the original installation of the marker in 1981 by a previous garden club. (Credit: Amelia Island Museum of History)
Click here to read the Fernandina Observer article by Evelyn McDonald. Read the News-Leader article about the marker re-dedication ceremony in Scrapbook Section 17.

Scroll down to see more details of the re-dedication of this historic marker and to see photos of the event.

This William Bartram Trail marker was originally erected by the Rose Garden Club of Fernandina Beach in May of 1981 in cooperation with the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc., Deep South Garden Clubs, Inc. of National Garden Clubs, Inc. (NCSGC), and the City of Fernandina Beach. Between 1980 and 1986, twenty-one similar markers were placed in Florida by FFGC in conjunction with member clubs. The Fernandina Beach marker was fifth in that series, and the tenth William Bartram Trail marker placed nationwide. It stands at the foot of Centre Street across from the historic train depot. By the time The Bartram Garden Club was chartered by FFGC in 2016, the marker was faded and the paint peeling. The Executive officers voted to restore the marker in 2018, since the Rose Garden Club no longer existed.

A grant was obtained from District IV of FFGC to partially fund the restoration. Tim Fillmon of Webster, FL was contracted to remove, refurbish and reinstall the marker to its original 1981 color and condition. A re-dedication ceremony was held on January 14, 2021 led by club president, Kathleen Lunman, and founding president, Beverly Williams, with City officials and club members present. Sam Carr and Mike Adams, president and vice-resident respectfully of The Bartram Trail Society of Florida, participated in the dedication. Mike was dressed in Colonial attire and spoke to the group as the voice of William Bartram himself, offering Bartram’s prayer blessing. Sam Carr is also the president of the Bartram Trail Conference.

The restored marker was re-dedicated to the memory of the Rose Garden Club whose vision forty years ago left a lasting memorial to William Bartram who explored Amelia Island in 1774. The text of the dedication follows:

2021 marks the 40th anniversary of the placement of this marker by the Rose Garden Club, which was then a member of the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs, as is today’s Bartram Garden Club. Sadly, none of the Rose Garden Club members are with us today, but we know they are here in spirit as represented by this permanent marker they commissioned in 1981. It is our desire to re-dedicate the beautifully refurbished marker at the same site, and in the same condition as they gifted it to the citizens of our community and the state of Florida in 1981. We are forever grateful for their vision, forethought, and love of our natural world, which is represented by their desire to create a lasting memorial to America’s first Naturalist, William Bartram, whose footprints on Amelia Island in 1774 began one of America’s most exciting adventures!

Beverly Williams
January 14, 2021
Fernandina Beach, FL

To learn more about the travels of William Bartram through Florida and other Southern states, visit the Bartram Trail Conference and the Bartram Trail Society of Florida.

To view a video of the presentation done by Williams Bartram (aka Mike Adams) and Sam Carr at the Bartram Garden Club’s meeting on January 14, 2021, click here.