Palm Coast in Flagler County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Washington Oaks Gardens
Photographed By Tim Fillmon, February 28, 2017
1. Washington Oaks Gardens Marker
Inscription.
Washington Oaks Gardens. . Part of a Spanish Land grant to Bautista Don Juan Ferreira in 1815. Developed as a plantation by General Joseph Hernandez, an early Florida planter. George Washington, related to our first president, married Hernandez' daughter, Louisa, in 1844. They were given this land by Hernandez and remained here until 1856, developing the plantation and starting an orange grove. Louisa died in 1859 and George left, but returned in 1886, to live here the rest of his life. Purchased in 1936 by Mr. and Mrs. Owen D. Young, the gardens, groves and plantings were expanded. In 1964, after Mr. Young's death, Mrs. Young gave the property to the State.
Part of a Spanish Land grant to Bautista Don Juan Ferreira in 1815. Developed as a plantation by General Joseph Hernandez, an early Florida planter. George Washington, related to our first president, married Hernandez' daughter, Louisa, in 1844. They were given this land by Hernandez and remained here until 1856, developing the plantation and starting an orange grove. Louisa died in 1859 and George left, but returned in 1886, to live here the rest of his life. Purchased in 1936 by Mr. & Mrs. Owen D. Young, the gardens, groves and plantings were expanded. In 1964, after Mr. Young's death, Mrs. Young gave the property to the State.
Erected 1965 by Florida Board of Parks and Historic Memorials. (Marker Number F-124.)
Location. 29° 37.823′ N, 81° 12.556′ W. Marker is in Palm Coast, Florida, in Flagler County. Marker can be reached from Old State Road A1A, half a mile west of North Oceanshore Boulevard (State Road A1A), on the right when traveling south. Marker is located in Washington Oaks Gardens State Park in front of the visitor center. Old FL A1A runs through the park but merely
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acts as a park road. Park in main parking area and walk west toward Intercoastal Waterway. Visitor center and marker is nearby. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6400 North Oceanshore Blvd, Palm Coast FL 32137, United States of America. Touch for directions.
2. Washington Oaks Gardens Marker with Intercoastal Waterway in background.
Photographed By Tim Fillmon, February 28, 2017
3. Washington Oaks Gardens Marker and visitor center.
Photographed By Brandon D Cross, December 26, 2016
4. Washington Oaks Gardens Marker
Entry into Washington Oaks Gardens Park
Photographed By Brandon D Cross, December 26, 2016
5. Washington Oaks Historic District map
Photographed By Brandon D Cross, December 26, 2016
6. The Washington Place
One of the region's early landowners was Joseph Hernandez who was born in St. Augustine in 1788. In the early 1800s, he acquired several hundred acres here which became known as Mala Compra Plantation and Bella Vista. In 1845, his daughter Luisa married George Lawrence Washington, a distant relative of the first President of the United States. George practiced law and resided with Luisa and their family in St. Augustine. In the 1870s, George acquired some of the land from the Hernandez estate and constructed a hunting and fishing lodge, dug two artesian wells, planted citrus groves and built a dock on the river. The citrus crop was transported to St. Augustine by sailboat for distribution. George Washington's lodge overlooked the Matanzas River at this very site.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 15, 2020. It was originally submitted on February 28, 2017, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. This page has been viewed 471 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on February 28, 2017, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. 4, 5, 6. submitted on April 3, 2017, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.