Fort George Island near Jacksonville in Duval County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Plantation House
History of a House
John McQueen, Jr., 1798
Planter John McQueen built the original portion of the house with the use of enslaved craftsmen and laborers. It was designed to catch the ocean breezes for the comfort of the owner’s family.
The original floor plan for the plantation house, which dates to 1798, required accessing different rooms from outdoor porches or stairs. Features added during the 1870s and 1880s allowed for easy movement through the house without going outdoors.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Architecture • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1798.
Location. 30° 26.43′ N, 81° 26.294′ W. Marker is near Jacksonville, Florida, in Duval County. It is on Fort George Island. Marker can be reached from Palmetto Avenue, 2.1 miles north of Fort George Road when traveling north. Marker is located at the Kingsley Plantation Historical Site, within the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve. Marker is in an interpretive kiosk at the north edge of the plantation site, overlooking the subject plantation house. Access to Kingsley Plantation is north from Florida State Route A1A (Heckscher Drive), onto Fort George Road, and then about 1/2 mile north to the intersection of Fort George Road and Palmetto Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 11676 Palmetto Avenue, Jacksonville FL 32226, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Choices (here, next to this marker); Waterways (here, next to this marker); Fort George Island (here, next to this marker); A Very Comfortable Habitation (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Slave Trade / La Traite d'Esclaves (about 400 feet away); Looking Back (about 400 feet away); a different marker also named Looking Back (about 400 feet away); a different marker also named Slave Trade / La Traite d'Esclaves (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Jacksonville.
Regarding Plantation House. Kingsley Plantation is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, #70000182.
Also see . . . Kingsley Plantation House (Wikipedia). In 1793, American Revolution veteran John "Lightning" McQueen (1751–1807) was lured to Fort George Island from South Carolina by the Spanish government, which rewarded McQueen with the island. McQueen settled with 300 slaves and constructed a large house in a unique architectural style exhibiting four corner pavilions surrounding a great room. (Submitted on February 14, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 3, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 14, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 170 times since then and 11 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on February 14, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.