North Beach in Jacksonville in Duval County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Historic Manhattan Beach, Florida
Photographed By Tim Fillmon, May 25, 2021
1. Historic Manhattan Beach, Florida Marker
Manhattan Beach was Florida’s first African American beach resort. In 1900, Henry Flagler reserved Manhattan Beach for black employees of his Florida East Coast Railway and Florida East Coast Hotel companies. African Americans, who comprised a large portion of Flagler’s workforce, built and maintained Flagler’s racially segregated rail and hotel empire. Manhattan Beach provided their only seaside respite in northeast Florida. African American entrepreneurs, including Mack Wilson and William Middleton, helped transform Manhattan Beach into a vibrant community that attracted black beachgoers from all over the South. Their pavilions offered guests entertainment, bathing suit rentals, dining, and lodging. Manhattan Beach was a hub of African American culture and leisure until its decline during the 1930s. In 1932, the Florida East Coast Railway ceased operations from Jacksonville to its northern terminus in Mayport, making it harder for vacationers to reach Manhattan Beach. The resort survived until 1938, when pressure from white land developers and coastal erosion hastened its end. The displaced African American community found refuge at American Beach in nearby Nassau County, founded in 1935 by Abraham Lincoln Lewis.
Erected 2019 by The Beaches Area Historical Society, Inc., City of Jacksonville,
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights • Parks & Recreational Areas • Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1900.
Location. 30° 21.998′ N, 81° 23.908′ W. Marker is in Jacksonville, Florida, in Duval County. It is in North Beach. Marker can be reached from Seminole Road, 0.1 miles east of Campground Road. Marker is located off Seminole Road in Beach Access #8 parking lot. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Atlantic Beach FL 32233, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. The Continental Hotel Site (approx. 2.2 miles away); Combat Team Camp Atlantic Beach (approx. 2.3 miles away); Historic Old Mayport Cemetery (approx. 2˝ miles away); French Huguenots in North America (approx. 2.7 miles away); U.S. Merchant Marine (approx. 2.7 miles away); Pilot Town/Napoleon Bonaparte Broward (approx. 3.2 miles away); Jean Ribaut (approx. 3.2 miles away); The Huguenot Memorial Site (approx. 3.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Jacksonville.
Photographed By Tim Fillmon, May 25, 2021
2. Historic Manhattan Beach, Florida Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on February 3, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 26, 2021, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. This page has been viewed 1,020 times since then and 218 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 26, 2021, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida.
