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Saturiwa Trail Tour Stop 2
Transcript
MARKER #2 – MOUNT CORNELIA
If you look carefully up through the bush behind the marker sign to your right, you will notice that the ground rises to approximately 65 feet above sea level. This rise is Mount Cornelia, reputed to be the highest point along the US Atlantic coastline south of North Carolina. This abrupt slope marks the southern end of an ancient dune field paralleling the island’s northeast shoreline.
The significance of the Mount Cornelia has varied over time. British General James Oglethorpe, founder of the Georgia Colony, reported building a fort on the island in 1736. While Mt. Cornelia’s elevation may have been beneficial for the English colonists, the exact location of the fort has never been identified. General Oglethorpe named Mount Cornelia after a niece of King George II.
During the late 1800s, Mt. Cornelia was a recreational focus for visitors to the Fort George Hotel mentioned earlier. Tourists viewed the mouth of the St. Johns River from a large observation platform atop the dune. Then from 1928 to 1991, Mt. Cornelia was the 9th hole in the Scottish style golf course. We will see more of the impact of golf on the island when we are at the next marker.
Description
Mount Cornelia
Credit
Florida Park Service/NPS
Date Created
12/21/2021
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