Last updated: February 2, 2021
Place
Ribault Club
Florida Park Service
Quick Facts
Location:
11241 Fort George Road | Fort George Island, Florida 32226
Significance:
1920s Era Club
Designation:
Partnership Site
Amenities
24 listed
Accessible Rooms, Beach/Water Access, Benches/Seating, Canoe/Kayak/Small Boat Launch, Cellular Signal, Fire Extinguisher, Grill, Information, Information - Maps Available, Information - Ranger/Staff Member Present, Information Kiosk/Bulletin Board, Parking - Auto, Parking - Bus/RV, Picnic Shelter/Pavilion, Picnic Table, Restroom, Restroom - Accessible, Scenic View/Photo Spot, Tactile Exhibit, Toilet - Flush, Trailhead, Trash/Litter Receptacles, Water - Drinking/Potable, Wheelchair Accessible
Ribault Club was built in 1928 and is a monument to the resort era on Fort George Island. It has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places and is listed as an Historic Landmark by the City of Jacksonville. The Fort George Island Visitor Center is run by the Florida Park Service and the National Park Service through the Timucuan Trail State and National Parks partnership.
Ribault Club is free and open to the public, Wednesday through Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The Ribault Club opened in 1928 as a wintertime recreational resort. As a part of the resort era on Fort George Island, the Ribault Club offered its members opportunities for golfing, tennis, hunting, fishing, and yachting, among other diversions. During the club's height of success, it was renowned as a "large house party."
Membership began to decrease during the depression, forcing the club to sell its property. Several attempts to develop the island into a residential and resort community failed due in part to the dedication of local citizens to preserve our natural and cultural heritage.
The Ribault Club became a part of Fort George Island Cultural State Park in 1989. It has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places and is listed as a Historic Landmark by the City of Jacksonville.
A unique partnership formed between the City of Jacksonville, the Florida Park Service, and the National Park Service funded the full renovation of the Ribault Club.
The exhibits at the Ribault Club cover the natural and cultural history of the island, from the time before humans inhabited this area to the present in an interactive format.