Architectural Treasures of Amelia Island

Architectural Treasures of Amelia Island

Amelia Island offers a unique opportunity to experience history. Fernandina Beach's Historic District is a living museum. Like sleeping beauties, the island's Victorian-era homes have been frozen in time. Each offers a story about the people and events that shaped the history of Florida's northernmost barrier island.

Chadwick House — Elegance Preserved on  North Sixth Street

The Chadwick House is one of the charming homes located on North Sixth Street in Fernandina Beach's Historic District. Built in 1883 by mariner Captain Stephen Chadwick, it features many of the qualities found in its neighboring Victorian-era homes, including heart-pine floors, stained-glass windows, and a wraparound porch designed to catch the prevailing breeze. Queen Anne in style, the wood-frame house sits atop brick piers. The interior is as elegant as the exterior, with original fireplaces, carved-wood banisters, and beautifully preserved heart-pine floors throughout. Sheltered by ancient oaks, the home sits on six city lots just blocks from bustling downtown Fernandina Beach and Centre Street.

Captain Chadwick was originally from Falmouth, Massachusetts, where his family was involved in the whaling industry. Three members of the Chadwick family moved to South Carolina in the 1700s, planning to make their living from the sea. After the Civil War, family members relocated to St. Marys, Georgia. Captain Stephen Chadwick settled in Fernandina and established a successful fleet of tugboats, which played a vital role during Fernandina's Golden Age, when waterways were the primary means of transportation and the port of Fernandina was thriving. Chadwick also owned a successful livery business and extensive real estate holdings, including the 3,500-acre White Oak Plantation, which was later owned by the Gilman Paper Company. His son, Louis Chadwick, followed in his father's footsteps, becoming a successful entrepreneur and one of Fernandina's leading citizens.

Neighboring homes along North Sixth Street showcase the Victorian architectural styles popular in the late 19th century.

• The Prescott House (120 N. Sixth Street) — A two-story Victorian featuring one of the most intricate hand-carved balcony balustrades in the historic district.
• The Hirth House (103 N. Sixth Street) — Built by noted local architect R.S. Schuyler, who also designed St. Peter's Episcopal Church, this home is in the Italianate style.
• The Humphreys House (117 N. Sixth Street) — A classic Queen Anne residence with a wraparound porch, asymmetrical design, rich ornamental details, patterned shingles, and a prominent bay window.

The Chadwick House is a good example of a community and homeowners who value its history and are committed to preserving its architectural heritage. A stroll along North Sixth Street transports visitors to a gentler era, when neighbors visited from their front porches, families walked beneath the shade of ancient oaks, and beautiful homes stood as proud symbols of Fernandina's prosperity.