Cannonball uncovered in Old Town - Bomb Squad called

By Susan Hardee Steger

Site of cannonball discovery. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Harrison

Residents in the vicinity of a house under construction on Garden Street in the Old Town section of Fernandina Beach were evacuated after the discovery of a cannonball. The Fernandina Observer was notified of the incident at 12:33 p.m.

According to one witness, workers on the site were preparing footers during the early stage of constructing a residential home when the cannonball was discovered. Nearby resident Jennifer Harrison was one of the evacuees. The bomb squad was called in to remove the cannonball.

On December 20, 2016,  the staff at the Amelia Island Museum of History was alerted that two live cannonballs were in its collection.  After the bomb squad from Duval County arrived, the cannonballs were detonated at the police firing range.  (For previous story click here.)