Sunrise on Wooden Pier, Amelia Island, Florida – Getty Images
Fernandina Beach, Fla. – Feb. 13, 2025, Located along the picturesque shores of Northeast Florida in Nassau County lies a half mile-long enclave of homes and historic structures known as American Beach. Listed on the national register of historic places, American Beach was a sanctuary for African American families during a time when they were denied access to public amenities including beaches. Celebrating its 90th Anniversary this month, American Beach remains a symbol of cultural heritage and resilience. It also represents the only residential beach community in Nassau County where beach driving is still allowed by law and residents are demanding that change.
Mark Dawkins is an American Beach resident and one of the founding board members of Save Historic American Beach Inc., a nonprofit group aimed at preserving the natural beauty, resiliency and fragile ecology of American Beach. According to Dawkins, American Beach residents have implored Nassau County commissioners to prohibit driving on American Beach for many years, with no success. “We see the damage vehicles cause to the dunes that protect our historic community. Those same dunes provide habitat for threatened and endangered sea turtles,” said Dawkins.
Mark and Janyce Dawkins courtesy of the Florida Star
Northeast Florida is an important nesting area for the Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and Green (Chelonia mydas) sea turtles, both declared a “threatened” species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Save Historic American Beach Inc. mailed a Notice of Intent to the Board of County Commissioners, on February 6, 2025, stating that Nassau County is in violation of Section 9 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), for the “take,” or potential harm, of ESA-protected sea turtles on American Beach.
In support of their claim, the group engaged Dr. Steve A. Johnson, a tenured faculty member with the University of Florida Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Department. According to Dr. Johnson, in addition to the obvious danger of hatchlings being run over, beach driving poses multiple threats to nesting sea turtles:
- Hatchlings can become disoriented while navigating ruts in the sand caused by tires.
- Hatchlings’ path to the sea may be impeded or delayed by tire tracks and ruts, increasing their exposure to predators and dehydration, and forcing them to expend limited energy reserves.
- Sand compaction from vehicle traffic can decrease nesting success of female sea turtles and decrease survivorship of incubating embryos.
Exacerbating the problem, says Dawkins, is that following Tropical Storm Nicole in November of 2022, Nassau County moved the boundary for vehicles even closer to the dunes. “Vehicles now drive and park directly where sea turtles once hatched.”
According to the Notice of Intent, Nassau County has 60 days to take appropriate actions to stop violations of the ESA. Otherwise, Save Historic American Beach Inc. will be forced to file suit in federal court under the ESA’s citizen-suit provision. “Our hope is that the Commissioners will understand the seriousness of this issue and take the necessary steps to protect our vulnerable beach ecology,” said Dawkins.
About Save Historic American Beach
Save Historic American Beach, Inc. is a registered nonprofit organization comprised of American Beach residents, property owners and other stakeholders who are committed to protecting the area’s endangered wildlife and preserving the natural beauty and fragile ecology of historic American Beach in Nassau County, Fla. Learn more at www.SaveHistoricAmericanBeach.org.
About Historic American Beach
In the 1900s, African Americans sought to escape the stress of segregation by retreating to “Black Beach” communities such as Manhattan Beach and Butler Beach. A.L. Lewis, President of the Afro-American Life Insurance Company (the Afro) and a self-made millionaire, wanted to create an oceanfront resort in North Florida where African Americans could enjoy “recreation and relaxation without humiliation” during the Jim Crow era.
On January 31, 1935, A.L. Lewis and the Afro’s Pension Bureau co-founded and opened 33 acres of land north of Franklintown on North Florida’s Amelia Island. Two subsequent purchases brought the size of the new community to 216 acres. A. L. Lewis called the resort community “American Beach.”
Over the next three decades, the American Beach resort became a sought-after destination for celebrities, local residents, and visitors alike. African Americans traveled to American Beach from across the southeast to enjoy this “Negro Ocean Playground.”
In 1964, the landscape changed dramatically when Hurricane Dora devastated American Beach, leaving homes and businesses in ruins. While some homes and businesses were rebuilt, American Beach lost some of its land and establishments to decay. In 2002, American Beach was listed as a historic site on the National Register of Historic Places. In recent years, existing and new residents of increasing diversity have sparked renewal and redevelopment of the historic American Beach community.
Sixty-Day Notice of Violations of the Endangered Species Act for the Take of Turtles
