Amelia Island's Historic American Beach

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Florida is such a big state that there are literally hundreds of beaches and scenic getaways that line its sunny coast. But my favorite isn't a famous beach that attracts loads of tourists. Located on northeast Florida's Amelia Island, American Beach is a dreamy stretch of 200 acres that was established as a beach resort for African Americans in 1933, during the Jim Crow era when most beaches were segregated. 

American Beach remains an undeveloped historical gem, brimming with cultural history. It's tranquil and filled with striking scenery. The very first thing that caught my eye on the beach was a bottle tree glistening between two palms.

Bottle trees are a hallmark of Southern gardens but the tradition reaches back further, centuries ago in the Central African nation of the Congo. Bottles were slipped onto tree branches to catch spirits trying to enter a house. The bottle trees on American Beach show the customary sea green and "haint blue" bottles that whistle like captured ghosts when the wind blows.

The other thing that immediately grabbed my attention was a swirling 60 feet sand dune called Nana,a West African term for great mother. Nana is the tallest sand dune in the state of Florida and is protected as the state's last undeveloped dune system. In 2002, American Beach gained a listing on the National Register of Historic Places and the Nana sand dune system became part of the National Park Service.

Unlike most resort towns, American Beach displays a charming, non-commercialized vibe. The pearly-sand beach is pristine and quiet and the streets are unpaved and lined with palm trees, flowers and wild garlic. Historical houses that in American Beach's heyday hosted luminaries like Zora Neale Huston, Joe Louis, Ossie Davis and Mary McLeod Bethune are another hallmark. The notable houses are constructed of coquina, a substance made from the crushed shells on the beach mixed with concrete.

Last fall, the American Beach Museum opened to preserve the community's important history. It's a great way to learn about the beach community's founding in 1935 and the families that helped sustain it. The opening exhibit. “Sands of Time; An American Beach Story,” displays photos, videos and artifacts that reflect the beach's legacy.
 Besides a rich history, American beach offers relaxed beach activities like swimming, shelling, horseback-riding and lots of eating in the sun. It's one of Florida's best-kept secrets and a serene getaway with a proud past.