Walter Jones Historical & Alpine Groves Parks

This trip will be led by members of the City of Jacksonville Department of Recreation and Community Services.

This group will tour the grounds of Walter Jones Historical Park, including the museum and historic homestead structures, while being guided by actors that play a part from over 100 years ago. Attendees will then depart on a leisurely boat ride along the St. Johns River arriving at Alpine Groves Park where they will tour the grounds of this former citrus grove, including historic structures and farming equipment. A return trip by bus to Walter Jones Historical Park will include a windshield tour of historic homes in the Mandarin area and will include the historic post office (Walter Jones was the Postmaster) as well as a brief stop at Beluthahatchee, home to author Stetson Kennedy. Attendees will divide and exchange bus and boat trips to and from Walter Jones Historical Park.

The 10-acre Walter Jones Historical Park is the essence of post-Civil War Mandarin. Walter Jones, an immigrant from England, purchased this farm along the St Johns River in about 1902 from the estate of its original owner, William W. Webb. Jones became postmaster of Mandarin and located the post office in his general store, which he and his descendants operated from 1911 to 1964. The store, which has been converted into a museum, is about a mile past the park on Mandarin Road. A new 2,500 square-foot museum opened in April 2004. It offers public educational programs, serves as a visitor center and provides artifact storage and display.

Alpine Grove Park contains 54.5 acres and is located in northwest St. Johns County along the St. Johns River and William Bartram Scenic and Historic Highway (SR13). The three historic structures located on this site were built during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. These are the last remaining physical structures in this area, which provide a unique opportunity to learn about the rich local citrus history and economic development during the 1900's in northwest St. Johns County (Fruit Cove, Orangedale and Switzerland).

Note: Attendees should expect to get their feet wet while wading through several hundred feet of shallow water (ankle to knee deep) of the St Johns River (hard, sandy bottom) when approaching/leaving Alpine Groves Park. Comfortable shoes or sandals and clothes are recommended. You may wish to bring additional shoes/clothes to replace what may get wet.