Mayport Waterfront Partnership

05/29/2026

“JTA increasing fares to make up for projected budget deficit”

JTA announces increase fares for those using the St. Johns River Ferry. For the ferry, the fee for a car on weekdays would increase to $8 from $7, and on weekends to $10 from $8

05/28/2026

05/27/2026

Along the St. Johns River, four new benches crafted from salvaged dock pilings now welcome neighbors at 4542 Ocean Street. Sparked by resident Denise Banjavic and made possible by donated lumber from Jacksonville Waterfront Project Manager Brian Burket, the Timucuan Parks Foundation Young Professionals — led by Jordan Snyder and master carpenter Alex Wolf — turned weathered timber into sturdy seating in a single volunteer work session. The benches preserve the waterfront’s character and offer a simple invitation to pause, watch the shrimp boats, and enjoy Mayport’s shoreline on the St. Johns River. Join us and checkout the beaches at the Mayport Waterfront Market on the 3rd Saturday each month, 10AM–2PM, along the riverbank. Food, crafts, friendly faces.

05/25/2026

Join us today, on Memorial Day, and pause to remember and honor the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten.

05/23/2026

New sites added to Duval’s list of endangered historic structures
By Dan Scanlan, JAX-TDY
Published on May 20, 2026

Still endangered

The history center issues the list every year in observance of National Historic Preservation Month. This year’s list has 28 sites, including three churches, seven schools and five commercial structures. Some have been listed for years:

THE ST. JOHNS RIVER LIGHTHOUSE:
Built in 1858, it is the oldest surviving structure in Mayport Village. The lighthouse, decommissioned in 1929, is now on Naval Station Mayport property and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
The nonprofit Mayport Lighthouse Association is working to move the 81-foot-tall lighthouse to city-owned land in Mayport Village.

You can help by visiting the Mayport Lighthouse Association website to volunteer or donate.

https://www.mayportlighthouseassociation.org/

05/22/2026

Thanks Chris Rule

Happy National Maritime Day!

Mayport Village is so special, in part, because of its rich maritime heritage. Part of our mission is to preserve that heritage now and for generations to come.

We are thrilled to share a rare photo of the St. Johns Lightship that was provided by MLA Member and Volunteer, Chris Rule. It was taken by his father, Edwin, on a fishing trip in 1948. As the Lightship was lost in the 1990s, existing photos are all we have left to tell us what the vessel looked like when it was operated first by the U.S. Lighthouse Service (LV – 84) and later by the U.S. Coast Guard (WAL – 509).

135 feet long and weighing 683 tons, the St. Johns Lightship was crafted by the New York Shipbuilding Company in 1907. She was initially stationed off the coast of Brunswick, Georgia, before heading south in 1929 to her new home off the coast of Mayport, Florida. She served approximately 7 miles offshore for nearly 25 years, until the 1954 St. Johns Lighthouse took over the duty of guiding mariners into the St. Johns River from the Atlantic seacoast.

We’d like to extend our gratitude to Chris for sharing this photo with us so that we can share it with you! As we continue to celebrate Historic Preservation Month, we hope to gather more stories like this!

Want to learn more about the St. Johns Lightship? Last year, we did two deep-dive posts on her history 👇

Part one: www.facebook.com/share/p/1DyZ22TmCy/
Part two: www.facebook.com/share/p/18XymLy7Nc/

05/21/2026

So much history can be found in the Mayport Fishing Village. Take a drive one weekend.

On May 21, 1895 the first bell rang at the Mayport Presbyterian Church!

The Church began in 1885 when members of the First Presbyterian Church of Jacksonville began to provide services in Mayport. Services were held in the Mayport School building until land was donated by founding member, Caius Norris. The church building was built in 1892 and was known as the Addie Fatio Community Chapel and was used by all denominations for worship. The church was chartered as a Presbyterian church in 1912.

The Reverend William Dodge, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Jacksonville, donated the bell as a memorial to Adeline "Addie" Clarier Fatio, a founding member of the church.

Mayport Presbyterian Church PCUSA