Visit one of the oldest plantation houses in Florida and explore the extensive grounds to learn about its chilling history relating to the slave trade.
Kingsley Plantation, a museum on one of the oldest plantations in Florida, shows the conditions in which slaves worked and lived. The complex covers 60 acres (24 hectares) and is home to a majestic 18th-century building that once belonged to the plantation’s owners. Take a tour of the grounds, slave quarters and plantation house; all are open to the public.
Explore the house that is over 200 years old. Imagine the history and politics in the home of slave traders. The entire exterior of the building is painted white with green shutters over the windows. See the large rooms and the porches on either side of the structure. The site offers a scenic view of palm trees, the river and the forest in the distance.
Learn through audio guides and informative plaques about the reality of the conditions in which the slaves of the plantation lived, a stark contrast to the lives of the owners in the large white house. Find information about the cotton, citrus, sugar cane and corn grown here.
The museum is part of the National Park Service’s Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve. The plantation takes its name from Zephaniah Kingsley, a former slave trader who owned the site for 25 years. Although the plantation’s farmed area once occupied 1,000 acres (400 hectares) of land, most of the surrounding area is now taken up by forest. The plantation is open to the public daily from morning until late in the afternoon. Admission is free.
Find the Kingsley Plantation on the northern tip of Fort George Island, 25 miles (40 kilometers) northeast of the center of Jacksonville. Enjoy the 40-minute drive past plains, wetlands and rivers. Jacksonville International Airport is about 23 miles (37 kilometers) northwest of the plantation. Nearby attractions include Little Talbot Island State Park to the east and Amelia Island to the north.