North Florida Land Trust receives challenge grant to save the Spanish American War Fort
North Florida Land Trust will receive a challenge grant from the Delores Barr Weaver Fund to save the Spanish American War Fort.
- Jacksonville, FL (1888PressRelease) March 17, 2016 - North Florida Land Trust is pleased to announce they have received a challenge grant of up to $100,000 from the Delores Barr Weaver Fund to preserve the 1898 Spanish American War Fort. The money will go toward the $400,000 needed to purchase the property from its current owner - an individual who has plans to build a house on the site. NFLT still needs to raise an additional $300,000 to buy the property then the Delores Barr Weaver Fund will provide up to $100,000 needed to complete the purchase.
"I am so pleased to help North Florida Land Trust purchase the Spanish American War Fort property next to Fort Caroline," noted Delores Barr Weaver. "With a tradition of protecting our unique North Florida natural environment, the North Florida Land Trust now has an added opportunity to safeguard an important part of our history, and I encourage everyone to join me in making sure this local treasure becomes part of our National Park system."
NFLT currently has a purchase agreement with the owner, an individual who bought the property at a tax auction and has plans to tear down the fort and build a house on the site. "Some folks think the fort is already protected by virtue of its age. Others believe it should have been done some time ago. We understand both arguments, but we are where we are. This is an important piece of Jacksonville's and even the nation's history. This may be the only fort built in the U.S. expressly for the Spanish American War," said Jim McCarthy, executive director of the North Florida Land Trust. If NFLT cannot raise the money needed, McCarthy said the property will remain with the current owner and most likely, the fort will be destroyed.
Those interested in donating to preserve the Spanish American War Fort should send their donation marked for the "Fort" to NFLT, 2038 Gilmore Street Jacksonville FL 32204 or donate online at www.northfloridalandtrust.org. For further information, contact Jim McCarthy at jmccarthy ( @ ) northfloridalandtrust dot org or call (904) 479-1967 dot
The 1898 Spanish American War Fort was one of four forts on St. Johns Bluff that acted in defense of the river and is the only one that still remains. NFLT is the acquisition and fundraising partner of the National Park Service on this project. Once NFLT purchases the property, they will hand it over to the National Park Service who will add it to the Fort Caroline National Memorial as a public access park. The preservation will make sure the only actual fort in Duval County remains intact. The property will be a critical addition to the National Park Service's interpretive and community education outreach programming.
St. Johns Bluff has supported four forts acting in defense of the St. Johns River and the Spanish American War Fort is the only fort that remains. The first, Ft. Caroline, was constructed in 1564 by French Huguenots. It was later taken by the Spanish and renamed Fort San Mateo. The exact location is not known, but it is believed changes in the river left it submerged. An English fort was constructed in 1778 and was likewise lost when man-made changes to St. Johns Bluff caused considerable erosion along the marsh. A Confederate Earthworks was built in 1862 and has been buried and now lies underneath a residential development.
About the Delores Barr Weaver Fund
Delores Barr Weaver established this Fund at The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida in 2012 to provide grants to nonprofit organizations that do work she has supported over many years and to encourage others to do so as well. Mrs. Weaver has an extraordinary legacy of philanthropy, and she has provided transformative support to dozens of nonprofit organizations that uplift, enlighten and advance our community. Her establishment of the Delores Barr Weaver Fund ($50 million) in 2012 was the largest gift in The Community Foundation's history.
About The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida
The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida (www.jaxcf.org), Florida's oldest and largest community foundation, works to stimulate philanthropy to build a better community. The Foundation helps donors invest their philanthropic gifts wisely, helps nonprofits serve the region effectively, and helps people come together to make the community a better place. Now in its 52nd year, the Foundation has assets of $313 million and has made grants of nearly $367 million since 1964.
About North Florida Land Trust
North Florida Land Trust is a non-profit organization who serves as a champion of land conservation primarily in Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam, and St. Johns counties. NFLT was founded in 1999 and has protected thousands of acres of environmentally significant land including land at Big Talbot Island, the River Branch Preserve, Pumpkin Hill, Moccasin Slough, along the St. Mary's River and other valued natural areas in Northeast Florida. NFLT is funded largely by private and corporate contributions and works closely with private landowners and other public agencies at all levels of government, not-for-profit partners, and foundations. For more information, visit www.northfloridalandtrust.org.
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