Here's an edited version of George Mortimer West's description of the history of the entrance of St. Andrews Bay: "Between the time that Gauld's survey of the bay and adjacent coast was made — 1764 to 1781, and the next oldest survey, that of Williams — 1821 - 1826, marked changes occurred in the form and extent of the sand spit lying between St. Andrews Bay and the Gulf, giving evidence that one or more severe storms had swept this coast during that time, breaking through the low sand barrier and leaving three islands where there was but one in 1764. This breaking up of the sand spit resulted in the formation of what is now known as West Pass and also another opening — now closed — through Spanish Shanty Cove, and the removal of much of the material forming the spit by the storm-driven waters. No detailed account of the tropical storms visiting this section prior to 1840 has been found...
...On Williams' map, the large island at the entrance of the bay is named 'Hammock Island,' with Crooked Island to the east of it and Sand Island to the west; the latter, according to his report, lying some three miles off shore. This island, it is evident, must have been formed by the outrush of a great storm tide from the bay, which tore through the barrier at Spanish Shanty Cove, carrying out with it the sand that formed the spit and depositing it as an island at the point referred to. Sand Island could not have lasted for many years as the next map published, that of the U. S. Coast Survey — the topography of which was mapped in 1855, shows over three fathoms of water where, according to Williams, the island was situated...
...The name 'Hurricane Island' does not appear on any of the charts prior to that issued by the government, designated the 'Preliminary Chart of St. Andrew's Bay, Florida,' dated 1855. It is quite possible that the storm of 1841, or that which swept this coast ten years later, gave this island the name it bears today. Early writers stated that it was quite heavily wooded, and as late as the year 1900 there were quite a few old pines standing along the sand spit west of Land's End, the 'Seven Pines,' a prominent landmark there, having been the motif for a poem, so named, by a visiting tourist. The name 'Hammock' (Williams' map) would indicate that it was hilly, and possibly covered with trees. The sand hills on the "Hurricane Island" of the 1855 chart are laid down as very prominent objects. The 'Saddle Hills,' extending from the west of Spanish Shanty Cove, along the Gulf beach, were likewise a marked topographical feature as late as 1900...
...Preliminary chart No. 1, issued by the government, being a survey of St. Andrews Bay made between the years 1849 to 1855, a miniature copy of which can be found in Lieut. Col. Gilmore's published report on 'Ship Canals Across Florida,' 1880, the original chart being no longer in existence as shown by a search by the officials of the Coast and Geodetic Survey at Washington, gives the following names to places on St. Andrews Bay and the adjacent coast, beginning at the northwest side of the bay: Dyers Point, Buena Vista, St. Andrews, Clark — name of the post office and postmaster for the bay country, Redfish Point, and an unidentified place or point further east; thence to the lower part of the bay, commencing at the western part of the sketch map : Bear Point, Courteney's, Alligator, Big Lagoon Point, Blind Bay, Hurricane Island, East Pass, Crooked I., Bushy Sign, E. W., St. Andrews Sound, St. Andrews Point, Desert; on the south side of the peninsula: Davis Point, High Woods, Penny, Sand Bluff, Nunrod's camp, and Franklin, the latter near the head of what is now Crooked Island Sound."
from page 30 "Until Captain Loftin, in 1830, built and occupied his house, which was about a mile east along the beach from the governor's home, the Clarks had no neighbors within many miles. When Clement and Exum surveyed this portion of the country in the fall of 1831, and in 1832, they recorded in their field notes but two houses on this beach, Capt. Loftin's. about 360 feet from the start of the meander line at the south-east corner of section 6, and Governor Clark's house about 528 feet from the south west corner of this fractional section. They also noted a road running through the north line of section 5, which they marked 'road to Governor Clark's.' This was the road leading from his residence to and across Bayou George, and northerly through the Econfina settlement, to Webbville, and on into Georgia."
...On Williams' map, the large island at the entrance of the bay is named 'Hammock Island,' with Crooked Island to the east of it and Sand Island to the west; the latter, according to his report, lying some three miles off shore. This island, it is evident, must have been formed by the outrush of a great storm tide from the bay, which tore through the barrier at Spanish Shanty Cove, carrying out with it the sand that formed the spit and depositing it as an island at the point referred to. Sand Island could not have lasted for many years as the next map published, that of the U. S. Coast Survey — the topography of which was mapped in 1855, shows over three fathoms of water where, according to Williams, the island was situated...
...The name 'Hurricane Island' does not appear on any of the charts prior to that issued by the government, designated the 'Preliminary Chart of St. Andrew's Bay, Florida,' dated 1855. It is quite possible that the storm of 1841, or that which swept this coast ten years later, gave this island the name it bears today. Early writers stated that it was quite heavily wooded, and as late as the year 1900 there were quite a few old pines standing along the sand spit west of Land's End, the 'Seven Pines,' a prominent landmark there, having been the motif for a poem, so named, by a visiting tourist. The name 'Hammock' (Williams' map) would indicate that it was hilly, and possibly covered with trees. The sand hills on the "Hurricane Island" of the 1855 chart are laid down as very prominent objects. The 'Saddle Hills,' extending from the west of Spanish Shanty Cove, along the Gulf beach, were likewise a marked topographical feature as late as 1900...
...Preliminary chart No. 1, issued by the government, being a survey of St. Andrews Bay made between the years 1849 to 1855, a miniature copy of which can be found in Lieut. Col. Gilmore's published report on 'Ship Canals Across Florida,' 1880, the original chart being no longer in existence as shown by a search by the officials of the Coast and Geodetic Survey at Washington, gives the following names to places on St. Andrews Bay and the adjacent coast, beginning at the northwest side of the bay: Dyers Point, Buena Vista, St. Andrews, Clark — name of the post office and postmaster for the bay country, Redfish Point, and an unidentified place or point further east; thence to the lower part of the bay, commencing at the western part of the sketch map : Bear Point, Courteney's, Alligator, Big Lagoon Point, Blind Bay, Hurricane Island, East Pass, Crooked I., Bushy Sign, E. W., St. Andrews Sound, St. Andrews Point, Desert; on the south side of the peninsula: Davis Point, High Woods, Penny, Sand Bluff, Nunrod's camp, and Franklin, the latter near the head of what is now Crooked Island Sound."
from page 30 "Until Captain Loftin, in 1830, built and occupied his house, which was about a mile east along the beach from the governor's home, the Clarks had no neighbors within many miles. When Clement and Exum surveyed this portion of the country in the fall of 1831, and in 1832, they recorded in their field notes but two houses on this beach, Capt. Loftin's. about 360 feet from the start of the meander line at the south-east corner of section 6, and Governor Clark's house about 528 feet from the south west corner of this fractional section. They also noted a road running through the north line of section 5, which they marked 'road to Governor Clark's.' This was the road leading from his residence to and across Bayou George, and northerly through the Econfina settlement, to Webbville, and on into Georgia."
posted by robertoreg at 4:54 AM
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