St. Johns County Parks & Rec – Historic Butler Beach

Put your toes in the sand as St. Johns County Parks & Recreation Guide Will Pate discusses the significance of Historic Butler Beach during the Civil Rights era.

Where: 5860 A1A South (South A1A on Anastasia Island)

Time: 10:30a.m. – 11:30a.m.

Ranger Will Pate offers a glimpse into African-American history and American race relations in America’s Oldest City on a topic that didn’t happen that long ago!

Frank B. Butler named it Butler Beach and opened it to African-Americans. It became the only stretch of beach between Daytona Beach and American Beach, north of Jacksonville, where African-Americans were allowed to enjoy the sand and the sea. Under its namesake’s direction, Butler Beach continued to develop.

History:

In the early 1900s, Frank B. Butler, a young Black man, moved to St. Augustine and settled in Lincolnville.
In 1927, Butler purchased oceanfront property on Anastasia Island after becoming frustrated with Florida’s “whites only” beaches.
In 1964, Butler Beach became a focal point of segregation as St. Augustine became a Civil Rights headline.

Access:

Visitors can access Butler Beach through Frank B. Butler County Park.
The Mary Street Beach ramp takes drivers to the beach for a fee.
Unpaved Gloria Avenue has free parking before the pay station.

Activities: swimming, sunbathing, and biking.

Beach features: Dog friendly, as long as the dog is leashed at all times