Ponte Vedra

Ponte Vedra is celebrated as much for its gnarled oaks, sand dunes, and copses of wild palmettos as it is for world class tennis and velvety putting greens. Todays luxurious paradise was once, however, no more than a primitive stretch of beach. The shores were wild, rugged inlands filled with lounging alligators, swamps, and native fauna. Fresh water streams, creeks, and lagoons burbled through the landscape, accenting the pristine beaches.

In 1565, Don Pedro Menendez discovered this beautiful beach and erected a small settlement of haciendas. In the following years, Ponte Vedra and the surrounding area saw much conflict between the native Timucuan Indians, the Spanish, the French, and the English. The eighteenth century witnessed battles that destroyed many of the haciendas and decimated the Native American population.

When Florida became a territory in 1821, new settlers and sugar cane plantations sparsely populated the region. The seven-year Seminole War in 1835 and the subsequent four year Civil War in 1861 put an abrupt end to the old plantation culture.

In 1912, Ponte Vedra was put on the map by the discovery of a vein of mineral deposits situated in the midst of the sand dunes. Over a dozen valuable minerals were found and by 1916, the rugged mining town boasted a general store, a post office, and workers barracks and was dubbed Mineral City. The original mining outpost was bought by the National Lead Company, and Mineral City went on to play a pivotal role in World War I, as valuable ore mined there was used to manufacture weaponry.

When the mineral market dried up after the end of the war, a resort community was born. In the 1920s, the National Lead Company built the first playground for the well-to-do: the famed Ponte Vedra Inn & Club, complete with a golf course, log clubhouse and a polo field. Good living was here to stay.

Mineral City, considered too utilitarian a name for such a posh resort, was rechristened Ponte Vedra after a town developer read erroneously that Christopher Columbus was born in Pontevedra, Spain. In reality, Columbus was born in Genoa, Italy. No matter, the name suited and was happily endorsed.

In keeping with the abundant natural beauty of Ponte Vedra, a quaint seaside village sprung up, sprinkled with freshly painted pastel Southern homes stretched along tree lined streets. Word of Ponte Vedras amenities and natural riches spread quickly throughout the country. In little time, this charming community entertained patrician guests from all over the United States, as well as abroad.

Today, as in the turn-of-the-century, people the world over are drawn to Ponte Vedra by the lush golf courses, rolling dunes, and azure ocean. As families once came to relax, socialize, and mingle with other families, this tradition of unwinding continues in the luxurious and prestigious Ponte Vedra.