The upcoming “Palms, Priests, and Pirates: The Epic History of Amelia Island, Florida” offers the first comprehensive illustrated history of the unique barrier island off the northeast coast of Florida.
Doster chronicles the island’s “remarkable story,” from Native American settlement, through Spanish colonization and the founding of Fernandina, to periods of pirate raids, American “patriot” invasion, Civil War upheaval and yellow fever outbreaks.
Combined with images by Benjamin Galland, Doster’s history offers readers an unparalleled understanding of Amelia Island’s role in the broader history of Florida and the early formation of the U.S.
“Palms, Priests, and Pirates” aims to celebrate the resilience and enduring spirit of Amelia Island, a place whose dramatic saga from its earliest occupation to the present has remained largely untold until now.