The Florida House Inn, in Fernandina Beach
History of the Inn This rambling inn, is in the heart of the historic district. It was built by David Yulee, as a boarding house for railroad workers, in 1857. Yulee had a dream to build a railroad, but the Civil War changed things. The building ended up housing Union soldiers and the railroad didn't get built. Leddy's Porch Leddy's is the restaurant's name, but it's also the name of family who bought the inn, after the war.
Mermaid Bar... And Famous Guests When we came upon the inn, there weren't any diners on the porch. We headed inside and passed through the Mermaid Bar.
Ulysses S. Grant was another of the inn's famous guests. I guess the comedy duo never bumped into Grant, since the general died before the actors were born. But there's another famous inn guest, who did lived during Grant's time. Henry Ford was a generation younger, but they could have crossed paths and shared a drink! Possible, but unlikely. Dining Room Don and I were seated in the Southern Dining Room. We could see a few mermaids through a window in the wall.
HUGE Mahi Sandwich! Maybe it's just as well that we weren't seated with others. I'm not sure they would have wanted to see Don tackle his monster sandwich! He loved it! I loved his jalapeno coleslaw. Luckily he had a ton to share. Comfort Combo! The Back Porch After eating, Don and I wandered out back and found the porches that possibly inspired the restaurant's name. This was a little piece of heaven on a Sunday afternoon, in January! There were families lingering over meals, near the fountain and up on the porch near the tree. What a tree! I loved the way the centuries old oak, was leaning into the inn. They looked like old friends, whispering secrets about all the crazy past and present guests! Must Come Back! Don and I set off happy. Not only did we have a nice and comfy meal, in a charming southern town. We were able to add one more historic hotel to our list. I hope to someday have The Florida House Inn , written up in my 90-Notable Nights blog!
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The Dining Blog
This is a blog about Dining Adventures. Sometimes, I talk about food. Below, you can read how this started. On July 4th 2011, I set a goal to try 50 culturally diverse restaurants in one year! (I knew that was possible, living in the Houston area) I spent the year pulling in friends and family to join me, on some unusual dining adventures. I met some curious people, tried some scary foods and explored places and cultures I never would have otherwise. Even though I met my goal, I learned too much to end my adventures in dining. I have continued blogging about memorable dining adventures of all kinds, near and far... and all the discoveries and funny things I've learned along the way! Locations and types of dining adventures, are listed further down. Archives
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