The first thing that catches you off guard at Kingsley Plantation near Jacksonville, Florida isn’t the 1798 planter’s house, elegant as it is. It’s the 25 slave cabins arranged in a semicircle facing the main house – small, roofless structures made from oyster shells, lime, sand, and water. They’re ruins now, but their arrangement deliberately echoes West African village layouts, a detail that makes the site’s complexity immediately visible. This isn’t a straightforward story about evil slaveholders and innocent victims, though those elements exist. It’s messier, more uncomfortable, and ultimately more honest than most plantation sites.
Quick overview
Admission is completely free – Kingsley Plantation is part of the National Park Service’s Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve. The grounds are open Wednesday to Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The planter’s house interior is open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to noon and 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Opening hours: Wednesday to Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
At a glance
| Price | Opening hours | Address | Free for | Last entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Wed–Sun: 9:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.| Closed Mon–Tue | 11676 Palmetto Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32226 (Fort George Island) | Everyone (no admission charge) | 4:30 p.m. |
Is Kingsley Plantation free to enter?
Yes, completely and always. The National Park Service doesn’t charge admission to Kingsley Plantation or any site within the Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve. This is federal land maintained with taxpayer funding, accessible to everyone.
What time does Kingsley Plantation open?
Wednesday to Sunday: 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Closed: Monday, Tuesday, Juneteenth (19 June), Independence Day (4 July), Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day
Planter’s house interior: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday only, 10:00 a.m. to noon and 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (no advance reservations required during these open hours)
The limited opening schedule trips people up. If you’re planning a Monday or Tuesday visit to Jacksonville, Kingsley Plantation won’t be accessible. The planter’s house is also only open three days a week, and only during specific windows – plan accordingly. At other times, try the Cummer Museum in Jacksonville, or head south to the Castillo de San Marcos and Anastasia State Park in St Augustine.
Ranger programmes are offered on weekends, typically at 2:00 p.m. Check the National Park Service calendar for current schedules.
Do I need to book Kingsley Plantation tickets in advance?
No, because there are no tickets. Just arrive during opening hours. The grounds are never crowded enough to require advance reservations.
For planter’s house tours on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (during the 10:00 a.m.–noon and 2:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. windows), no reservations are needed – walk straight in. Rangers are available inside to provide information and answer questions.
History
Kingsley Plantation’s story begins in 1798 during the second Spanish period in Florida, when the main house was built. Spain ruled Florida quite differently from the United States – enslaved people under Spanish law could own property, sue in court, and purchase their own freedom. This legal framework created possibilities that didn’t exist in the American South.
Zephaniah Kingsley, a Scottish-born slave trader, merchant, and planter, purchased the plantation in 1814. In 1806, whilst trading in Havana, he’d bought a 13-year-old girl named Anna Madgigine Jai, a princess from Senegal who’d been captured and enslaved. By the time she turned 18, they’d married and had three children. She was still legally enslaved, as were the children – under prevailing laws, slavery followed the mother’s status.
Kingsley freed Anna and their children in 1811. She went on to own property along the St Johns River and purchased enslaved people herself. By 1814, when the family moved to this plantation, Anna managed a workforce of approximately 60 enslaved people who grew Sea Island cotton, citrus, sugarcane, and corn.
This arrangement – a formerly enslaved African woman managing enslaved labourers whilst married to a white slave trader – was unusual but not impossible under Spanish colonial law, which recognised free people of African descent as a distinct class with certain rights.
Everything changed in 1821 when Florida became a United States territory. New laws stripped free Black people of rights they’d held under Spanish rule. Anna and the couple’s mixed-race children suddenly faced legal restrictions that hadn’t existed before. Property ownership, business dealings, even physical movement became increasingly restricted.
Zephaniah called the new system “a system of terror.” In 1832, unable to tolerate the conditions, Anna, two sons, and 50 freed slaves emigrated to Haiti, a free Black republic, to establish a new plantation. Two daughters remained in Jacksonville, eventually marrying wealthy white men.
Anna returned to Florida years later to secure the family’s property inheritance. The plantation changed hands multiple times after the Kingsley era, ceased commercial operations after the Civil War, and eventually became federal property. The National Park Service acquired it in 1988.
Inside Kingsley Plantation
The approach to the plantation follows a 1.5-mile unpaved road through maritime forest. The road is rutted and potholed – manageable in any vehicle, but bumpy. This isn’t a manicured tourist experience; it’s deliberately preserved in a semi-wild state.
The grounds overlook the Fort George River and salt marshes. It’s physically beautiful – live oaks draped in Spanish moss, waterbirds feeding along the shoreline, palm trees swaying. The setting makes the site’s history even more jarring.
The 25 slave cabins are arranged in a semicircle, each approximately 10 feet by 12 feet. They’re roofless ruins now, but their layout mirrors West African village compounds rather than the linear arrangements typical of American plantations. This was Anna’s influence – she insisted on spatial arrangements familiar from her childhood in Senegal.
The cabins housed 60 to 80 enslaved men, women, and children. Think about that: families crammed into 120-square-foot structures with dirt floors. The tabby walls (made from oyster shells, lime, sand, and water) remain because the material is remarkably durable.
The planter’s house, built in 1798, is the oldest surviving plantation house in Florida. It’s an elegant two-storey structure with wide verandas, designed to catch breezes in Florida’s heat. The interior is sparsely furnished – the National Park Service focuses on interpretation rather than recreating period rooms.
When the house is open (Friday to Sunday, specific hours), rangers are present to discuss the building, the Kingsley family, and the enslaved people who worked here. The conversations are frank about slavery’s brutality whilst acknowledging the site’s unusual complexities.
The kitchen house and barn remain standing, both built using tabby construction. You can explore these freely.
The free audio tour, “The Lion’s Story Teller,” covers 17 stops across the grounds. It takes roughly an hour and provides detailed historical context. The tour is available through the National Park Service website or via the visitor centre. An audio-described version and full transcript are available for checkout.
The tour doesn’t sanitise the history. It discusses children being sold away from families, the harsh labour regime, and the physical punishment enslaved people endured. It also explores Anna’s complicated position as both formerly enslaved and an enslaver herself.
The visitor centre (open Wednesday to Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) offers exhibits, maps, a small gift shop, and restrooms.
What’s included with your visit?
Always free:
- Grounds and all outdoor structures
- The 25 slave cabins
- Kitchen house and barn
- Walking paths and river views
- Audio tour (access via website or visitor centre)
- Visitor centre exhibits
- Ranger programmes (scheduled weekends)
- Parking
Available Friday to Sunday (specific hours):
- Interior of the planter’s house (10:00 a.m.–noon, 2:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.)
- Rangers inside the house to answer questions
Things to do near Kingsley Plantation
Fort George Island Cultural State Park & Ribault Club (1.5 miles, 5-minute drive back toward the main road) – The restored 1928 Ribault Club now serves as a museum and visitor centre. The park offers kayaking, fishing, hiking trails (including the 4.4-mile loop road around the island), and picnic areas. The Ribault Club houses exhibits about Fort George Island’s history from Timucuan inhabitants through the 1920s resort era.
Little Talbot Island State Park (8 miles, 15-minute drive north) – A barrier island with 5 miles of undeveloped beaches, coastal dunes, and maritime forest. Excellent for swimming, fishing, hiking, and kayaking. The beach is genuinely unspoilt – no development, just sand and sea oats.
Big Talbot Island State Park (10 miles, 18-minute drive north) – Known for Boneyard Beach, where dead trees bleached by salt water create an otherworldly landscape. Popular with photographers. Hiking trails wind through maritime forest.
Fort Caroline National Memorial (12 miles, 20-minute drive southwest) – A reconstructed 16th-century French fort commemorating France’s brief attempt to establish a colony in Florida. The Timucuan tribe lived here for thousands of years before European arrival. Exhibits explain both French colonisation and Timucuan culture.
Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park (6 miles, 12-minute drive east) – A 450-acre park with beaches, freshwater lake, camping, kayaking, mountain biking trails (including 20 miles of single-track), and a splash pad. Very family-friendly. Day use $5 per vehicle.
Practical tips
- Location: Fort George Island, approximately 25 miles northeast of downtown Jacksonville
- Getting there: From Jacksonville, take A1A north across the St Johns River via the ferry (free, runs continuously), then follow Fort George Road. The final 1.5 miles to the plantation is unpaved road
- Time needed: 1–1.5 hours minimum; 2 hours if touring the planter’s house and taking the full audio tour
- Photography: Allowed throughout the grounds
- Accessibility: Main pathways are accessible. The planter’s house has stairs to the second floor with no lift
- Pets: Allowed outdoors on 6-foot leashes; not permitted inside historic buildings
- Weather: Florida heat and humidity can be intense May–September. Bring water, sunscreen, and insect repellent. The grounds are mostly exposed
- The unpaved road: Passable in any vehicle, but expect a bumpy ride. Drive slowly
- Crowds: Rarely crowded. Weekday visits are quietest
- Combine with: Fort George Island loop road, Little and Big Talbot Island state parks
- Difficult history: This site deals frankly with slavery. The conversations aren’t sanitised. Come prepared for emotionally challenging content
FAQs
Why is the planter’s house only open three days a week?
Preservation and staffing. The 1798 structure requires careful monitoring, and National Park Service ranger availability limits interior access. The grounds are always accessible (Wednesday to Sunday), but the house interior requires staff presence.
How long should we spend here?
Most visitors spend 1–1.5 hours. If you’re touring the planter’s house interior and listening to the complete audio tour, allow 2 hours.
Is it suitable for children?
Older children (10+) interested in history will find it educational. Younger children might struggle with the subject matter and the lack of interactive elements. The site deals frankly with slavery’s brutality – parents should gauge their children’s readiness for those conversations.
What’s the unpaved road like?
Rutted and potholed but passable in any vehicle. Drive slowly – it’s about 1.5 miles from the paved road to the plantation. Some visitors find it annoying; others appreciate that it keeps the site feeling remote.
Are there toilets and water?
Yes, in the visitor centre (open Wednesday to Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). No other facilities on-site.
Can we kayak from the plantation?
There’s a dock, and the Fort George River is suitable for kayaking. However, there’s no kayak rental on-site – you’d need to bring your own or rent elsewhere and transport it here.
Why is Anna Kingsley’s story significant?
She represents a historical reality rarely acknowledged: free people of African descent owned property and enslaved people in parts of the South, particularly under Spanish colonial law. Her story complicates simplistic narratives about slavery whilst not excusing the system itself.
Is there food available?
No café or food service. Bring snacks and water, especially in summer.
What’s the best time of year to visit?
November through April offers cooler, less humid weather. Summer (May–September) is hot, humid, and buggy – visit early in the day if coming during these months.
More Florida travel
Other Florida travel articles on Planet Whitley include:
- A comical mess at Orlando Airport.
- The weird tribute of Coral Castle in Homestead, Florida.
- 5 reasons to visit Miami on a round-the-world trip.
- Exploring the Edison and Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers.
- Guide to the St Andrews State Park to Shell Island ferry.
