Museum Tour & Meet the Maple Leaf Divers + Historic Mandarin park Walk 🚢🌳

Meet the Maple Leaf Divers + Historic Mandarin Walk 🚢🌳

Date & time: Saturday, November 7, 2026 · 9:45 AM – 12:30 PM

Location: Mandarin Museum, Walter Jones Historical Park, 11964 Mandarin Road, Jacksonville, FL 32223

Cost: Free (donations to the museum are welcome)

Description:

Let's spend a Saturday morning on some real Jacksonville history, right here in Mandarin!

Before dawn on April 1, 1864, the Union transport ship Maple Leaf hit a Confederate mine and sank in the St. Johns River off Mandarin Point. It sat buried in the river mud for over 120 years. Then a local dentist, Dr. Keith Holland, and his volunteer dive team found it and brought up thousands of artifacts. The wreck is now a National Historic Landmark.

On the first Saturday of every month, Dr. Holland and members of his original dive team are at the museum to talk about the recovery. This is a rare chance to hear the story from the people who actually did the diving, working in pitch-black river water. Their book will be available, and they'll sign copies.

The plan:

• 9:45 AM – Meet on the front porch of the Mandarin Museum
• 10:00 AM – Meet the Divers in the Maple Leaf Shipwreck Gallery, where you can see artifacts, the bow of the ship, and an original diving suit
• 11:00 AM – Walk the grounds. On first Saturdays all the historic buildings are open with docents inside, including the 1875 Webb-Jones Farmhouse, the 1876 Barn, the 1898 St. Joseph's Mission Schoolhouse, and the 1892 Losco Winery Log Cabin
• Finish on the riverfront boardwalk along the St. Johns. Keep an eye out for manatees!

Good to know:

• Wear comfortable walking shoes. The grounds cover about 10 wooded acres with easy paths.
• The museum and schoolhouse are wheelchair accessible.
• Parking is free on site.
• Bring a few dollars if you'd like to buy the divers' book or make a donation.
• Optional: stay for lunch nearby afterward. [Add restaurant here]

Look for me on the porch.Please RSVP so I know how many to look for, and update your RSVP if your plans change