Bosque Bello Cemetery in Fernandina Beach, Florida

The Palace Saloon in Fernandina Beach, Florida

Opened in 1903 in a former haberdashery, the Palace Saloon is Florida’s oldest operating bar. At the turn of the 20th century, Fernandina’s docks were some of the busiest in the south, welcoming sailors from far and wide. But of the dozens of bars that dotted the town’s busy harbor district, only the Palace earned the distinction of being deemed the “Shipcaptain’s Bar.”  According to local lore, the Palace was also the last bar in Florida to clo…