The Rebirth Of A 1920's Railroad Town | Historic Main Street, Hastings, Florida

Join me in this vlog (including many bonus historic pictures) as I walk the historic Main Street of Hastings, Florida, a once-thriving railroad town in the 1920s that is now undergoing a stunning rebirth!

In this video, I’ll take you on a tour of the revitalization efforts, showcasing the ongoing renovations to the buildings and structures that are bringing new life to this charming town in St. Johns County. See how Hastings is embracing its rich history while looking toward a bright future brought in part by the Hastings Main Street Inc. Organization. ‪@HastingsMainStreetInc‬

Discover the rich history of Hastings and how it's reviving its once-bustling railroad heritage. From old storefronts to newly renovated spaces, see the fascinating blend of past and present in this unique Southern town.

Henry Morrison Flagler built tourist hotels at St. Augustine in the late 19th century, including the Ponce de León Hotel. He needed a local source of fresh vegetables for his guests, so he persuaded Thomas Horace Hastings, his cousin, to develop a farm.

A small community evolved into a town, which was named for its founder in 1890. Hastings is known as the "Potato Capital of Florida" with 21,000 acres (85 km2) of potato farms, but also produces cabbage, onions, eggplant and ornamental horticulture.

Hastings in 1910 was a thriving town that was a stop on the Florida East Coast Railway. The population of approximately 1,200 supported several general stores, a bakery, drug stores, meat markets, an ice plant and cold storage. In addition to farming, two companies manufactured barrels and a grist mill ground grain. There was a bank and a hotel, three doctors and a dentist.

On November 7, 2017, the voters of Hastings elected to dissolve the city with an 82% majority vote. St. Johns County officially took control of the area on March 1, 2018.

Photo credits:
Hastings Main Street Inc - Hastingsfl.org
Metro Jacksonville
The St. Augustine Record
Historic Coast Culture
Bland & Associates Inc.
PaleoWest
State Library and Archives of Florida

I appreciate you all and thanks for watching, liking and subscribing.

Don't miss any of my great Vlog videos by clicking here and subscribing 👉
   / @floridaslayer  

Like what you see? Watch another great video in my many playlists by clicking here 👉    / @floridaslayer  
I have a ton of different playlists with something for everyone. Thank you!

More MUST Watch Videos!
   • Geraldo Rivera's TV Talk Show Iconic ...  
   • Abandoned Florida | 1910 American Fou...  
   • Unboxing & Review: Gamo Swarm Whisper...  
   • Gamo Air Rifle .22 Caliper Pellet Rev...  
   • Mountain Biking: Fatbiking in Flagler...  
   • Hurricane Milton: Drone Aerial Survey...  
   • Exploring the Ghost Town of Hastings,...  
   • $20 Weedwacker / Brush Cutter Hack [D...  

My Amazon Storefront- Please visit my Amazon Storefront and checkout some of the items/gear/products I used/wore in some of these videos and my day to day life living in rural Florida: https://www.amazon.com/shop/fglomb01

#HastingsFlorida #HistoricMainStreet #SmallTownRevival #StJohnsCounty #FloridaHistory #RailroadTown #TownRenovations #RebirthOfHastings #HistoricBuildings #TownTransformation #FloridaTravel #SouthernTown #MainStreetRenovations #HistoricPreservation #RailroadHistory #ExploreFlorida #LocalHistory #Revitalization #TownHistory #TravelVlog #HastingsFL #UrbanRenewal #floridaeastcoast #fec #mrflorida #hastings