The city of Fernandina Beach is launching a fundraising campaign to gather $23,000 needed to restore its beloved pirate statue and “bring him home” to his former glory.
FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. — The mission to save Peg Leg Pete from being lost to history has reached the mayor’s office, signaling its importance to the community.
The mayor is spearheading efforts to raise the necessary funds to refurbish Peg Leg Pete, ensuring he can majestically preside over downtown Fernandina Beach once more.
“We’re just tourists exploring the area,” shared Greg Long, who is visiting from Arizona.
Greg and Marian Long are gearing up for a voyage on the American Patriot cruise, which will navigate through Florida, beginning their adventure in Fernandina Beach.
“We enjoy diving into history and discovering more about different communities,” added Marian Long.
They noticed right away that a piece of Fernandina Beach history seemed a bit out of place.
“We noticed, was missing over there by the train station,” said Marian Long. “I was curious what he looked like.”
They were able to track down Peg Leg Pete, who was moved to the Amelia Island Museum of History last month due to safety concerns and in an effort to preserve him.
However, the director of the museum told First Coast News they didn’t have a spot for him inside, and he’s full of ants — an infestation they don’t want inside the museum.
So Pete stands, still exposed to the elements.
“It seems like it’s pretty important to the community,” said Marian Long. “I can’t see any reason why not to try to save it.”
Mayor James Antun launched a new initiative to save Peg Leg, asking for folks to help raise $23,000 to “meet new challenges.”
“I feel like the city should’ve been taking care of the thing, been proactive, not reactive,” said Historian Billy Taylor. “We wouldn’t be having this conversation if the city had done what their obligation was.”
Taylor watched while folks carved Peg Leg Pete when he was a kid in the ’70s, and is disappointed to see him decay into the state he is in.
Seeing him in tough shape, Taylor made an effort to repair Pete about five years ago, when he discovered human ashes inside the statue — with the name Paulie Matthews Jr, a well-known pirate in Fernandina Beach who passed away in 2007.
“Paulie would be fighting right next to us to be saving Peg Leg Pete,” said Taylor. “That’s where he wanted to be. He wanted to be part of it. He wanted to always be a part of it.”
While Taylor doesn’t think folks should have to donate to save Pete, he hopes to see him fixed up before he rots any further — for Paulie’s sake.
“Everybody needs to quit arguing, come together, come up with a plan, come up with the funds, and let’s fix it,” said Taylor.
Pete’s podium at Front and Center Streets in downtown Fernandina Beach is still there waiting for him to return.
The city mentioned in its post about this fundraiser that they’d like to help “bring him back home.”
