In Trouble on the St. Johns River, the Johnson kids Joey, Bobby and Katy are up to their adventurous ways again. But this time, instead of exploring history, they're making it! Joey and Bobby start their summer vacation by setting out for their favorite fishing pond, but end up leading a crusade to clean up the environment instead.Finding the pond covered with green muck and dead fish, the brothers decide to do something about it. That leads to a close encounter with a manatee, a visit to a center that rehabilitates injured sea turtles, and a boat tour on the St. Johns River. What they learn through these experiences inspires them to create The Greenies and chart a course of action that captures the attention of many, including a local TV station. By the end of the story, Joey, who thought there was nothing kids could do to make a difference, realizes that perhaps they are the very ones who can. Its a story of awakening that will inspire young readers to become more aware of their environment and give them some ideas on how to preserve it.

A selection of writings from naturalists John and William Bartram, who explored Florida in 1765 In 1765 father and son naturalists John and William Bartram explored the St. Johns River Valley in Florida, a newly designated British territory and subtropical wonderland. They collected specimens and recorded extensive observations of the region’s plants, animals, geography, ecology, and Native cultures. The chronicle of their adventures provided the world with an intimate look at La Florida. Travels on the St. Johns River includes writings from the Bartrams' journey in a flat-bottomed boat from St. Augustine to the river's swampy headwaters near Lake Loughman, just west of today’s Cape Canaveral. Vivid entries from John's Diary detail the settlement locations of Indigenous people and what vegetation overtook the river's slow current. Excerpts from William's narrative, written a decade later when he tried to make a home in East Florida, contemplate the environment and the river that would come to be regarded as the liquid heart of his celebrated Travels. A selection of personal letters reveal John's misgivings about his son's decision to become a planter in a pine barren with little shelter, but they also speak to William's belated sense of accomplishment for traveling past his father's footsteps. Editors Thomas Hallock and Richard Franz provide valuable commentary and a modern record of the flora and fauna the Bartrams encountered. Taken together, the firsthand accounts and editorial notes help us see the land through the explorers' eyes and witness the many environmental changes the centuries have wrought.

First explored by naturalist William Bartram in the 1760s, the St. Johns River stretches 310 miles along Florida's east coast, making it the longest river in the state. The first "highway" through the once wild interior of Florida, the St. Johns may appear ordinary, but within its banks are some of the most fascinating natural phenomena and historic mysteries in the state. The river, no longer the commercial resource it once was, is now largely ignored by Florida's residents and visitors alike. In the first contemporary book about this American Heritage River, Bill Belleville describes his journey down the length of the St. Johns, kayaking, boating, hiking its riverbanks, diving its springs, and exploring its underwater caves. He rediscovers the natural Florida and establishes his connection with a place once loved for its untamed beauty. Belleville involves scientists, environmentalists, fishermen, cave divers, and folk historians in his journey, soliciting their companionship and their expertise. River of Lakes weaves together the biological, cultural, anthropological, archaeological, and ecological aspects of the St. Johns, capturing the essence of its remarkable history and intrinsic value as a natural wonder.

The vast unsettled lands of Florida in the 1850s are a magnet drawing men and women from all backgrounds toward the promise of fresh beginnings. Most of them are honest, hard-working citizens. But there is another element, as on any frontier: the violent, the greedy, the power-hungry. Will the honest homesteaders prevail over those who would destroy their dreams even before they can begin to build?

When Ray Whaley set out to accomplish his bucket-list goal of kayaking the length of the St. Johns River, it didn’t take long for him to realize he was in over his head. The longest river in Florida, stretching 310 miles between Vero Beach and Jacksonville, the St. Johns had been paddled in its entirety by only a handful of people. Whaley found himself blazing his own trail on an exciting and unexpected adventure. In Journey of a River Walker, Whaley tells the whole story of his experience, from his preparations beforehand to the techniques he learned along the way to his daily escapades and discoveries on the water. Learning from Whaley’s recommendations, along with his mistakes and close calls, readers will gain valuable knowledge that will help them in planning their own paddling trips. Whaley’s journey also highlights the delicate ecosystem of the river and the importance of conserving its environment, raising awareness of the fragile yet critical link between humans and nature. A volume in the series Wild Florida, edited by M. Timothy O’Keefe

Thirteen-year-old Joey Johnson has a problem. He hears voices, only he can't find the people who belong to them. His curiosity leads him on a quest where he learns more than just history about "the Nation's Oldest City." He discovers he has a special connection to the past -- something that changes his life forever.

James John, the founder of St. Johns, settled on his land claim in the 1840s and was soon followed by others. Schools, churches, and stores were established, and industrial development followed. St. Johns was originally annexed to the city of Portland in 1891. Shipyards were developed in North Portland during World War I and World War II. Among the landmarks of the community are St. Johns Bridge and the nearby city hall building. Longtime businesses include Slim's Restaurant and Lounge, Peninsula Iron Works, the Man's Shop, and the Wishing Well Restaurant. Moonstruck Chocolate Company has been located in St. Johns since 2002. Well-known individuals, such as members of the Jower and Leveton families; Howard Galbraith, a founder of the St. Johns Heritage Society; and Walt Morey, author of Gentle Ben, have called St. Johns home. Today, St. Johns comes alive every year with events such as the St. Johns Parade, St. Johns Bizarre, and the Cathedral Park Jazz Festival. The recent influx of people of coming to Portland has influenced redevelopment within the community.

"A fascinating account of how the city of Jacksonville met the major challenges of the last half of the 20th century, from those posed by race relations to downtown development to the environment. Crooks has provided a well-written, clear, and thoughtful analysis of the need for and movement to establish a consolidated government, and the early years of that government. His understanding of Jacksonville and of the times is impressive."--Joan S. Carver, Jacksonville University In the 1950s and '60s Jacksonville faced daunting problems. Critics described city government as boss-ridden, expensive, and corrupt. African Americans challenged racial segregation, and public high schools were disaccredited. The St. Johns River and its tributaries were heavily polluted. Downtown development had succumbed to suburban sprawl. Consolidation, endorsed by an almost two-to-one majority in 1967, became the catalyst for change. The city's decision to consolidate with surrounding Duval County began the transformation of this conservative, Deep South, backwater city into a prosperous, mainstream metropolis. James B. Crooks introduces readers to preconsolidation Jacksonville and then focuses on three major issues that confronted the expanded city: racial relations, environmental pollution, and the revitalization of downtown. He shows the successes and setbacks of four mayors--Hans G. Tanzler, Jake Godbold, Tommy Hazouri, and Ed Austin--in responding to these issues. He also compares Jacksonville's experience with that of another Florida metropolis, Tampa, which in 1967 decided against consolidation with surrounding Hillsborough County. Consolidation has not been a panacea for all the city's ills, Crooks concludes. Yet the city emerges in the 21st century with increased support for art and education, new economic initiatives, substantial achievements in downtown renewal, and laudable efforts to improve race relations and address environmental problems. Readers familiar with Jacksonville over the last 40 years will recognize events like the St. Johns River cleanup, the building of the Jacksonville Landing, the ending of odor pollution, and the arrival of the Jaguars NFL franchise. During the administration of Mayor Hazouri from 1987 to 1991, Crooks was Jacksonville historian-in-residence at City Hall. Combining observations from this period with extensive interviews and documents (including a cache of files from the mezzanine of the old City Hall parking garage that contained 44 cabinets of letters, memos, and reports), he has written an urban history that will fascinate scholars of politics and governmental reform as well as residents of the First Coast city. James B. Crooks is emeritus professor of history at the University of North Florida

Tales from the River follows the lives of the Lucas clan--a large and loving family living along an isolated area of the St. Johns River in the heart of Central Florida. Through a series of short stories that begin in the 1920's, they face the ups and downs of daily life with perseverance and humor, and share their memories of a long forgotten Florida--an era of riverboats, Model A's and living off the land.

Adventures on Amelia Island: A Pirate, a Princess, and Buried Treasure continues the escapades of the Johnson family. Five-year-old Katy meets a pirate - but is he real or imagined? Nine-year-old Bobby and his older brother Joey visit an ancient cemetery and a 19th-century fort, as Bobby searches for buried treasure that is rumored to still be hidden on the island. Local legends and tales of ghosts add to a story filled with colorful characters, humorous situations, and a youthful spirit of adventure.