Herschel Shepard Award Ceremony - Friends of Fish Island

Herschel Shepard Award

Presented to Friends of Fish Island

Date and Time: Thursday, May 5th from 5:30 to 7:30 PM

Location: Oldest House Museum Complex

14 St. Francis St, St. Augustine FL 32084

This event is free and open to the public. Parking is limited.

What is the Herschel Shepard Award?

The Saint Augustine Historical Society annually considers nominees for its highest tribute to a person, organization, group or project that makes and extraordinary contribution to the preservation of St. Augustine’s historical legacy. The tribute is named for preservation architect Herschel E. Shepard in recognition of his distinguished career and outstanding contributions to the design and preservation of historic structures in St. Augustine. Herschel’s sphere of influence is national and international in scope but nowhere else has his generosity of spirit, exemplary dedication and extraordinary service been witnessed more than in Saint Augustine.

The award seeks to recognize others who, like Herschel, have put forth extraordinary efforts in preserving Saint Augustine’s storied past and have been inspirational examples of public citizenry. Recent award winners include archaeologist Kathleen Deagan for her extensive and distinguished work in uncovering Florida’s colonial past, ACCORD for their work in preserving the stories and places of the Saint Augustine civil rights movement and activities which played a key role in passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

This Year's Recipient: Friends of Fish Island

The Saint Augustine Historical Society is pleased to announce Friends of Fish Island has been selected as the 2022 recipient of The Herschel Shepard Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation in St. Augustine and St. Johns County. Friends of Fish Island was formed in 2018 by a group of concerned citizens who recognized the significant historic and cultural resources of Fish Island needed protection from development. The group has done extraordinary work to protect and educate the public regarding this extremely ecological and historically significant site; they have worked with both the city and the state and continue to do so to ensure its protection.

Fish Island is a 57-acre property located on the Intracoastal Waterway on Anastasia Island. Jesse Fish, the man for whom the island is named, built a home there in the 1700’s. The land is known to be the location of an early orange grove in Florida and a significant producer of oranges during the onset of the Florida citrus industry. A resolution, written by the St. Augustine Historical Society Board of Trustees In 1975 declared Fish Island “worthy of preservation” noting its listing on the National Register of Historic Places. The endeavors of Friends of Fish Island align directly with the Herschel Shepard Award as the resolution states the “the award shall be conferred annually upon that person, organization, group or project that makes an extraordinary contribution to the preservation of St. Augustine’s historical legacy.”

The Board of Trustees will recognize Friends of Fish Island at a reception on May 5th, 2022 from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM and will be held at the Oldest House Museum Complex (14 St. Francis Street, St. Augustine, FL 32084).