Before Mayport: The Lost Town of Hazard
Updated: Jul 16
Forgotten First Coast Series
By Sandbar Sofa Surfers Academy
Standing beside the fence of Naval Station Mayport is a historical marker that many people drive past every day without noticing. It tells the story of a place with a forgotten name—a community that existed long before today's Mayport.
That forgotten place was called Hazard, sometimes spelled Hazzard on early maps.
Today, little evidence of the name remains, yet the history of Hazard is woven into every wave entering the St. Johns River.
A River Older Than History
Long before maps, roads, or lighthouses, the mouth of the St. Johns River was home to Indigenous peoples who lived along Florida's First Coast for thousands of years.
One of the most significant archaeological sites in the area is the Old Mayport Mound, a Native American shell mound constructed over many generations. The mound represents thousands of years of life centered around fishing, shellfish gathering, trade, and travel along the river.
The St. Johns River was already one of North America's great waterways long before European ships ever appeared on the horizon.
The River of May
In 1562, French explorer Jean Ribault entered the river and named it Rivière de Mai (River of May) because he arrived during the month of May.
The river would later become known as the St. Johns River, but Ribault's original name would eventually inspire the community name Mayport centuries later.
Why Was It Called Hazard?
During the early American Territorial period, the small settlement near the river entrance became known as Hazard.
The name likely reflected the dangerous nature of navigating into the St. Johns River.
Before modern jetties stabilized the inlet, shifting sandbars constantly changed position. Strong tidal currents, hidden shoals, storms, and breaking surf made entering the river extremely dangerous.
Only experienced river pilots knew the safest path across the shifting bars.
For generations, guiding ships safely through these waters became one of the community's most important occupations.
The First Lighthouse
As maritime traffic increased, Congress funded construction of the first lighthouse near the river entrance.
Completed in 1830, the lighthouse stood too close to the Atlantic Ocean.
Within only three years, erosion threatened its foundation, forcing its removal.
A second lighthouse was constructed farther inland in 1835, but shifting sand dunes gradually blocked its light from ships at sea.
Neither lighthouse survived as intended, demonstrating just how dynamic and unforgiving the river mouth could be.
Becoming Mayport
As settlement continued, Hazard gradually became known as Mayport Mills, reflecting both the River of May and the growing lumber industry.
The sawmills exported timber throughout the region while fishermen, pilots, and merchants established permanent homes nearby.
Eventually the word "Mills" disappeared, leaving simply Mayport, the name still used today.
The Forgotten Cemetery
Hidden beneath modern roads, Navy property, and layers of fill lies one of Northeast Florida's most mysterious historic sites.
The Old Mayport Cemetery is believed to contain graves dating back to the earliest days of the settlement, and local tradition even suggests some burials may date to the Spanish colonial period.
Today the cemetery is largely inaccessible, but a historical marker reminds visitors that beneath the pavement rest generations of Mayport's earliest residents—people who once lived in Hazard and Mayport Mills before the modern village existed.
The Lighthouse That Survived
In 1859, a third lighthouse was completed.
Unlike its predecessors, it was built farther inland and tall enough to overcome the shifting landscape.
Although no longer in operation, the Old St. Johns River Light still stands within Naval Station Mayport and remains the oldest surviving building in the community.
It serves as a lasting reminder of the generations who risked their lives guiding ships through one of Florida's most dangerous inlets.
Why This Story Matters
The name Hazard has nearly disappeared from modern maps.
Yet beneath today's streets, beneath the Navy base, beneath the fishing village and ferry crossings, lies a story stretching from Indigenous communities to French explorers, Spanish soldiers, American river pilots, lighthouse keepers, shrimpers, and sailors.
Every ship entering the St. Johns River still passes the place once known as Hazard.
Most people never realize they are sailing through one of Florida's oldest forgotten communities.
Sandbar Sofa Surfers Academy
"The ocean remembers what maps forget."
Our Forgotten First Coast series explores the hidden history of Northeast Florida—bringing forgotten places, lost communities, and remarkable stories back into the light through research, photography, education, and documentary filmmaking.
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