ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- It's a 37-mile stretch of title-less land that spans all the way from Mayport to Vilano Beach. Many people just refer to the island, that crosses into both Duval and St. Johns County, as the "beaches."
But the land mass, which in St. Johns County sits west of the Intracoastal Waterway between the St. Augustine Inlet and the St. Johns River, is now at the center of a national search for a name.
"We're looking forward to capitalizing on the fact that we have a 450 year history and a unique treasure here that's no name island," said Neil McGuinness.
McGuinness is part of a group of citizens that applied to name the coastal lands "San Pablo Island." It has already been approved in Atlantic, Neptune, and Jacksonville Beaches.
"For hundreds and hundreds of years the name Pablo and San Pablo tied this whole area together," said McGuinness.
But on Monday also sitting in front of the St. Johns County Cultural Resources Review Board were a group of vocal veterans in favor of naming the area "Veterans Island."
"We're a nation at war. We've been in the longest war this nation has known in history. It's time to recognize all of our men and women," said (Ret) Sgt. Maj. Ray Quinn.
And to them, what better way to do that than here, up and down the Florida coast. A place, they say, is already littered with "San Pablos".
"I think they've used that enough. It's time for us to let the past name go and recommend that we name that island Veterans Island," said local veteran A.J. Sartin.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the cultural board approved a motion to deny the application for "San Pablo Island." The board is requesting an extension of time to get more public input on the matter.
Ultimately, the final decision will be up to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.
