If you're walking downtown Fernandina Beach and want to see one building that tells the story of the island's commercial history, the Palace Saloon at 117 Centre Street is it. The structure dates to 1878, originally built as a haberdashery, and was converted into a saloon in 1903 by Louis G. Hirth, who installed the 40-foot hand-carved mahogany bar that still runs the length of the room today.
The Palace holds the title of Florida's oldest continuously-operating drinking establishment. Its history passes through the island's Gilded Age (the Vanderbilts, DuPonts, and Carnegies drank here during their Amelia Island visits) and through Prohibition (the Palace was the last bar in Florida to close the night before Prohibition took effect, and survived the dry years by selling gasoline, ice cream, and near-beer from the same building).
The architectural interior is intact where original, and the bar itself is the centerpiece. Any history-oriented walk through downtown usually ends or starts here, and the building reads as authentic rather than reconstructed.
The Palace operates as both an attraction and a working bar with pub fare and regular live entertainment. Visitors who want to experience it as a historical site can walk in during operating hours and sit at the bar; those who want a full evening can plan around the live-music calendar.
For current hours, music schedule, and any historical-tour availability, thepalacesaloon.com is the source. Phone is (844) 441-2444. The building is a short walk from the Fernandina Beach Marina and a full lap of Centre Street, which makes it natural to pair with a downtown walking afternoon. For visitors planning around signature Centre Street events like Shrimp Festival or Dickens on Centre, the annual events calendar maps the weekends worth planning around.