Yulee Railroad Days in Archer

Children stood, mouths open, fingers in ears, in anticipation for the last blast of the day.

Families from Archer and the surrounding areas gathered around as Civil War demonstrators loaded the antique canon. At 1:30 p.m., the canon fired its last shot, clearly louder than some of the smaller children had been expecting.

The afternoon canon blasts were one of the many events of a day that featured live music, barbecue, a parade and a tour of the city’s oldest active industry: Maddox Foundry and Machine Works.

The day’s events were all part of Yulee Railroad Days, a tradition started in 1995 in honor of David Levy Yulee, Florida’s first senator and driving force behind Florida’s first trans-state rail line.

The festivities were not only to honor the impact of Yulee but also to remember Florida’s past.

Aside from the railroad that runs through the city, the most visible reminder of the city’s history is the Maddox Foundry and Machine Works, owned and operated by the Maddox family since 1905. The 105-year-old factory, which creates custom parts for industrial equipment, has been passed down through five generations.

On Saturday, Maddox Foundry opened its doors and held tours of the factory. Visitors were able to see the inner workings of the factory and hear about its storied past.

The event also featured a diverse group of vendors, from the historical, those selling homemade crafts to the cutting edge, those offering information on renewable energy.

The railroad Yulee spearheaded started construction in 1855 and finished on March 1, 1861, six weeks before the start of the Civil War. The rail stretches 155 miles from Fernandina on the Atlantic Ocean to Cedar Key on the Gulf of Mexico. It also runs through Starke, Waldo, Gainesville, Archer and Bronson.

Starting in 2004, the event has grown across the state of Florida with the goal of being the first linear festival be celebrated in towns across the state, according to a press release from Yulee Railroad Days Web site. For 2010, it was held in Archer and in Homosassa, where Yulee’s home is.

The Archer Historical Society and Railroad Museum sponsored the event.