Skip to Main Content

Welaka, Florida: Welaka Maritime Museum (Gone)

Woodworker Richard Speas built boats of wood and glue, which were displayed in the museum.

Directions:
Hwy 17 south of Palatka, turn onto CR 309 in Satsuma into Welaka and turn east on Palmetto Street, go one block, turn north -- it is on the corner in the metal buildings.
Hours:
July 2016: Confirmed gone.
Status:
Gone

Visitor Tips and News About Welaka Maritime Museum

Reports and tips from RoadsideAmerica.com visitors and Roadside America mobile tipsters. Some tips may not be verified. Submit your own tip.

Welaka Maritime Museum

Randy Speaks died and museum contents were auctioned off.

[Harriett Jones, 07/21/2016]
Welaka Maritime Museum

Incredible handcrafted wooden steamboats and launches by a man with an artistic talent and extreme knowledge of boat building. Lots of antique boats as well as old outboards, marine engines, steam whistles, marine artifacts, a gift shop and a mounted glassed-cased alligator.

Museum is in a small, quaint town in NE Florida on the St John's River. The town also has an aquarium, an Indian mound at Mount Royalm as well as the oldest car ferry across the river to Salt Springs.

[Minnie, 08/13/2010]
Welaka Maritime Museum

Welaka Maritime Museum displays its collection of handcrafted wooden steamboats, launches, classic wood boats, antique outboards and marine engines, steam whistles, working steam engines, marine artifacts, figureheads. The gift shop is home to a 11'4" mounted alligator.

[Minnie, 07/18/2010]

It displays the woodwork creations of Richard Speas -- full-size boats built with wood and glue. The museum's logo is a grinning gator piloting a motorboat.

Welaka Maritime Museum

A wonderful stop in a town along the banks of the St John's River in NE Florida. This museum was started by a man with a God-given talent for woodworking. He built handcrafted wooden boats which are on display as well as steam engines, whistles, old outboards, antique classic boats, a mounted alligator and a gift shop. If you love boats and motors, put this on your to-do list.

[Minnie, 06/22/2009]

Latest Tips Across Roadside America

Catch up on the latest discoveries from the road.

Explore Thousands of Oddball Tourist Attractions!

Unique destinations in the U.S. and Canada are our special obsession. Use our attraction recommendation and maps to plan your next road trip.

My Sights

My Sights on Roadside America

Save Cool Vacation Destinations! ...Try My Sights

Mobile Apps

Roadside America app: iPhone, iPad Roadside America app for iPhone, iPad. On-route maps, 1,000s of photos, special research targets! ...More

Roadside Presidents app: iPhone, iPad Roadside Presidents app for iPhone, iPad. POTUS landmarks, oddities. ...More

Florida Latest Tips and Stories

Latest Visitor Tips

Sight of the Week

Sight of the Week

Easter Island Moai in America (Mar 25-31, 2024)

SotW Archive

USA and Canada Tips and Stories

More Sightings