October 20, 2025
The Maple Leaf is a traveling exhibit developed through the Museum of Florida History’s Traveling Exhibit (TREX) Program. Behind the 2,000 pounds of exhibit content is Dr. Keith Holland, a Jacksonville dentist who discovered the wreck in the St. Johns River in 1984. Over the course of a decade, Dr. Holland founded the St. Johns Archaeological Expeditions to excavate thousands of artifacts from the vessel, buried beneath 7 feet of mud in 20 feet of water.
Today, the Amelia Island Museum of History hosts this remarkable exhibition, allowing visitors a rare glimpse into the everyday lives of soldiers. A companion exhibit highlights the mystery and beauty of the underwater world through the lens of local Amelia Island artists.