ORANGE PARK, Fla. – Many know John McCain as a decorated war hero and influential senator, but few are aware of his connection to Orange Park.
That connection sits on a historic row of organic modern builds.
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Cynthia Cheatwood, a local historian, shared her insights into the McCain house.
“I have not had the opportunity to tour inside it myself, but I have seen photographs and read accounts of it. This is a mid-century modern design,” she explained, highlighting the home’s emphasis on “natural light and organic design.”
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Nestled on Fatio Lane, the area is filled with organic-looking homes. It is like going back in time.
“It is like you’re coming home to your own private paradise,” said Cheatwood.
One of these homes was once the residence of the late McCain, a war hero and prestigious politician.
McCain’s story as a war hero is well-documented. In 1967, while flying over Hanoi, he was shot down, fracturing both arms and a leg during ejection. Captured by Vietnamese soldiers, he endured five and a half years as a prisoner of war before his release.
After his release, he came home to Fatio Lane.
“When John McCain lived here, there were at least 60% of these homes filled with Navy pilots or people that worked at the base to facilitate those Navy pilots,” Cheatwood said. “So, it was a community that knew each other, worked with each other, supported each other, and ironically, Crumpler, another POW who was with John McCain in the Hanoi Hilton, lived right across the street.”
During McCain’s time in Vietnam, his family resided in Orange Park. The neighborhood rallied around them, especially when McCain’s wife suffered an injury. Families on the street would cook and bring food over to the family.
“Doug, who was the oldest boy, said, ‘Oh my gosh, I can’t stand another casserole. You can kind of imagine those are a lot of work,’” Cheatwood said.
Two of the McCain children attended Orange Park Elementary, and the youngest didn’t know her father when he returned home.
“She was 6 months old when he left. All she knew was what they could tell her,” Cheatwood explained, emphasizing the family’s resilience during McCain’s absence.
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The McCain family found a sense of belonging in Orange Park, making it their home.
“We are a military town, and Orange Park has veterans everywhere you look. The historical society created a memorial inside the entrance of Magnolia Cemetery just for the veterans. So, we have an annual Veterans Day celebration there every year, and we have put a brick in there in John McCain’s name, even though he’s not buried,” Cheatwood said.
Fittingly, the man who lives in McCain’s old home is an Air Force veteran.
“John McCain would love that,” she said.
News4JAX also extends their appreciation to the family living there now who allowed us to film outside and tell this story.