FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. — Fernandina Beach’s iconic Peg Leg Pete statue has been relocated to the Amelia Island Museum of History, the city announced on Thursday.

“Although preservation efforts are ongoing, Pete is on public display at the Museum, ensuring that this familiar and iconic piece of Fernandina Beach’s maritime character remains accessible to the community,” the city said in a Facebook post.

“Peg Leg is gone,” said Kay Neal while walking past the pedestal Peg Leg Pete stood on. “That’s all I can say.”

A lot has changed since Neal moved to Fernandina Beach 29 years ago, but there’s been constant – Peg Leg Pete.

For the first time in years, Neal passed the intersection of Front and Center Streets, and Pete was nowhere to be found.

“It’s strange not seeing Peg Leg here,” said Neal. “He’s been here for a lot longer than I have.”

The statue went up in 1978 and came down quietly overnight, without any swashbuckling, after nearly 50 years on his pedestal.

A spokesperson for the City of Fernandina Beach said Pete was determined to be “unsafe” so he was “retired to the Amelia Island Museum for safekeeping.”

That spokesperson said the city is getting quotes on refurbishing him and the human ashes found inside are staying put with Pete during that process.

“It was kind of a surprise for me,” said The Wood Carving Dude Jett Paxton. “I drove down here for work this morning and saw him completely gone. It’s exciting. It’s interesting. It’s intriguing.”

Jett Paxton carved a new statue he hopes will one day be the next captain of Pete’s pedestal.

“I know they have to get some engineering studies done on mine to make sure he’s safe and won’t fall over, but I’m hopeful those will come back okay and that we can get him up soon,” said Paxton.

The city spokesperson said the Historic District Council hasn’t decided if or how they’ll replace Pete at this point.

So, for the time being, the pedestal will stay as empty as an old treasure chest while Pete shivers his timbers awaiting refurbishment at the Amelia Island Museum.

“It will feel as if something is missing, which it already does,” said Paxton.

The director of the Amelia Island museum told First Coast News that Pete was a bit too tall and heavy to get through the door. They didn’t really have a spot for him, so, for the foreseeable future he will be just outside the museum on 3rd Street while the powers at be decide his destiny.