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St. Andrew's Episcopal Church (Jacksonville, Florida)
Encyclopedia
St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, also known as Old St. Andrew's, is a historic building in downtown Jacksonville
, Florida
, USA. As its name implies, it was originally an Episcopal
church, but closed when the parish relocated to the suburbs in 1960. On May 4, 1976, the edifice was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
. In the 1990s it was purchased by the City of Jacksonville and turned over to the Jacksonville Historical Society
(JHS), and now serves as the society's headquarters.
, built in 1881, as well as chapels in Waldo
, Fairbanks
, Pablo Beach, and Lake Santa Fe
. St. Andrew's was built in 1887 on a single level using brick masonry and contained a massive front corner tower with louvered belfry and steep spire roof. It stood at 317 Florida Avenue, now 317 A. Phillip Randolph Boulevard. The architecture was praised in the 1889 edition of King's Handbook of Notable Episcopal Churches in the United States:
St. Andrews was the only major church in the city that survived the Great Fire of 1901
.
, the area along the river north of the city center experienced an economic boom as dozens of industrial operations moved in. Liberty Ship
s were built to support the war effort. The Gator Bowl Stadium
was erected in 1949 and construction began on the Mathews Bridge
, which opened in 1953. Jacksonville Baseball Park
began construction in 1954. The once quiet neighborhood had become undesirable, and residents began to move elsewhere. Residential development in the suburbs increased dramatically, and membership at St. Andrews fell to the point that it could no longer support itself. The Arlington Mission of the Episcopal Diocese of Florida
was created in July 1959, and in January 1960, it was renamed St. Andrew's and all the furnishings and memorials of the old St. Andrew's were moved to 7801 Lone Star Road.
Old St. Andrew's Episcopal Church was deconsecrated
, closed and boarded up. The once thriving area around the church declined, and by the late 1970s the building had fallen into disuse and disrepair. Vacant for almost three decades, the building was a tremendous challenge for historic preservation. The situation changed with the arrival of the Jacksonville Jaguars
NFL team, as the City of Jacksonville purchased most of the land around Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, including the Old St. Andrew's site.
the rights to the building if they could restore it. According to the JHS website, many people thought that the condition of the structure was beyond repair. However, a $242,000 preservation grant was secured from the state of Florida in 1996, and a challenge grant
from the Weaver Foundation helped the JHS to raise $1 million to complete the project. Restoration began in 1996 and was completed on April 18, 1998, with the structure becoming the new home of the Jacksonville Historical Society. Since restoration the building is seen as one of the finest specimens of nineteenth-century architecture in Duval County
, and it is a popular spot for meetings, weddings and other civic events. It was the site of the ESPN
Super Bowl XXXIX
party in January, 2005.
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, USA. As its name implies, it was originally an Episcopal
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
church, but closed when the parish relocated to the suburbs in 1960. On May 4, 1976, the edifice was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. In the 1990s it was purchased by the City of Jacksonville and turned over to the Jacksonville Historical Society
Jacksonville Historical Society
Jacksonville Historical Society is a 501 non-profit organization in Jacksonville, Florida, begun by 231 charter members on May 3, 1929 at the Carling Hotel.-History:...
(JHS), and now serves as the society's headquarters.
History
St. Andrew's Episcopal Church was designed by architect Robert S. Schuyler in the Gothic Revival style. Schuyler also designed St. Peter's Church in FernandinaFernandina Beach, Florida
Fernandina Beach is a city in Nassau County in the state of Florida in the United States of America and on Amelia Island. It is a part of Greater Jacksonville and is among Florida's northernmost cities. The area was first inhabited by the Timucuan Indian tribe...
, built in 1881, as well as chapels in Waldo
Waldo, Florida
Waldo is a city in Alachua County, Florida, United States. The population was 821 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2004 estimates, the city had a population of 784....
, Fairbanks
St. Mark's Episcopal Church (Starke, Florida)
St. Mark's Episcopal Church, is an historic Carpenter Gothic Episcopal church located today at 212 North Church Street in Starke, Bradford County, Florida. Designed by Fernandina architect Robert S...
, Pablo Beach, and Lake Santa Fe
Lake Santa Fe
Lake Santa Fe is a spring-fed lake in northeastern Alachua County, Florida. The lake is located entirely in Alachua County, but is bounded on the east side by Bradford County...
. St. Andrew's was built in 1887 on a single level using brick masonry and contained a massive front corner tower with louvered belfry and steep spire roof. It stood at 317 Florida Avenue, now 317 A. Phillip Randolph Boulevard. The architecture was praised in the 1889 edition of King's Handbook of Notable Episcopal Churches in the United States:
Great Fire of 1901
The Great Fire of 1901 in Jacksonville, Florida was one of the worst disasters in Florida history and the largest urban fire in the Southeast. It was similar in scale and destruction to the 1871 Great Chicago Fire.-Origin:...
.
Economic boom
Beginning with World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the area along the river north of the city center experienced an economic boom as dozens of industrial operations moved in. Liberty Ship
Liberty ship
Liberty ships were cargo ships built in the United States during World War II. Though British in conception, they were adapted by the U.S. as they were cheap and quick to build, and came to symbolize U.S. wartime industrial output. Based on vessels ordered by Britain to replace ships torpedoed by...
s were built to support the war effort. The Gator Bowl Stadium
Gator Bowl Stadium
Gator Bowl was an American football stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. Originally built in 1927, it was radically reconstructed in 1994 in preparation for the Jacksonville Jaguars inaugural season and became Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, now EverBank Field. It is most notable for hosting the Gator...
was erected in 1949 and construction began on the Mathews Bridge
Mathews Bridge
The Mathews Bridge is a truss bridge in Jacksonville, Florida, which spans the St. Johns River. Constructed in 1953, the bridge brings traffic along the Arlington Expressway between downtown Jacksonville and the Arlington neighborhood. It was named after John E...
, which opened in 1953. Jacksonville Baseball Park
Sam W. Wolfson Baseball Park
Samuel W. Wolfson Baseball Park, better known as Wolfson Park, was a baseball park in Jacksonville, Florida. It stood from 1954 until 2002, when it was demolished and replaced by the new Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville...
began construction in 1954. The once quiet neighborhood had become undesirable, and residents began to move elsewhere. Residential development in the suburbs increased dramatically, and membership at St. Andrews fell to the point that it could no longer support itself. The Arlington Mission of the Episcopal Diocese of Florida
Episcopal Diocese of Florida
The Episcopal Diocese of Florida is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America . It originally comprised the whole state of Florida, but is now bounded on the west by the Apalachicola River, on the north by the Georgia state line, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean and on the...
was created in July 1959, and in January 1960, it was renamed St. Andrew's and all the furnishings and memorials of the old St. Andrew's were moved to 7801 Lone Star Road.
Old St. Andrew's Episcopal Church was deconsecrated
Deconsecration
Deconsecration is the act of removing a religious blessing from something that had been previously consecrated by a minister or priest of that religion. The same act when performed by a member of a differing religion may be considered a curse by some religions and not a complete removal of the...
, closed and boarded up. The once thriving area around the church declined, and by the late 1970s the building had fallen into disuse and disrepair. Vacant for almost three decades, the building was a tremendous challenge for historic preservation. The situation changed with the arrival of the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
NFL team, as the City of Jacksonville purchased most of the land around Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, including the Old St. Andrew's site.
Rebirth
The City of Jacksonville gave the Jacksonville Historical SocietyJacksonville Historical Society
Jacksonville Historical Society is a 501 non-profit organization in Jacksonville, Florida, begun by 231 charter members on May 3, 1929 at the Carling Hotel.-History:...
the rights to the building if they could restore it. According to the JHS website, many people thought that the condition of the structure was beyond repair. However, a $242,000 preservation grant was secured from the state of Florida in 1996, and a challenge grant
Challenge grant
Challenge grants are funds dispersed by one party , usually a Government Agency, Corporation, Foundation or Trust, typically to a non-profit entity or educational institution upon completion of the challenge requirement...
from the Weaver Foundation helped the JHS to raise $1 million to complete the project. Restoration began in 1996 and was completed on April 18, 1998, with the structure becoming the new home of the Jacksonville Historical Society. Since restoration the building is seen as one of the finest specimens of nineteenth-century architecture in Duval County
Duval County, Florida
Duval County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2010, the population was 864,263. Its county seat is Jacksonville, with which the Duval County government has been consolidated since 1968...
, and it is a popular spot for meetings, weddings and other civic events. It was the site of the ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
Super Bowl XXXIX
Super Bowl XXXIX
Super Bowl XXXIX was an American football game played on February 6, 2005, at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, to decide the National Football League champion following the 2004 regular season...
party in January, 2005.