St. Andrew's Episcopal Church (Jacksonville, Florida)

Infobox_nrhp | name =St. Andrew's Episcopal Church
nrhp_type =


caption = Recent picture the former St. Andrew's Episcopal Church
location= Jacksonville, Florida
lat_degrees = 30
lat_minutes = 19
lat_seconds = 32
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 81
long_minutes = 38
long_seconds = 37
long_direction = W
locmapin = Florida
area =
built =1887
architect= Robert S. Schuyler
architecture= Late Gothic Revival
added = May 04, 1976
governing_body = Private
refnum=76000593cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2008-04-15|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service] The former St. Andrew's Episcopal Church building at 317 Florida Avenue, now 317 A. Phillip Randolph Boulevard, [ [http://www.jaxhistory.com/headquarters.htm The Jacksonville Historical Society ] ] is an historic structure in Jacksonville, Florida. On May 4, 1976, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. It is now the headquarters of the Jacksonville Historical Society [ [http://www.jaxhistory.com/headquarters.htm The Jacksonville Historical Society website: Headquarter page] ] (JHS).

History

The Historic St. Andrew's Episcopal Church was designed by architect Robert S. Schuyler in the Gothic Revival style. St. Peter's Church in Fernandina, built in 1881, was another of Schuyler’s designs, as well as chapels in Waldo, Fairbanks, Pablo Beach, and Lake Santa Fe. St. Andrews 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. The superb architecture was praised in the 1889 edition of "King's Handbook of Notable Episcopal Churches in the United States": [King's Handbook of Notable Episcopal Churches in the United States by George Wolfe Shinn; 1889, 288 pages]

“This new Church…is regarded as one of the most satisfying pieces of architecture in the South. It is built of pressed brick laid in black mortar, the trimmings being of stone. The ground plan is cruciform, the vestry-room on one side and the organ-chamber on the other forming the transepts. The chancel and nave are separated by three arches of masonry. The chancel, in addition to the usual furniture, has seats for a vested choir of forty voices. The interior woodwork of the building is Florida pine, carefully selected and as carefully put together. The doors, a special gift, are made of solid mahogany. The ceiling is panelled with yellow pine. The tower rises to a height of 120 feet, and is the highest now in the city.”

St. Andrews was the only major church in the city that survived the Great Fire of 1901 [ [http://www.flheritage.com/services/sites/fht/record_t.cfm?ID=246&type=c&index=16 Florida Heritage website: Tourism Interactive Catalog-St. Andrew's Episcopal Church] ] During the mid-1950’s, development of suburbs such as Arlington and a subsequent wave of "white flight" left the Jacksonville city itself, including the area surrounding St. Andrews. Membership at the church fell to the point where the facility 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. [ [http://www.standrewsjax.org/History.html New St. Andrew's Episcopal Church website - History Page] ]

The Historic St. Andrew's Episcopal Church was deconsecrated, closed and boarded up. The once thriving residential area around the church declined, and by the late 1970's the building had fallen into disuse and disrepair. Vacant for almost three decades, the building was one of the biggest challenges facing local preservationists. Ironically, the arrival of the Jacksonville Jaguars helped save it. [ [http://www.jaxhistory.com/headquarters.htm Jacksonville Historical Society website: Headquarters page-OLD ST. ANDREW'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH] ] With the advent of an NFL team, the city government purchased most of the land around the stadium, including the Old St. Andrews site.

Rebirth

The City of Jacksonville gave the Historical Society the rights to the building if they could restore it. The "Weaver Foundation" issued a challenge grant and the JHS was able to raise $1 million to complete the restoration of the old church to use as its headquarters.

The building is 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. [ [http://www.jaxhistory.com/weddings.html Jacksonville Historical Society website: Have your wedding or party at historic Old St. Andrews] ]

ee also

* St. Andrew's Episcopal Church

References

External links

* [http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/FL/Duval/state.html Duval County listings] at [http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com National Register of Historic Places]
* [http://www.flheritage.com Florida's Office of Cultural and Historical Programs]
** [http://www.flheritage.com/facts/reports/places/index.cfm?fuseaction=ListAreas&county=duval Duval County listings]
** [http://www.flheritage.com/services/sites/fht/record_t.cfm?ID=246&type=c&index=16 St. Andrew's Episcopal Church]
* [http://www.jaxhistory.com/headquarters.htm Jacksonville Historical Society wesite]
* [http://www.standrewsjax.org/History.html New St. Andrew's Episcopal Church website - History Page]