by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
If you’d like to learn about the stories behind Jacksonville’s most historically significant churches and see some of the city’s greatest architecture, come Downtown Saturday afternoon. The 2009 edition of Downtown Vision, Inc.’s “Downtown Historic Church Tour” is from 1-5 p.m.
Actually, the event begins at 12:30 p.m. when local historian and author Wayne Wood presents a slide lecture that explains the architectural and historical significance of the 10 houses of worship on this year’s tour. Wood will give his presentation at Snyder Memorial a few steps from the Main Library on Laura Street, where the tour begins.
“I wanted to have the lecture at Snyder Memorial because it’s such a wonderful building and the more people who see how beautiful it is, the more hope there is it will be salvaged,” he said.
Many of the churches on the tour were reconstructed shortly after the Great Fire of 1901 practically destroyed every building in Jacksonville. The city’s churches were some of the first structures that rose from the ashes.
“The churches collected insurance money after the fire,” said Wood. “So they were able to rebuild very quickly. Most of them have truly exemplary architecture because the congregations wanted to build their churches to the glory of God and show off for the community.”
He also pointed out that architects and craftsman from all over the country came to Jacksonville to help rebuild after the fire. The churches built in the early 1900s were designed by some of the premier church architects of the time.
One of the churches on the tour is actually about 60 years more recent than the churches built early in the 20th century but its history goes back much farther. In 1823, Methodists were the first Protestants to hold worship services in Cowford (as Jacksonville was known then). Rev. John Jerry, the preacher in charge of the St. Augustine circuit, held the first services over John Warren’s store at the corner of Bay and Newnan streets near the river.
In 1965 services were first held in First United Methodist Church, at 225 E. Duval St. The style originated in colonial America in the 1600s and 1700s.
“It’s a style that was very popular in New England,” said Dick Thorburn, co-chair of the church’s worship committee and a member of the church for 37 years. He’ll be one of the tour guides at the church Saturday.
Thorburn cited First United Methodist’s stained glass windows as one of its most beautiful features.
“They were made in panes because of the Colonial style windows. The first window tells the story of John Wesley and in the rest you’ll find the entire New Testament,” he said.
Downtown is where you’ll find “some of the finest examples of ecclesiastical architecture in the state of Florida,” said Wood. Since what is called “Downtown” today was the entirety of the settled city at the time, the churches were built within a relatively small geographical area.
“It’s a rare experience to be able to walk from one church to the others. We have some wonderful specimens,” he added.
Tickets for the tour are $5 for adults with children 12 years and under admitted free. Advance sales are available at www.downtownjacksonville.org where a downloadable tour map is also posted. Tickets will be for sale Saturday at the Main Library, cash only. For those who don’t care to take the tour on foot, complimentary trolley service will be provided at the Main Library and at each church. In addition, 20 percent of all tickets sales will be donated to the Emergency Services and Homeless Coalition.
First United Methodist Church was designed after the Colonial Style.
The First Baptist Church built soon after the Great Fire of 1901.
356-2466