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Our History
St. Mary’s was organized as a mission church of the Diocese of Florida in 1878. The Right Reverend John Freeman Young, Bishop of the Diocese, appointed a committee to raise funds for the erection of the church building. The bishop obtained architectural plans from Charles C. Haight from New York. The site on which St. Mary’s is located was a gift of the Thaddeus David family, and at that time was valued at $500.
The first service was held in the St. Mary’s sanctuary on March 10, 1879, with The Rev. Dr. John A. Aspinwall of New York City officiating. The following year (1880) the tower and spire were added.
St. Mary’s was consecrated March 26, 1892 by The Right Reverend Edwin Gardiner Weed, assisted by The Rev. Webb of Philadelphia.
The original vessels for Holy Communion are still used in the services today. St. Mary’s was placed on the National Register of Historic Sites in 1979.
Original stained glass windows
The stained-glass windows in the sanctuary, from the Colgate Studio in New York, cost $1,100 when the church was built. They were given by the Dore family.
They are just as beautiful today as they were back then, and remain intact despite our heightened weather conditions in Florida.
The Parish Hall was originally an Army Chapel (Type CH-1) at Camp Blanding, FL. The framing of the hall proper is laminated wood arches, about 12 feet on centers, made of 1” lumber about 10” wide. The building, when it was moved, was placed on foundation walls of reinforced concrete.
It is a beautiful space inside, with the original pine wood floors and wood chandeliers. The windows are a tinted glass, which provides a warm glow. At the time of the move, asbestos siding shingles were placed over wood lap siding, an extension of the kitchen was added, and a room overlooking the river was attached to the side of the building in 1953; the interior is relatively unchanged.
Parish records indicate over 200 local individuals and businesses contributed to the effort to move the Chapel to the current property in late 1948. From that time, it has served the community and the church as a meeting place. There are many stories of different uses of the building. At one time, the local Junior High School held dances in the Parish Hall. In 2002, the Parish Hall was also placed on the National Register.
Over 140 Years Later...
St. Mary’s continues to flourish in God’s goodness. We continue to open wide our doors and welcome all to “Come to the Waters” along the St. John's River to worship together and to empower and nurture disciples to serve the world in Jesus’ name.
We welcome you to join us on our journey of faith, seeing God at work in our midst in Green Cove Springs, Florida, and beyond!
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