National Register of Historic Places

St. Mary's Church

Green Cove Springs, Clay County, Florida
Listed
February 17, 1978
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
78000933

About this property

St. Mary's Episcopal Church is an historic Carpenter Gothic church located at 400 St. Johns Avenue in Green Cove Springs, Florida. On February 17, 1978, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. St. Mary's was organized in 1878 as a mission church of the Episcopal Diocese of Florida. Green Cove Springs was a popular winter resort at the time, and a woman from Boston who spent her winters there wrote to Bishop John Freeman Young asking that a chapel be built to serve the town's seasonal guests. Winter visitors and year-round residents together raised more than $1,000 to build the church on a donated lot valued at $500. The first service was held on March 10, 1879. The building stands on 3-foot-high piers about 40 feet from the St. Johns River. The church's stained-glass windows came from Colgate Studio in New York City, one of the earliest stained-glass studios in the United States. The windows were created by Henry E. Sharp and are among the earliest examples of American-designed and manufactured stained glass in Florida. The windows cost $1,100 when the church was built. In the windows behind the altar, three beatific women represent the virtues of St. Mary: faith, charity and hope. The angel Gabriel is in the center of the rose window above the altar. In 2012 parishioners in the 150-member congregation made memorial donations to restore the 18 stained-glass Lancet windows on the east and west sides of the church. The church received a $22,500 state historic preservation grant in 2013 to complete restoration of the windows. The state grant was matched by an anonymous donor. The restoration will include cleaning the windows, re-stenciling and re-leading them if necessary, and repairing the framework supporting the windows. The stained glass also will be covered in clear Lexan thermoplastic that is resistant to ultraviolet light and is ventilated to reduce moisture and sun damage. Historic Significance: Event, Architecture/Engineering Architect, builder, or engineer: Charles C. Haight, Lewis, Lawrence & Adams Area of Significance: Religion, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture National Register of Historic Places listings in Florida Clay County listings at National Register of Historic Places Florida's Office of Cultural and Historical Programs

Location

Green Cove Springs, Clay County, Florida
29.99755, -81.67776

Categories

EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENTARCHITECTURERELIGION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about St. Mary's Church

This page lists St. Mary's Church. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your St. Mary's Church report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Green Cove Springs Historic District
Listed
0.2 mi
Clay County Courthouse
Industrial
0.6 mi
Holly Cottage
Industrial
4.8 mi
St. Margaret's Episcopal Church and Cemetery
Industrial
5 mi
Memorial Home Community Historic District
Listed
7.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was St. Mary's Church listed on the National Register?

St. Mary's Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 17, 1978.

What type of historic resource is St. Mary's Church?

St. Mary's Church is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for St. Mary's Church?

The period of significance for St. Mary's Church is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near St. Mary's Church?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near St. Mary's Church will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Clay County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Clay County.

Explore ClayCounty ›

More historic places in Florida

Browse all historic places in Florida.

View Floridahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Florida history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Floridahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near St. Mary's Church will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report