JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — May is known as the "National History Preservation Month" to some; to the Jacksonville History Center, it's an opportunity to educate residents and showcase their annual list of endangered historic buildings.
The history center's CEO, Dr. Alan Bliss, believes taking care of the past creates a legacy for future generations.
"So when we visit those places and we see them preserved in our neighborhoods, it's a reminder that this place has a past," Bliss said. "The city we occupy in the present is our legacy of that past. And then when we see that it that way, it reminds us that we are the stewards and custodians of the city in the present."
In a full list provided to First Coast News, the history center names the church across from City Hall, once known as the Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church, and the Laura Street Trio buildings as Jacksonville's most endangered historic buildings.
The Laura Street Trio, three buildings at the corner of Laura and Adams streets, were described by Bliss as "artifacts of the aftermath of the Great Fire" in 1901.
Another building they consider endangered is the Universal Marion building, also known as, the old JEA headquarters. Bliss said the building is a symbol of the city's architecture from the 1950s and 1960s.
Also included in the history center's list were endangered schools. The list included Atlantic Beach Elementary School, Fishweir Elementary School, Ortega Elementary School and West Riverside Elementary School; all of which were named in a proposal to close multiple schools throughout Duval County.
To Bliss, protecting endangered historical buildings proves the city has an authentic identity.
"Preserving the the buildings and the places that were significant in Jacksonville's past, once they reach enough of an age to be historic, that's a way to tell the stories of the people and events of the past," Bliss said. "So, it's not just about the brick and mortar buildings. They are the physical venues, the locations, the places where influential things happened, and the people who came before us experienced their life of Jacksonville."
Here's the Jacksonville History Center's full list of endangered historic buildings:
Most Endangered
- Snyder Memorial Methodist Church
- Laura Street Trio
Endangered Schools
- Annie Lytle Public School
- Atlantic Beach Elementary School
- West Riverside Elementary School
- Fishweir Elementary School
- Annie R. Morgan Elementary School
- Brentwood Elementary School
- Henry F. Kite Elementary School
- Whitehouse Elementary School
- Ortega Elementary School
Endangered Religious Structures
- Mount Olive A.M.E. Church
- Mount Calvary Baptist Church
Endangered Historic Dwellings
- Wesley Manor (Westminister Woods)
- Victorian Duplexes
- Post-Civil War Cottage, 328 Chelsea Street
- Dr. Horace Drew Mansion
Endangered Businesses
- Scottish Rite Masonic Temple
- Independent Life Building
- Ambassador Hotel
- Arlington Federal Savings & Loan
- Eartha M.M. White Youth Recreation Center
- Claude Nolan Cadillac Building
- Jax Brewing Company
- Universal Marion / JEA Building
Endangered Public Buildings
- Old Duval County Armory
- Genovar's Hall