Old Brewster Hospital

Built in 1855, this Victorian style residence was sold in 1901 to the Women's Home Missionary Society of the Methodist Church.

Here, the Missionary Society established the first Jacksonville hospital for blacks and the first training facility for black nurses. ...

Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church - Jacksonville

After the Civil War, several dozen freedmen formed the Society for Religious Worship and were formally recognized in 1866 as the Mount Zion AME Church. A 1901 fire destroyed their brick sanctuary which seated 1,500 worshippers. Within months the church ...

Mount Olive African Methodist Episcopal Church

Designed and built by Jacksonville's first black architect Richard L. Brown, this 1922 church reflects his eclectic style.

Built of concrete block, textured on the upper stories to simulate quarry stone, the church includes a large portico at the main ...

Matthew Gilbert School

Reflecting the Italian Renaissance style, Matthew Gilbert School was constructed in 1926 to serve the Oakland and East Jacksonville communities. Alumni include two-time Olympic gold medal winner, Robert (Bullet) Bob Hayes.

The site was originally occupied by the Florida Baptist ...

James Edward Simpson-St. Michael's Cemetery

Born on November 18, James Edward Simpson (1807-1871) was the younger brother of Ezekiel E. Simpson. His father, John Simpson, built the Woodbine Mill, a water-powered sawmill, on the Simpson River near the town of Bagdad.

Following the death of ...

James Bright-St. Michael's Cemetery

James Bright and his wife, Elizabeth, share the same grave marked by a marble obelisk. Their grave is remarkable at St. Michael's Cemetery as a step down tomb, there are only two other step down tombs in the cemetery.

James Bright ...

Helena Bowes-St. Michael's Cemetery

Helena Bowes (1873-1939) was born in Pensacola. Her father, John Bowes, worked as an engineer for the local shipping and sawmills industries.

Helena and her sibling lived with relatives of the well-established Fauria and LeFrancois families. Helena's aunt, Sophia Fauria, ...

George Pfeiffer-St. Michael's Cemetery

Born Johann Georg Pfeiffer (1829-1873)in Germany on August 2, George Pfeiffer immigrated to America in 1849.

George settled in Pensacola where he operated a number of very profitable mercantile ventures which included: a bakery, a ship chandlery, and a buggy ...

Ezekiel E. Simpson-St. Michael's Cemetery

Ezekiel Simpson (1803-1875) born on May 27 moved to the area with his family in 1814. In 1840, Ezekiel married Sophia S. Allen of Boston, Massachusetts, and together they had three children, only one of whom survived to adulthood.

After ...

Don Tomas Possee de Rioboo-St. Michael's Cemetery

Born in Ferrol, Spain, don Tomas Possee de Rioboo (1772-1832) moved to Florida sometime prior to 1800. In 1800, Rioboo married Eugenia Josefa Bonifay, and the newlyweds were given a plot of land on the western side of Pensacola by ...