St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church
Erected - 1910-1913
Saint James African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church has been located on Cypress Avenue since 1880 on land purchased from General Henry S. Sanford. The current structure was designed by Prince W. Spears and built in 1910-1913.
The design of the church is a Ravenna and Bacchus style of Constantinople (circa 527 A.D.). It contains an octagonal baptistry within a square structure; slanting theatre floor; circularly positioned pews; an octagonal cupola; and four matching stained-glass windows in a conservative, Tiffany style.
Saint James was significant in the earlier days of the A.M.E. Church in Florida, serving as parent church to several mission churches in the Sanford area, and continues to play a leading role in the Black Churches of Florida.
—
Presented to the St. James A.M.E. Church membership by the
City of Sanford Historic Preservation Board - 1991
Marker is at the intersection of Cypress Avenue and East Ninth Street, on the right when traveling north on Cypress Avenue.
Courtesy hmdb.org
