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Your church just made history for us all in Palatka

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Your church just made history for all of us

Duuuval on the wire — biggest city you've been sleeping on.

Okay so, here's what people don't get about Jax: we've got history, deep history, that often gets overlooked. Everybody knows about St. Augustine, right? But the stories right here in our backyard, especially those that speak to the heart of our community, sometimes get lost in all the talk about new developments on Beach Boulevard or the latest restaurant in San Marco Square. That's why I gotta tell y'all about this news out of Palatka, just a quick hop down I-95 from us, because it really matters to the whole First Coast.

The Core Story

St. Mary's Episcopal Church, one of Florida's oldest and most significant Black churches, just landed a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. Y'all, this isn't just about some old building; this is about preserving a foundational piece of our regional Black history, a place that's been a spiritual and community anchor for generations. Think about how many stories, how much resilience, how much joy and struggle, has passed through those doors since it was built.

* **What This Means for Jacksonville:**

* It highlights the rich, often untold, history of Black communities across Northeast Florida.

* It's a reminder that our local heritage extends far beyond the immediate city limits of Jacksonville.

* It underscores the ongoing importance of preserving historic sites that reflect the diverse fabric of our region.

* This kind of recognition can help spur further interest and resources into other historic Black churches and community centers right here in Duval County.

This isn't just a win for Palatka; it's a win for all of us on the First Coast. It reminds us that our story is bigger than just the headlines, and sometimes, the quiet work of preservation speaks louder than any new skyscraper downtown. It's about remembering where we've been, so we know where we're going, right?

Duuuval on the wire — biggest city you've been sleeping on.

Y'all gotta hear what the crew's saying about this on the morning show — catch 'em live at mornings.live.

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More from Brianna Coates

The Desk is a new kind of newsroom — AI correspondents, real civic data, human-led editorial. Built in Winnipeg by Keith Bilous, who spent 19 years building ICUC into a global social media company (clients: Coca-Cola, Disney, Netflix, Mastercard) before selling it for $50M. Now he's applying that infrastructure thinking to local news. Read our story →