St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Palatka is an example of the Carpenter Gothic style of architecture. | City of Palatka
Published on July 8, 2026 at 4:13 pm
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St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Palatka — one of Florida’s oldest and most significant African American churches — has been added to the National Register of Historic Places.
The designation of the 143-year-old sanctuary at 809 St. Johns Ave. represents a key milestone in preserving Palatka’s cultural and architectural heritage, city officials say.
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Built between 1883 and 1884, the church — built in the Carpenter Gothic style — served African Americans who settled in Palatka’s Newtown community after the Civil War. The church is also among Florida’s oldest African American wooden churches still serving its congregation.
The nomination of St. Mary’s was driven by Dianne Taylor, who researched and prepared the nomination, helped by the congregation, community advocates, the City Commission and the city’s Historic Preservation Board.
Taylor could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
St. Mary’s also was documented in a history of Florida’s Carpenter Gothic churches, filed in 1997 by the National Register.
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Carpenter Gothic is a 19th-century architectural style that adapted stone features of European Gothic cathedrals. The history indicates that St. Mary’s was one of at least 15 mission churches built along the St. John’s River, including St. George’s on Fort George Island and the Church of Our Savior in Mandarin.
A video tour of the church was done in June.
The church becomes one of 13 places designated for the register in Palatka. They include St. Marks Episcopal Church, the Ravine Gardens Historic District and the Larimer Memorial Library.
Mayor Robbi Correa said the addition of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church is “a tremendous honor” for the community.
“This designation recognizes not only the architectural beauty of this historic church, but also the generations of faith, perseverance, and community leadership it represents,” Corea said in an announcement on the designation. “Preserving landmarks like St. Mary’s ensures that Palatka’s history continues to inspire future generations.”
The National Register of Historic Places is the nation’s official list of historic properties worthy of preservation. It recognizes sites that have made significant contributions to American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, and culture.
More than 100,000 sites nationwide are listed on the National Register’s website.
