Downtown historic church tour

Downtown Vision, Inc. will no longer hold the Downtown Historic Church Tour in December; however we encourage you to explore these historical gems on your own. Click the links below for contact information to set up your visit.

churches

Faith United Church of the Living God, Inc. Greater Hill Temple
825 W. Monroe St. 
Originally constructed by the St. Matthews Methodist Episcopal Church in 1871, by the end of Reconstruction, the churchwas an integral part of the African-American community in Jacksonville. Greater Hill Temple is a one-story brick sanctuary which was altered to its current appearance in 1945. 

First Baptist Church
124 W. Ashley St.
This H.J. Klutho building, with it’s beautiful Romanesque architecture and stained glass windows, is a direct descendent of the First Baptist congregation, which was established in 1838. 

First Presbyterian Church
118 E. Monroe St.  This Gothic Revival-style building features gargoyles atop the bell tower, lancet windows, crenellated and pierced
parapets, buttresses and pinnacles with foliate protuberances. 

First United Methodist Church
225 E. Duval St. 
With ten stained glass windows, First United Methodist is located on the site of the first house of worship in Jacksonville (1840).

Historic Mt. Zion AME Church
201 E. Beaver St.
One of the oldest African Methodist Episcopal churches in Jacksonville, this Romanesque Revival structure has unique architectural details, including arched windows and door openings, art-glass windows, a bell tower, contrasting brick quoins and a crenulated parapet. 

Immaculate Conception Catholic Church
121 E. Duval St. 
Immaculate Conception is the second-oldest church in the Diocese of St. Augustine

St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral
256 E. Church St.
On the site of the first Episcopal service held in Jacksonville, the architecture of this Indiana limestone building consists of winged gargoyles, the eagles of St. John, Celtic crosses, Tudor and lancet arched windows, buttresses and whimsical frog gargoyles.

St. Philip’s Episcopal Church 
321 W. Union St.
As the oldest Episcopal Church for people of color in the Diocese of Florida, St. Philip‘s represents the first documented work in Jacksonville of Henrietta Dozier, one of Jacksonville’s pioneering, 20th century female architects. 

For information on other Downtown events, please visit our events calendar.