Secretary Byrd Announces the Designation of the St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in the National Register of Historic Places

TALLAHASSEE, FLA. -

Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd announced today that the St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Palatka, Putnam County, has been listed in the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places.

"As one of Florida's oldest active churches, St. Mary's remains an important part of Palatka's community," said Secretary of State Cord Byrd. "Placement in the National Register of Historic Places puts this church in the company of our state's most treasured landmarks, highlighting its unique history."

St. Mary's Episcopal Church is located in the heart of Newtown, Palatka's historically black neighborhood. It was constructed in 1883 by John W. Purcell, a black Episcopalian licensed lay reader, master carpenter, and founder of the congregation. It is among the oldest traditionally black churches of any denomination in Florida that remains in use today. It is a small, one-story church constructed entirely of wood.

The church features many characteristic elements of late-19th century Carpenter Gothic churches, including its interior layout, steeply pitched roof, vertical siding, lancet windows, exposed structural roof supports, and extensive expertly crafted wood detailing. John Purcell's master carpentry skills are evident in the building, which retains original architectural details and materials.

The Newtown community developed in the aftermath of the Civil War and largely operated independently of the rest of Palatka. Newtown was home to residential neighborhoods, several churches, schools, and a thriving business district along Lemon Street, offering a variety of retail shops, professional services, and recreational activities.

St. Mary's Church, 2026

John Purcell was born in 1811 to a free black family in South Carolina, where he lived until moving to Palatka with his four adult sons in 1881. Purcell trained his sons in carpentry. He founded St. Mary's Episcopal Church in 1882, originally leading worship services from his home. Purcell and his sons constructed the Carpenter Gothic church in 1883 and dedicated it St. Philip's Episcopal Church. The name was changed to St. Mary's in 1901.

Following Purcell's death in 1886, Edward Hezekiah Butler was selected to lead the church and was ordained Reverend Butler on May 22, 1889, becoming the first black Episcopalian priest in Florida. St. Mary's and the leadership of its members represent decades of the church's stewardship, outreach, and support for Newtown. St. Mary's is still used today for community gatherings to celebrate the historic legacy of the black community.

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About The National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places is a list maintained by the National Park Service which includes historical or archaeological properties including buildings, structures, sites, objects, and districts, that are considered worthy of preservation because of their local, statewide and/or national significance. Nominations for properties in Florida are submitted to the National Park Service through the Florida Department of State's Division of Historical Resources. Florida has over 1,700 listings on the National Register, including 295 historic districts and 175 archaeological sites. There are more than 50,000 sites contributing to the National Register in Florida. For more information, visit https://dos.fl.gov/historical/preservation/national-register/. For more information about the National Register of Historic Places program administered by the National Park Service, visit https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/index.htm.

About The Florida Department of State's Bureau of Historic Preservation

The Bureau of Historic Preservation (BHP) conducts historic preservation programs aimed at identifying, evaluating, preserving, and interpreting the historic and cultural resources of the state. The Bureau manages the Florida Main Street Program, and under federal and state laws, oversees the National Register of Historic Places program for Florida, maintains an inventory of the state's historical resources in the Florida Master Site File, assists applicants in federal tax benefit and local government ad valorem tax relief programs for historic buildings, and reviews the impact that development projects may have on significant historic resources. For more information, visit flheritage.com/preservation.