Dear Friends,

So...finally...we present the brand new Maple Leaf exhibit room! This room was built and designed specifically for our expanded exhibit related to the story of the National Historic Landmark shipwreck in the St. Johns River - the Civil War steamship - Maple Leaf !

The Maple Leaf has been part of the Mandarin Museum since we began and were operating out of the tiny office area of the Mandarin Community Club. Interest in it just continues to grow.

This event, the sinking of the Union troop transport by a Confederate mine at Mandarin Point on April 1, 1864, is a huge part of Mandarin's history. And, we were so fortunate that Jim Towart was the historian on the St. Johns Archaeological Expedition's (SJAE) work to recover and preserve artifacts from the ship. And, he became a MMHS Board member and made sure that MMHS always had a Maple Leaf presence.

We are also very fortunate that the person who located the shipwreck, founded SJAE, and recovered over 4000 pieces of Civil War material, Dr. Keith Holland, agreed to participate in MMHS's 150th Anniversary of the sinking in 2014 - which grew to be a monthly presence of Dr. Holland and his SJAE divers for "Meet the Divers" days. We should all be forever grateful to all of these people for all they have done to keep this story alive.

So....just IMAGINE - when we have our Grand Reopening - this room will be full and it will present a chronological, cohesive and fascinating story and Dr. Holland and his divers will once again tell you all about it. What an exciting "next chapter" MMHS will be entering!

The other room that was built in this expansion, was the Archive Room, the place that we keep our wonderful collection of documents, books, photos, art and objects. Our original archive room had long been outgrown. We could barely work in it, it was so packed and crowded. So...the old room will soon house all of our artwork that is framed, as well as non-accessioned historical files.

The new room seen here is a delight to have - a real workroom and space for our Archive team: Pam Neumann, Lynn MacEwen, Barb Pucci and Connie Hendricks to care for and manage our ever growing collection. It's still a work in progress, but it will also have two desks and computers (for which we are grateful to have received a donation of surplus computers, screens and keyboards from Ameris Bank) and more shelving.

Beginning Feb. 7, our new officers on the Board of Directors will be:

President, Patrick Plumlee (photo 1 )

Vice-President, Sandy Arpen (photo 2)

Treasurer, Bruce Vacca (photo 3)

Secretary, Jim Waler (photo 4, on left - with member Mike Woodward)

The rest of the Board includes:

Virginia Barker

Henry Davis

Gabriele Dempsey

Karen Droege

Hope Ferrigno

Susan Ford

Anne Morrow (also Bookkeeper)

Mike Myers

Karen Roumillat

Roger Sallas

Roger Williams

Mike Woodward

Photos of the rest of the board will occur over the next few issues.

In honor of Black History Month, MMHS is proud to announce that our Third Thursday Lecture, via ZOOM, will be presented by Adonnica Toler, of the Ritz Theatre and Museum. The topic will be the amazing life of Eartha White - one of Jacksonville's most highly respected residents.

Many know of the famous Miss White because of the Clara White Mission (named after her adoptive mother.) But this woman, who was born in 1876 and lived 97 years, contributed to the greater Jacksonville community in countless ways through her philanthropy, education and her humanitarian spirit.

And, she had connections to the Mandarin area, of which many are not aware. She started and taught at a school in Bayard for Black children. She also purchased land on State Road 13 (now San Jose Blvd.) and gave it and the first Harriet Beecher Stowe Community Center building to the Black community in Mandarin - forever!

This evening promises to be very interesting.

If you would like a link to the ZOOM meeting, please email mandarinmuseum@bellsouth.net and we will email you a link to the meeting.

Everyone loves seeing Virginia Barker's chickens and bunnies during our big special events. During the pandemic, while we weren't having any big events, the chicken coop started having some problems.

Many thanks to Virginia's friend Bob Grinsell for his time, effort and talents to restore the coop and the pen. We look forward to having some live chickens in there again at our Grand Reopening.

We ourselves have been having a quiet game of croquet out under the orange-trees, playing till we could see the wickets no longer. So goes our day,—breezy, open-aired, and full of variety. Your world, Mr. Union, is seen in perspective, far off and hazy, like the opposite shores of the river. Nevertheless, this is the place to read papers and books; for every thing that sweeps into this quiet bay is long and quietly considered."

In February , the historic buildings in Walter Jones Park are scheduled to be open on the first and third Saturdays. The 1875 Webb/Jones farmhouse, 1876 Barn, 1898 St. Joseph's Mission Schoolhouse for African-American Children and Losco Winery log cabin will be open from 10 am – 2 pm on February 5 and February 19 in Walter Jones Historical Park.

The "Under the Oaks" music jam will happen unless it is too cold or raining. All are welcome. If you play an acoustic instrument, bring it and join in the song circle and jam. If you don't, bring a lawn chair and be a "listener" - just sitting out under the oaks enjoying the music. They'll play from 2-4 on Sunday, February 6. They'll expect to play every first Sunday from 2-4, weather permitting, until summer. PS The schoolhouse will be open this day also.

The Mandarin Museum will still remain closed for renovation, but the Gift Shop items will be available on the front porch when the park buildings are open as listed above.

The Store and Post Office will be also open on February 19 from 10 am - 2pm at 12471 Mandarin Road, just a mile west of the park. This building is on the National Register of Historic Places and brings great delight to visitors.

If you moved to Mandarin after 1974, you might not know that Clark's was truly a fish camp at one time. Originally owned by the Clark family, it featured fishing boats for rent, tackle, and bait. By 1974 Jack and Joan Peoples had purchased it and decided to convert it to a seafood restaurant that included a huge collection of stuffed animals.

If you ask an old-timer about Clark's, the thing many remember the most is the loud chirping of hundreds of crickets that were kept in a big tub right inside the door.

The Ximenez-Fatio House Museum in St. Augustine is offering an exciting event on February 5 - a specialty program entitled " I Lived Here As Well - A Woman's Story." This costumed story-telling of enslaved and free women who also lived and worked in this 223 year old house gives a different perspective than that of the owners.

To learn more and reserve your place for this unique presentation, click HERE.