"As Florida's Chief Cultural Officer, it is an honor to notify you that you have been awarded $92,063 under the Department of State's 2019-2020 Cultural Facilities Program. This grant is to support the project entitled "Mandarin Museum Building expansion" as outlined in your application."

 

Oh my, we are excited...and grateful! We are very grateful to the Division of Cultural Affairs for offering and managing grants like this that allow even small organizations like ours to benefit. We are grateful to the Florida Legislature and Governor DeSantis for increasing appropriations this year in support of the hundreds of diverse and rich arts and cultural organizations throughout the state.The full amount for matching grants requested by the Division of Cultural Affairs was not appropriated, but it is a big improvement from last year and hopefully next year these grants will be fully funded again.

And, were are grateful to all of you - our members and friends. Thank you for your support of this expansion project through your monetary and in-kind gifts to the expansion fund. We had to have that commitment in the bank before we could even apply for this grant. We will be able to do this project because of the gifts of generous individuals and businesses, including:  the Mandarin Rotary Club, Bhide & Hall Architects, P.A., R.G.White Construction and, of course, Mandarin's Frog Man, Don Bowden (who allocated 60% of all frog sales to the expansion).

Thanks also to all of you who advocated for funding for our project and also generally for arts and culture by contacting our Duval Delegation of senators and representatives, as well as key committee members and the Governor. Those efforts, I am sure, made an impact on the improvements in funding this year.

And many thank yous to all the MMHS Board members for taking a chance, believing in the idea, and advancing our efforts to better serve the community through this project.

It will be so exciting to have a consolidated and expanded Maple Leaf exhibit to further educate visitors about this National Historic Landmark shipwreck; to have an art gallery that will allow us to rotate the wonderful art we have in our collection and to offer periodic special art showings; to be able to have a display that focuses on African-American history in Mandarin; and have the ability to bring in other stories and objects that we just haven't had room to share.

We hope to be able to start the build in January 2020.

Sandy Arpen

"Blue Star Family Day" at Walter Jones Historical Park

July 20

• Along with the Mandarin Museum, all four historic buildings in the park will be open for visitation: the 1898 St. Joseph's Mission Schoolhouse for African-American Children, the 1875 Webb/Jones Farmhouse, the 1876 Webb Barn, and the Losco Winery.
• Civil War reenactors - A special display, "In Search of Valor," features the common foot soldier of the Civil War, both Union and Confederate - a simulated encampment with period tents, weapons, uniforms and soldiers' personal effects. The Union Navy will also be represented.
• Meet and personally talk with Dr. Keith Holland and St. Johns Archaeological Expeditions divers, who recovered Civil War artifacts from the U.S. Army Troop Transport Maple Leaf. This shipwreck, which lies in the St. Johns at Mandarin Point, is a National Historic Landmark. The Mandarin Museum exhibits about 70 of these artifacts.
• Live old time music from the Civil War period.
• Our second exhibit of special military interest is "A Soldier's Story," which focuses on the experiences of World War I, drawing on the personal letters and artifacts of a local resident, Pvt. Marion J. Losco, who died in France 101 years ago on July 31, 1918. An authentic and complete WWI uniform is part of this display as well as personal objects that belonged to Pvt. Losco.
• Blue Star Families of Jacksonville will be present at the event and will have special surprises for military families specifically.

 "Back in Time with Brett" by MMHS volunteer Brett Nolan features the King Hosue on Mandarin Road this month.   

 

The Mandarin Museum and the Schoolhouse are open on Saturdays from 9-4. All other historic buildings in Walter Jones Historical Park (11964 Mandarin Rd.) AND the Mandarin Store and PO (12471 Mandarin Rd.), are open from 10-2 on the first Saturday. Exceptions to this schedule are listed in the calendar above.