Embrace the Mandarin Experience |
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Dear Friends,
The main gallery and art gallery are getting closer and closer to being completely renovated. Seen here are the gift shop and two new exhibit panels. The beautiful wooden pieces were originally built by Board member Mike Myers and then fortified and finished by volunteer Tom Johns. They are sturdy and actually look like furniture - they are so beautiful. On these spaces we will tell short stories of Mandarin history, including: Timuquans, Spanish/English period, Seminole Wars, Marion Losco, historic houses, churches and schools, activities in the 50s and 60s,and businesses along SR13. The next step is signage.
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We've also made a change in the Civil War soldiers, putting the Union uniform on a Black mannequin. That was done to be a more historically accurate representation of Mandarin's Civil War service.
As we did our research we realized that all the names we had for Confederate military service were White citizens, as expected. We knew that there were a few White residents with known Union service, like Major William Webb and Capt. L. O. Parker, but they both came to Mandarin AFTER the Civil War.
The only men we could find that resided in Mandarin at the time of the war who served on the Union side were freed Black men. After the Emancipation, the occupying Union forces in Jacksonville encouraged men to sign-up for the U.S. Colored Troops, which many from Mandarin did. Thus the Black Union soldier represents Mandarin well.
Sandy Arpen
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Congratulations to Don Bowden
2022 "Nextdoor 100" award
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When MMHS nominated Don for this good neighbor award, we thought it was for the Nextdoor groups in Jacksonville.
Turns out - it was really for all of the Nextdoor groups in the US!!!! Don was one 64,000 people nominated and 100 people chosen (by a panel of judges) in the US - not just Jacksonville.
Click Here to see to the 100 winners - only 4 were in Florida. This is truly amazing and a great testimony to Don's contributions and his goal to "make people smile."
Please, if you see him, congratulate him for this national recognition and honor.
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Harriet Beecher Stowe
Kitchen Garden
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Thanks to George DeMarino, Candace Gerding, and Karen Droege, volunteer Master Gardeners, the new kitchen garden, which was relocated to be next to the farmhouse kitchen is starting to produce.
This garden bed frame was built by and installed in the park by students at Deep Creek Academy in Hastings as a service project to the community while learning carpentry skills. We are grateful to them for their good work.
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JaxBest Update
June 1
11am
We were delighted to have Rance Adams from WJXT visit us in May to interview Board President Patrick Plumlee and volunteer Triny Sanchez for a segment on River City Live on WJXT (News4Jax) related to our JaxBest History Museum Award.
Rance is behind the camera interviewing Patrick, and Triny is in front of the schoolhouse.
Triny has a beautiful story, which she shared. She moved to Mandarin from the Miami area to be close to her son. She greatly missed walking on the beach every morning as it was her "special place." So when she moved to Mandarin she was looking for a new special place...and she found it in Walter Jones Historical Park. She then became a volunteer... and you can meet her in the schoolhouse where she serves as a docent frequently.
She is a wonderful volunteer and she tells her story to Rance with much passion.
The interview will be aired on June 1 - WJXT. The River City Live program starts at 11 am, but we don't know the exact time of our segment.
Thank you Rance and WJXT for sharing our mission with the whole community through this program.
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Thinking of Harriet Beecher Stowe!
Harriet Beecher was born in Litchfield, CT on June 14, 1811 - barely into the 19th century - 210 years ago! She was one of the most famous women and authors of her time, but she probably couldn't have imagined that people would still be talking about her, learning about her, and appreciating her contributions - in the 21st century - in 2022!
Most of us think of her during her time wintering in Mandarin, when she was between the ages of 56 and 73. Or we think of the impact she had by writing Uncle Tom's Cabin or Palmetto Leaves or any of the thirty books she wrote.
Few think about that fact that she was also a mother of seven children after marrying Professor Calvin Ellis Stowe in 1836. Or that she wrote "Uncle Tom's Cabin" with children in the house who were ages 1, 8, 11, 13 and two 15-year-old teenagers!
Harriet's life was certainly productive, exciting, and inspiring...but also hard, painful and tragic with the loss of four of her children before her own death.
- First born were the twins - Harriet and Eliza, who were in Mandarin every year with their parents and they also cared for them as they aged.
- Next was Henry, who died at 18 by drowning while at Dartmouth College.
- Third was Frederick, who was wounded at Gettysburg, got his mother to come to Florida and then disappeared forever in 1870 at the age of 30.
- After Fred was Georgianna, their youngest daughter, who had their first grandchild, but she also died young at age 39.
- Samuel only lived to 18 months, dying of cholera in Cincinnati.
- And the last born was Charles, who lived a long life and wrote "The Life of Harriet Beecher Stowe" in 1890.
For more information about the Stowe family, click HERE to link to the Stowe Center website - Hartford , CT.
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CONGRATULATIONS
MATTHEW CAMPBELL
Our congratulations to MMHS volunteer Matthew Campbell who graduated Summa Cum Laude (with highest distinction) from UNF with a B.S. degree in Computing & Information Sciences.
Matthew is a whiz on the computer and he has volunteered for many years, helping us by scanning the historical files, documenting our DVD collection in a searchable format, and doing a special project to make our 100 years of census records easy to search and read.
He has been a great help to us and we certainly wish him the very best as he begins his career search.
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1939 house
Lots of folks ask us about what we call the "1939 house" on County Dock Road. This house was actually built in 1939 by Mamie and Jack Woolfe (Mamie was one of Walter and Edith Jones' daughters.) They lived there until they moved out of state for a period of time and then they rented it out for quite a long time. When the City bought the Jones property in 1994, thought was given to this house becoming the Mandarin Museum. However, it would have been too hard to make it work for a public building, since the second floor would not be handicap accessible. So, it was moved to its present location to enable the City to have a law enforcement officer live there to keep an eye on the park.
Jim and DeeDee Carey have lived there all this time, but the house was really deteriorating from age. We are happy that the City started an exterior renovation, which is going to be beautiful when completed. R. G. White Construction is doing the work.
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June Bicentennial
200th Birthday Party
Jacksonville plans to celebrate big on June 11 from noon until fireworks! An all-day event will take place downtown, on Laura Street and at the James Weldon Johnson Park.
Check out all the details at the Jacksonville Historical Society's website - click HERE!
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Mark your calendars for MMHS openings in June
In June, 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 June 4 and June 18 in Walter Jones Historical Park.
The "Under the Oaks" music jam will happen on Sunday, June 5, from 2-4 unless it is 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. The schoolhouse will be also open during this event. Thanks to Eric Arndt for leading again in June.
The Store and Post Office will be also open June 18 from 10-2 - 12471 Mandarin Road.
The Mandarin Museum remains closed for renovation.
Don't forget to talk a shady stroll on the boardwalk and go out over the beautiful St. Johns on County Dock when you visit the park..
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Mandarin Newsline
The June 2022 edition of the Mandarin Newsline will be available soon, by June 1 or 2.
This free newspaper is our chief way of sharing history stories, events and programs with the public. They are able to publish free papers due to the robust local advertising. Please pay attention to the ads and shop and eat at those businesses that support the community in this way.
To read the entire Newsline click HERE.
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Cindy and Sue, who are sisters, came to the May frog painting event and left with these charming creatures!
They had such a fun time. The eyes of the frogs are blue "In memory of our mom."
Too cute!
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Thank you to our community partners |
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MISSION: Mandarin Museum & Historical Society shares the stories of Mandarin's history, culture and natural resources by providing engaging programs that educate, entertain and inspire.
VISIT. JOIN. VOLUNTEER
Mandarin Museum & Historical Society
904-268-0784
mandarinmuseum@bellsouth.net
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