Oldest Church in the Florida Diocese
Key West, Monroe County, Florida
Marker Inscription
Oldest in Florida Diocese, the present church (1912) is the fourth on this site, John Fleming, one of the four original owners of the island, is buried here. His widow donated the property, stipulating that the church pews be free. Rectory built 1853, The chimes, first installed in a Florida church, were originally in a frame church (1886) destroyed in 1909 hurricane
Erected by Florida Board of Fares and Historic markers
The Story
The oldest congregation in its Florida diocese, this Key West church stands on a site that has held four successive sanctuaries, the present one dating to 1912. John Fleming, one of the island's four original owners, is buried here, and his widow donated the property on the condition that the pews remain free to all. Its chimes, first hung in an 1886 frame church destroyed by the 1909 hurricane, were the first church chimes in Florida.
Why it matters
The church traces the founding and growth of Key West itself, from its earliest American settlers through the storms and rebuildings that shaped island life.
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Related people
- · John Fleming
Themes & tags
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