Founded on May 3, 1929, as the Jacksonville Historical Society, the centennial of the Jacksonville History Center is now four years away – 208 weeks from now. We stand on the shoulders of generations of volunteers, board members and staff who led the way before us. Thanks to them, we stand also on a 96-year record of continuous, credible public service to all of Jacksonville, a mature, irreplaceable research collection that continues to grow. A small team that fights above its collective weight, we have accomplished things that seemed ambitious and even audacious when first conceived.
In recent years, we have received opportunities to earn the trust of the broad Jacksonville community in many important ways, including:
- In 2012, acquiring the Palmetto Street property for the organization’s first permanent home
- In 2018, commemorating the 50th anniversary of Consolidation
- In 2022, organizing Jacksonville’s Bicentennial commemoration (both occasions accompanied by publication of important books)
- Acceptance of the photo and story collections of the Florida Times-Union
- Winning major public and private financial support for the renovation of the 105-year-old Florida Casket Company building
- Consistently advocating for legislation related to historic preservation
- Serving locally and beyond as the media resource for all things Jacksonville history
- Serving as the local history partner for public and private education at every level
Sometimes a gap appears between political rhetoric denouncing the state of public and academic history, and the passion that most people express for the learning about the past. Our role in bridging that gap is credibility. The Jacksonville History Center is the only professional public history organization serving all of Jacksonville. It is where people turn for authoritative, authentic representations of the people, places and events of Jacksonville’s past, and evidence-based interpretations of their meaning and impacts.
We are the stewards of four historic buildings in Downtown Jacksonville’s Eastside Sports & Entertainment District, occupying two campuses. One of those, the three-story brick factory / warehouse at 318 Palmetto Street, has for the past year been undergoing a total renovation, and will receive its certificate of occupancy within the next few days. Our next project is to furnish and equip it as the home of the Jacksonville History Center and the Haskell Archive of Jacksonville History. At 203 years old, Jacksonville needs and deserves a venue devoted exclusively to its rich, complicated history. Meeting that need is our job.
Jacksonville is now in its third century, and our organization is about to enter its second 100 years. As the JHC approaches its centennial, we are consumed with ambitious ideas for the future and have embarked on a major strategic planning process. Soon our members will receive an online survey to help us understand your needs and wishes. Please take a few minutes to respond, because we need and sincerely invite your engagement with our mission. Knowing about and understanding its past makes us care about the place where we live. That strengthens citizenship, and that’s why Jacksonville’s history matters.
Alan J. Bliss, Ph.D.
CEO, Jacksonville History Center