Historical Organizations and Resource Guide
By Marilyn Haddock, Clay County History Month Liaison, March 2015
Black Heritage Hilltop Museum
Located at Longmire Ave at Hunter-Douglas Park in Middleburg
The Museum is housed in a one-room school house dating from the late 1800’s. Visits and
tours are by appointment, and include an oral history discussion; photographs, and artifacts including
homemade toys, and more; call Maude Jackson 904-282-4168 or 904-406-9399 for information.
Brothers of the Coasts Pirates
Located at 918 S. Edgewood, Murray Hill Library in Jacksonville
Activities include meeting the 2nd Tuesday at 7:00pm, attending local events to educate the public in the
golden age of piracy 1670-1720. Family friendly, historically accurate, fire & fencing demonstrations and
educational lectures, plus more. Contact Lola Hunter 904-891-4972 for information.
Camp Blanding Museum & Memorial Park
Located at 5629 SR 16 W, at the entrance of Camp Blanding, mailing address Starke
The Museum is dedicated to Units and their soldiers that trained at Camp Blanding during the
Second World War; owned and operated by the Florida Department of Military Affairs, hours are
Tuesday – Sunday, noon to 4:00pm. Highlights include an extensive WWII collection inside, with a Camp
Blanding POW Compound model. Outside are more artifacts including a WWII C47 Aircraft, an
A6 & A7 used in Vietnam, Huey UH 1 helicopter used in Vietnam, armored vehicles from Desert Storm
including tanks and ambulances, plus more. Contact Greg Parsons 904-682-3196 for information.
Clay County Archives and Research Center
Located at Gratio Place and Hwy 16, at the Historical Triangle in Green Cove Springs
The Archives Research Center is operated by the Clerk of the Court and is housed in the
renovated 1894 Jailhouse, offering study on a wide range of Clay County’s history, including thousands
of digital photos and extensive historical records; open Monday - Thursday, 9:00am–2:00pm, also
available are a wide range of historical and educational lectures provided throughout the county.
Contact Vishi Garig, Archive Specialist, at 904-284-2386 or clayarchives@clayclerk.com.
Clay County Historical Society and Museum
Located at 915 Walnut Street, at the Historical Triangle in Green Cove Springs
Activities include meeting the 4th Monday at 6:30pm with featured speakers, operating the
History & Railroad Museum, providing local narrated history tours, hosts the annual Railroad Festival
and participate with other county events, plus more. Displayed in museums are late 19th and early 20th
century photos and artifacts including a vintage general store, kitchen and clothing room; plus an
extensive collection of Railroad memorabilia with a wide variety of artifacts and 1920’s red caboose.
Museums open Sundays 2:00pm – 5:00pm, with weekday tours by appointment. Contact John Bowles
at historicsociety@aol.com for information.
Clay County Historic Preservation Board
Located at 477 Houston Street and Orange Avenue (Hwy 17) in Green Cove Springs
The Preservation Board is an appointed board and serves in an advisory capacity to the Clay
County Board of County Commissioners; the purpose of the board is to identify, evaluate, recognize,
preserve and protect significant historic and archaeological resources. Activities include meeting the
3rd Tuesday of month at 6:00pm, co-sponsoring Florida Historical Markers, coordinating Preservation
Month in May, reviewing and designating historic sites and overall promoting the rich history of Clay
County. Contact Carolyn Morgan 904-529-5365 for information.
General Roy S. Geiger Detachment #1047, Marine Corps League of Clay County
Located at 2296 Aster Street at the VFW Post #8255 in Middleburg
Activities include meeting the 3rd Monday at 7:00pm; attending local events proudly promoting
patriotism, assisting senior Veteran’s and their families, present certificates of honor to businesses that
display the American flag, perform Color Guard at Russell Haven Cemetery for Memorial Day
celebration, Toys for Tots collection September-December for disadvantaged children at Christmas,
and more. Contact Blair Bolth at 904-891-8499 for information.
Daughters of the American Revolution
Located at 130 Kingsley Avenue in Orange Park
Activities include meeting the 2nd Thursday at 6:30pm with featured speakers; giving annually
scholarships and recognizing community volunteers. The organization perpetuates the memory and the
spirit of the men and women who achieved American Independence, promotes the development of an
enlighten public opinion and fosters patriotic citizenship, plus more. Contact Barbara Albright at
904-215-1788 for information.
Girl Scouts Museum
Located at Camp Chowenwaw Park, US 17 & Ball Rd in Green Cove Springs
The Museum highlights the beginning of Girl Scouting in Northeast Florida and the history of
Camp Chowenwaw during the 70 years it operated as a Girl Scout Camp, now owned and operated by
Clay County Board of County Commissioners. The Museum is open the 3rd Saturday of every month,
9:00am-11:00am; contact Barbara Beyerl 904-529-8058 for information.
Historic Melrose, Inc
Located at the Homemaker’s Club, corner of Centre and Park Street in Melrose
Activities include meeting annually on the 2nd Sunday of February at 1:00pm, with board
meetings throughout the year; maintaining the Daurer Photographic Center, the Melrose Heritage Park
with the Memorial Brick pathway, and sharing the area’s rich history through special projects, events,
tours and more. Melrose, an unincorporated area, is unique that it is located in four different counties
including Clay, Alachua, Bradford and Putnam. Contact Rosemary Daurer 352-475-2413 for information.
Historical Society of Orange Park
Located at 1039 Kingsley Avenue at the Clarke House Park in Orange Park
Activities include meeting the 2nd Monday at 6:30pm with featured speakers, hosting the Clarke
House, educating the community about the rich history that abounds in the Greater Orange Park area,
taking an active role in events depicting the past, including Carrie Clarke Day, Moonlight on Magnolia
Cemetery Tour, and the Veteran’s Memorial in Magnolia Cemetery, Christmas in the Park, plus more.
Contact Van Hogan 904-631-8309 for information.
Historical Society of Penney Farms
Located at 4100 Clark Avenue in the Penney Farms Town Hall
Activities include meeting the 3rd Thursday at 7:00pm with a featured speaker, and maintaining
an artifact museum consisting of mineral samples, turpentine supplies, homemade building materials,
and a roof tile signed by a worker in 1927, information on the original Long Branch City, Mr. James Cash
Penney, and more. Contact Ted Townsend at 904-284-8441 for information.
History Talks and Guided Tours, and Virtual Parade of Heritage: 24/7 localized interpretive history
online, contact Art Yeaman 904-449-4607 or www.greencovecivic.org/parade of heritage.html and/ or
www.heritageguides@gmail.com for information.
Keystone Heights Heritage Commission
Located at 555 S. Lawrence Blvd in the Keystone Heights Town Hall
The Heritage Commission is an appointed board and serves in an advisory capacity to the Town
of Keystone Heights Council; activities include meeting the 3rd Monday at 6:30pm, education of the local
government agencies and the public at large on the protection, promotion and preservation of Keystone
Heights’ agricultural, historical and cultural resources; arranging tours of historic homes, walking tour
brochures, and more. Contact LaDonna Hart 352-281-8237 for information.
Middleburg Historical Museum
Located at 3913 Section Street in Middleburg
Activities include meeting the 1st Thursday at 7:00pm with featured speakers, holding special
history events including the Historic Middleburg Fall Festival, and maintaining the History Museum
depicting the earlier lifestyle of Middleburg, and surrounding areas; with artifacts and photos including a
special exhibit on Gen. Roy S. Geiger from WWII, Ft. Heileman of the 2nd Seminole War, the local lumber
mill and turpentine enterprise, a vintage kitchen and bedroom, plus more. Open Sundays 2:00-4:00pm,
with weekday tours by appointment; contact Pat Mueller 904-282-5924 for information.
Military Museum of North Florida
Located at One Bunker Ave and Hwy 16/Taylor Parkway, at Reynolds Park in Green Cove Springs
Activities include maintaining a comprehensive Military Museum, open Wednesday – Saturday
10:00am-3:00pm and Sunday noon – 4:00pm; housed in a 4,000 square-foot quanset hut at the former
WWII Benjamin Lee Airfield. The museum includes artifacts and information from the Revolution War to
present day Iraq and Afghanistan Wars; a complete saddle from the Civil War, weapons display, military
vehicles including jeeps, a lighter amphibious resupply cargo unit (LARC) used in Vietnam, an engine
from a hellcat aircraft that crashed in 1943, and ambulances. Also, host an Auto Show on Armed Forces
Day, with military vehicles, hot rods, antique cars and motorcycles; and host a history themed arts and
crafts show in the fall, and more. Contact Herb Steigelman 904-584-8719 for information.
Military Vehicle Preservation Association
Four State-wide meetings held per year in different locations
Is a State organization, with a North Florida Chapter; activities include participating in various events,
providing detail information and educational interest on a variety of military vehicles, and traveling on
convey excursions. Vehicles include prior to and including WWI, WII, Korean, Vietnam issues and more.
Contact Stanley Kinmuth at 904-276-1418 or stantr6@comcast.net for information.
North Florida Railway Museum, Inc.
Located at 4041 J. Louis Street, between Roland & Bunker Ave, at Reynolds Park in Green Cove Springs
Activities include museum open the first, third and fifth Saturdays of the month, 9:30am 3:30pm; on exhibit are a railroad locomotive, caboose, sleeping car, museum display car, special events
throughout the year. Contact William Billy, Jr. 904-504-8487 or crrgator@juno.com for information.
Wings of Dreams Aviation Museum
Located at 7100 Airport Rd at Keystone Heights Airport
Activities include the monthly 1st Saturday vintage aircraft fly-in and breakfast, 8:00am-10:00am,
with open house at the Museum displaying artifacts and information distinctive to aviation and space
programs including a North American B-25 Mitchell Bomber, a 1945 Piper L-4J Grasshopper, a NASA
shuttle flight simulator, external shuttle fuel tank (to be delivered), astronauts transport carrier, with a
special exhibit that features the contributions of the Women’ Air force Service Pilots (WASPS), plus
much more. Contact Bob Oehl at 352-256-8037 or visit www.wingsofdreams.org for information.