Record numbers for the society as 2016 begins

January is a month when the Jacksonville Historical Society regroups. The monthly speaker series is back on track along with a wide variety of history opportunities. Among those opportunities, the Monday, January 25, program with local author Dorothy K. Fletcher explores a popular subject and also title of Mrs. Fletcher’s new book, Historic Jacksonville Theatre Palaces, Drive-Ins and Movie Houses. Mrs. Fletcher graciously rescheduled her JHS February talk when our January speaker, Marcia Jo Zerivitz, experienced an emergency. It’s now all good news, and Ms. Zerevitz plans to reschedule her talk on Jacksonville’s Jewish History.

All of the JHS diverse activities—the Speaker Series, operating an archival repository, maintaining historic properties, providing exhibits, offering history information; and presenting offsite programming would be impossible without funding. It now appears that the single largest source of that funding is the society’s December Gingerbread House Extravaganza.

The Gingerbread Extravaganza attendance numbers last month reached more than 9,000, including the morning visits from school groups. Volunteer hours (not including the staff) totaled a whopping 4,049 hours with more than one hundred volunteers and counting! The fifty creations shown were a record in the event’s history.

While it takes many individuals to create the Extravaganza, Chair Pat Andrews’ role to transport the event to new heights with “ fifty houses and $50,000 in revenue” was inspirational. Joann Purdie, a former chair, played a major role in the event’s infrastructure—a juggling act of time, talent and precision. The Junior League of Jacksonville Sustainers were exceptional with their Festival of Trees installed in the Extravaganza along with Betsy Lovett’s magnificent Angel Tree.

The event, typically a $30,000 (or slightly more) fundraiser, realized more than $50,000. While the final figure is still to be determined, it’s likely the revenue, even after expenses, will surpass $55,000! Part of this new success is a $10,000 grant in perpetuity for the Gingerbread Extravaganza from the Delores Barr Weaver Forever Event Fund, est. 2015. (See the names of all the generous sponsors by clicking here.)

If you attended the event, thank you. Making money to support our history mission with a Gingerbread Extravaganza might seem quirky, but the event truly showcases area history in a way that’s fun and interactive. The Merrill House was dressed for daily holiday tours; the National Register Old St. Andrew’s was the inspiring event backdrop; the trees sported a history-related theme; and from the 50 gingerbread houses, more than 15 historic structures were on display, constructed from confection.

The year 2016, will certainly prove active and interesting for the society. Stay tuned for a February newsletter with a more complete listing of upcoming programs and exhibits. We’re off to a great start!

Society’s first leader and his family were legends in city history

When the newly formed Jacksonville Historical Society selected its first president to help create a foundation for all that was to follow, their selection was Henry Holland Buckman II. He was a mining engineer born in Jacksonville in 1887 to a pioneer family who moved to Jacksonville in 1837, only 15 years after its founding. His great-great grandfather was Andrew Turnbull, founder of the 18th century colony of New Smyrna. Buckman II was also related to Andrew Jackson, Florida’s first military governor and a U.S. President for whom Jacksonville is named.

A 1908 graduate of Harvard College, Henry Buckman, II completed graduate studies in engineering at the University of Berlin and the University of Leipzig where he was a pupil of some of the most noted scientists of the time. When he returned to America...[Read more]