Please visit our headquarters at historic Old St. Andrews, 317 A. Philip Randolph Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32202-2217 located between the Jacksonville Arena and Jacksonville Municipal (Jaguars) Stadium.

Our office hours are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or by appointment.

Executive Director – Emily Retherford Lisska –  904-665-0064

Assistant Administrator – Kate Bruce – 904-665-0064

The History of The Jacksonville Historical Society

In the spring of the year 1929, a small group of Jacksonville citizens met to discuss the organization of a local historical society. In order to stimulate interest, invitations were sent to several hundred Jacksonville residents thought by the group promoting the plan to be interested in local history, inviting them to become charter members of the organization. These invitations stated that the name of the organization would be The Jacksonville Historical Society, and that the first meeting would be held in the Carling (later the Roosevelt)  Hotel on May 3, 1929, at 8:30 p.m. All who joined the Society at or before that meeting would be deemed charter members. Similar invitations were extended to all interested persons, through the local newspapers.

As a result of these efforts, over two hundred charter members were enrolled by the evening set for the first meeting. At this meeting on May 3, 1929 – itself a notable date in local history, since it was the 28th anniversary of the great fire of May 3, 1901 – a large and enthusiastic gathering put in an appearance.