This building served the congregation until 1926. A new concrete, stone-block building was then constructed at its current location, on the corner of East Eighth Street and Orange Avenue under the guidance of Reverend Hardy Wesley Williams. Other previous pastors include Reverends Paul Newman, G. W. Phillips, W .A. Jenkins, and John Hurston, the father of award-winning author and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston.]]> RICHES of Central Florida]]> Churches of Sanford Collection, Sanford Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida]]> RICHES of Central Florida]]> Churches of Sanford Collection, Sanford Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida]]>
A new, larger church was constructed in 1889 and served the congregation until its condemnation in 1958. After the church was condemned, members of the congregation held services at Hopper Elementary School for approximately one month. Following the use of the elementary school, the congregation met at the Seventh Day Adventist Church located on the corner of Pine Avenue and East Seventh Street. After the completion of their current church, the congregation finally relocated to their new building on February 5, 1961. This church structure stands at the same location of the initial church's small wooden building, and continues to demonstrate deep pride within their community's faith, history, and involvement.]]> RICHES of Central Florida]]> Churches of Sanford Collection, Sanford Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida]]>
The church experienced tremendous growth during the first half of the 20th century, allowing for a parsonage to be built in 1922, during the administration of Reverend C. L. Bradley, to aid in the housing of its succeeding pastors. The new construction plan was designed by famed African-American architect, Prince W. Spears.

By 1941, the church experienced its first split, resulting in the creation of the New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, located just two blocks away at 618 East Tenth Street. Throughout the next decade, St. John's was guided by a variety of reverends and pastors, who helped build additions onto the church structure, including restroom facilities and a basement.

After the church operated without a pastor for a period of 15 months, the congregation called upon Reverend B. Whitehurst in June of 1958 to spear-head the church. Under Rev. Whitehurst, St. John became more spiritually and financially fortified, and took its most progressive steps by involving itself in the fight for the African-American community's fight for equal rights and numerous city and county-wide projects. In 1969, the church was remodeled and refurnished, and continued to experience the growth of its congregation. After 116 years of service to Sanford's African-American population, the church carries on its legacy by maintaining their involvement within the current neighborhood, through the offering of weekly services, prayer groups, and community service projects.]]> RICHES of Central Florida]]> Churches of Sanford Collection, Sanford Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida]]>
St. James AME Church was a direct result of these two historical patterns. Originally organized in 1867 as a prayer group for freedmen, the church was founded in a small wooden house located on Mellonville Street, along the south shore of Lake Monroe. By 1880, the church relocated to its current location on the corner of East Ninth Street and Cypress Avenue. In 1893, the church upgraded its size, and constructed a larger wooden frame to house its growing congregation.

The present-day structure, which features red-brick facings, four matching stained glass windows, a bell tower, and slanted semi-circular seating within its baptistery, was built between 1910 and 1913, and designed by acclaimed African-American architect Prince W. Spears. During the 1920s and 1930s, St. James served as a Mother Church of the AME faith, and sent circuit preachers to its neighboring areas, including West Sanford, Bookertown, Cameron City, Midway, and Fort Reid. On April 24, 1992, St. James AME Church was a designated as a National Historic Landmark, and continues to serve as a religious center for the surrounding African-American community.]]> RICHES of Central Florida]]> Churches of Sanford Collection, Sanford Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida]]>
The church continued to grow, and within the same year church members began building a structure located on West Twelfth Street and Pecan Avenue, which was designed and built by famed African-American architect Prince W. Spears. Once completed in 1920, the church continued to expand and increase their involvement within the surrounding community. The church was rebuilt in 1938, adding numerous improvements and buildings to their plot of land. In 1993, New Mount Calvary was officially incorporated with the State of Florida, and later received its 501(c)3 with the U.S. Department of Treasury of the Internal Revenue Service in 2002. New Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church still stands as an iconic edifice, dedicated to serving their congregation's faith and community.]]> RICHES of Central Florida]]> Churches of Sanford Collection, Sanford Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida]]>
The church was destroyed by fire on January 25, 1932. Various testimonies and gossip surround the fire, offering inaccuracies to the date and cause of the incident. Because the building was destroyed during the Great Depression, parishioners struggled to rebuild the church. Following the fire, mass was held in a neighboring two-story structure built by the residing pastor, Father Patrick J. Bresnahan. Within the span of five years, church members were able to rebuild All Souls Church, and offered the community a larger, more prolific edifice to house church services.

In 1951, the Catholic parish established the All Souls Catholic School, and staffed the academic institution with the first Sisters of Christian Charity to serve the State of Florida. The school was completed on September 7, 1954, and continued to add additional classrooms and activity spaces in 1960 and 1981. As of 2011, All Souls Catholic Church has expanded onto a 63-acre property located at 3280 West First Street.]]> Churches of Sanford Collection, Sanford Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida]]> RICHES of Central Florida]]> Churches of Sanford Collection, Sanford Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida]]>