ABOUT THE CHURCH
From the Historical Inventory of Hamilton County website:
Brief History of the White Springs Presbyterian Church
Mr. William Stanley, an employee of the Camp Lumber Company and the brothers, Hays and Archie McCallum, who were in naval stores, and lived at what is now Facil, were instrumental in building and organizing the Presbyterian Church of White Springs, Florida.
Mr. Hays McCallum, who was also a banker here, gave the building lot and Mr. James Bynum of Live Oak, who moved to White Springs, was the building contractor.
When the church building was completed the men petitioned the Presbytery of the Suwannee to come and organize them into a congregation.
On Sunday morning, January 17, 1907, the Commission of the Suwannee Presbytery organized the church and received 12 members. Officers were elected, ordained, and installed. At the evening service the new church was dedicated free of debt.
The membership reached 18 members in 1911. This was the year the Town of White Springs was ravished by fire and people moved away in scores.
After this only occasional services were held. In 1922 there was a period of revival and new members were added. From this period on the church had either supply pastors or shared a pastor with the Lake City or Jasper Presbyterian Churches.
In 1957, a fifty-year celebration service was held at the church. There were in excess of 100 members and friends attending. In 1982, a seventy-five year celebration service was held. A carry-in dinner was held at the Stephen Foster State Folk Culture Center and over 100 people attended.
The church building has remained much as it was built. The only renovation has been the installation of electrical service.
Some photos of the inside of the church are available at this Curbside View website.
ABOUT THE HISTORIC DISTRICT
From a Florida Division of Historical Resources website:
White Springs Historic District
Themes: Historic Districts
Roughly bounded by River, First, Suwannee, and Hewitt Sts, FL 25A, US 81, and Suwannee River
White Springs, FL
Hamilton County
(904) 397-2698
http://www.whitesprings.org/history.htm
Open to Public/Restricted Access
Listed in the National Register of Historic Places
More info/Directions:
The White Springs Historic District covers approximately 120 acres, upon which 85 buildings are historically significant and contribute to the District. The period of significance for the district is 1840-1957. Historic downtown White Springs, residential buildings, and the Stephen Foster Cultural Center are within the district.
From another Florida Division of Historical Resources website:
White Springs WHITE SPRINGS HISTORIC DISTRICT Roughly bounded by River, First, Suwannee, and Hewitt Streets, FL 25A, US 81 and Suwannee R. Period of significance, 1840-1957. Primary architectural styles are frame vernacular, Queen Anne, Classical Revival, Craftsman/Bungalow, and Mediterranean Revival. The district contains 85 contributing resources and 34 noncontributing buildings. The district served as one of the earliest settlement and trade centers of Hamilton County, dating from the 1820s, and later as an early twentieth century health spa and tourism center. Private, Public-local, Public-State. NR 1997.