May 20th On the ACCORD Tour, St Paul's AME Church

This was noticed as I was on Martin Luther King Avenue doing other stops on the ACCORD tour- it's not listed in the Data base, so I'll send it in.  The Church looked to be under renovation.

St. Paul AME Church
St. Augustine Florida

St. Paul A.M.E. was born soon after the Civil War when the Philadelphia-based African Methodist Episcopal Church evangelized to ex-slaves in the South. The church's permanent tribute to African heritage made it a hotbed of Civil Rights activity. Martin Luther King's presence there made it famous in St. Augustine's black history. It's still famous today for sporting one of the best choirs in town.

The first AME church in St Augustine was organized June 4 1873 by a few men. A room measuring ten by twelve feet was erected by Rev Richard James, assisted by his son Lawrence James and used for a church. As the membership increased the building was made larger. During 1888 an offer was made to the congregation by a building and loan company to erect a church that would reflect credit on the growing membership. Feeling that they could well afford to take upon themselves larger responsibilities, the pastor Reverend J. H. Hill and the officers contracted with this company for a lot on School Street and for the building of a commodious stone church. This building cost $3,000, payable on terms. About 12 yrs later, the church was taken over by the building and loan company and sold because of the delinquency in payments. The members then held services in the Colored Excelsior High School; they remained there for a year and then moved to the Ladies Auxiliary Hall, where they remained one month under the pastorate of Rev Williams. Permission was obtained from the colored Catholic church and a tent was erected on the Catholic church grounds; services were held in it until Rev Williams, the pastor, proposed that they again buy a new church. This was agreed upon and $1,000 was raised and a lot was purchased Jan 4, 1904 on Central Avenue between St Francis and DeHaven Streets. By Aug 3 1904, the beautiful red brick building which now stands and which is called New St. Paul A.M.E. Church was erected on this ground at a cost of $3,570.