Page 5 - Clay County: Communities, Families, & Friends 2024

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Palmetto Avenue Boasts Lots of History!
By Larianne Stutts, President, Village Improvement Association
If you travel from Orange Park to St. Augustine, or make your way
from Orlando to Jacksonville, you have probably passed through
Green Cove Springs. While driving straight through the town won’t
take you long, it would behoove you to stop and truly take in the
historical nuances of the community. Just off Highway 17, is Palmetto
Avenue, a street lined with historical architectures, and full of proud
citizens that will be happy to tell you about them.
At the center of Palmetto Avenue stands the Village Improvement
Association Clubhouse.
The Village Improvement
Association, simply called the
VIA, is the oldest women’s club
in the state of Florida, and it still
meets in the house that was built
for and donated to them in 1914.
This quaint one-story building
consists of an auditorium, a stage, a kitchen, and a beautiful Archive
Room. Its walls are decorated with earlier paintings of past presidents
and collections of tea sets and China patterns from decades past. At
least twice a month, every month of the year, the Clubhouse comes
alive with ladies attending meetings, hosting tea parties, or planning
upcoming service projects.
Left – Broadus-Raines Funeral Home. Center – The Carriage House. Right – Original site of the first Green Cove
Springs gas station used for local auto restorations.
Fortunately, the ladies of the VIA have kept good records for the
past 140 years. Two blocks south of the VIA clubhouse, stands the
Broadus-Raines Funeral Home. This beautiful two-story building
was once the home of Mrs. Julia Fletcher, a proud member of the
VIA. Mrs. Fletcher often hosted the meetings for the VIA ladies
and their primary goal at this time was to make their city prettier
and cleaner. Many projects were born and created in this beautiful
structure, and many of Green Cove Spring’s most well-known
historical figures had a place in this house at some point.
Frank and Agnes Gustafson were servants of Mrs. Fletcher. They
worked for her and even traveled with her to Sweden when she was
83 years old to assist her there. The Gustafsons also lived in the
house next door to Broadus-Raines Funeral home, now known as The
Carriage House. They eventually built their home just off Palmetto,
on Walnut Street. The Gustafsons are a huge part of Green Cove
Springs’ History as they built the Gustafson Dairy dynasty.
The Gustafsons begin their dairy business with the purchase of one
cow, lovingly named “Buttercup.” As the dairy business grew and
calves were born, the VIA became involved again. The mission of
the Club at that time was to beautify the city and make it a more
pleasant place to live. The ladies may have loved the cows, but
they did not like the “cow patties” that were left on the streets and
in the surrounding areas of their meeting place. After congenial
conversation, the Gustafsons moved their cattle to another location
away from the VIA ladies, but continued to live in the house on
Walnut Street. The relationship between the two remained strong.
Another notable site on Palmetto is the location of the first gas
station in Green Cove Springs. Now owned by Darren Stutts, who
also owns The Carriage House, is “Darren’s Custom and Restoration.”
The building is still intact and has been used for auto repairs since
the 1940s.
Continuing north on Palmetto Avenue are two of the oldest and
most beautiful African American churches in the city. First African
Missionary Baptist Church (FAMBC), which dates to 1883, and is
said to have been founded by a group of former slaves after the Civil
War. Two buildings side by side are joined together, and the entrance
is framed with beautiful arches. Any member of this congregation
would proudly share this structure’s history and beam with pride as
they spoke.
Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church was
established in 1873. Its style is similar to FAMBC but with fewer
stained glass windows remaining due to severe damage that resulted
in repairs. In fact, after its
establishment, the church was
rebuilt due to fires in 1901 and
1942. Interestingly, its history
reflects that among its first trustees
were Dr. Joseph Applegate, head
of the Freedmen’s Bureau, and
Col. J. Houston M. Clinch, landholder and half-brother to Major
Nicholas Clinch.
Every building mentioned has a rich history and still serves a special
purpose within the community of Green Cove Springs. These
buildings are respected and preserved well. Every year they are filled
with more memories, and more stories. The Village Improvement
Association stands proudly in the midst of Palmetto Avenue still
called by many as Palmetto Street, and continues to record the
activities of the citizens, and how their lives are intertwined with its
history. Additionally, each of these entities invite you to visit with
them.