{"id":291796,"date":"2026-06-01T14:42:11","date_gmt":"2026-06-01T14:42:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/291796\/"},"modified":"2026-06-01T14:42:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-01T14:42:11","slug":"the-florida-trust-for-historic-preservation-reveals-2026-11-to-save-list","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/291796\/","title":{"rendered":"The Florida Trust for Historic Preservation Reveals 2026 11 to Save List"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The Florida Trust for Historic Preservation has announced its 2026 \u201c11 to Save\u201d list, recognizing 11 endangered historic sites across the state in need of advocacy and preservation. Established in 1973, National Historic Preservation Month celebrates the nation\u2019s heritage through community landmarks and historic architecture, while the Florida Trust\u2019s annual list draws attention to vulnerable places whose stories remain essential to Florida\u2019s identity and future.<\/p>\n

About the 11 to Save Program<\/p>\n

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Each year, the Florida Trust announces 11 to Save sites, which are nominated by the public and reflect the historic places that matter to local communities statewide. The program is designed to increase the public\u2019s awareness of the urgent need to save Florida\u2019s historic resources, highlight the breadth of Florida\u2019s unique history, inspire unique collaborations and empower local preservationists and community groups in their work to preserve Florida\u2019s rich history.<\/p>\n

The 2026 11 to Save represents endangered historic resources in ten counties, covering hundreds of years of history and a variety of cultural resources. Locally, Downtown Jacksonville\u2019s Police Memorial Building and St. Augustine\u2019s Flagler-Era Railway Depots are included. Here is a brief look at the history and challenges related to this year\u2019s 11 to Save list.<\/p>\n

Ace Theatre<\/p>\n

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Miami, Miami-Dade County<\/p>\n

Built 1930<\/p>\n

The Ace Theatre is one of the last surviving landmarks of Miami\u2019s historic Black Grove community, also known as West Grove or Little Bahamas, that was founded in the late 19th century by Bahamian settlers. Built in 1930, the theatre served as the place for African American moviegoers in the Coconut Grove community during segregation, often running stage shows along with films.<\/p>\n

Although listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016, the Ace Theatre is threatened by a combination of advanced physical deterioration and external development pressures that put its long-term survival at risk.<\/p>\n

Capt. Francis A. Hendry House<\/p>\n

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Labelle, Hendry County<\/p>\n

Built 1914<\/p>\n

Francis A. Hendry House is a historic early 20th-century wood-frame residence located in LaBelle, Florida. Designed in a vernacular style typical of Southwest Florida pioneer homes, the structure features a raised foundation, wide porches and elements adapted to the region\u2019s climate. The property reflects the character of early settlement in Hendry County and remains a prominent historic landmark associated with the county\u2019s founding figure, Captain Francis A. Hendry.<\/p>\n

Like many historic properties, the Francis A. Hendry House faces threats from age, environmental exposure and limited funding for maintenance and restoration. Deterioration of structural elements, vulnerability to Florida\u2019s weather conditions and the high cost of preservation pose ongoing challenges. Additionally, development pressures and changing land use priorities in growing communities can place historic sites at risk of neglect, alteration or potential demolition if they are not actively protected and maintained. Without dedicated resources and attention, the long-term survival of the property is uncertain.<\/p>\n

Egmont Key State Park<\/p>\n

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Hillsborough County<\/p>\n

Egmont Key is located at the mouth of Tampa Bay, southwest of Fort De Soto Beach. Accessible only by boat, Egmont Key has a unique natural and cultural history, including a lighthouse that has existed since 1858. During the 19th century, the island served as a concentration camp for captured Seminoles at the end of the Third Seminole War and was later occupied by the Union Navy during the Civil War. In 1898, as the Spanish-American War threatened, Fort Dade was built on the island and remained active until 1923.<\/p>\n

In addition to touring the historic sites and trails, visitors can enjoy swimming, fishing, wildlife viewing and picnicking. As the community rebuilds, sustained support and resources are essential to preserving Cedar Key\u2019s historic fabric and identity. Inclusion on this year\u2019s 11 Most Endangered list is intended to raise awareness and foster critical public dialogue around the unique challenges, and preservation-based solutions, facing Florida\u2019s small, historic, and often isolated coastal communities. Today, Egmont Key is threatened by erosion of its west beach and damage from recent hurricanes.<\/p>\n

Flagler-Era Railway Depots<\/p>\n

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St. Augustine, St. Johns County<\/p>\n

Built 1906 & 1930<\/p>\n

The Carpenter\u2019s Shop Depot and Trolley Ticket Depot are tangible remnants of the transformative era shaped by Henry Flagler and the Florida East Coast (FEC) Railway, an era that redefined the economic, cultural and physical landscape of Florida\u2019s east coast. These structures embody the expansion of rail infrastructure that made St. Augustine a premier tourist destination and enabled the growth of surrounding agricultural communities.<\/p>\n

For over 40 years (1984\u20132024), both structures resided on property owned by the St. Augustine\u2013St. Johns County Airport Authority. With the sale of that property for hotel development, the buildings faced imminent demolition until a potential plan to relocate them to Hastings Main Street was proposed. If relocation is successful, the Carpenter\u2019s Shop Depot will be rehabilitated as a trailhead amenity station and Trolley Ticket Depot to become a museum that tells the story of Hastings\u2019 agricultural and transportation roots.<\/p>\n

Hamilton County Old Jail & Museum<\/p>\n

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Jasper, Hamilton County<\/p>\n

Built 1893<\/p>\n

Constructed in 1893, the Old Hamilton County Jail stands as one of the oldest continuously used civic buildings in North Florida and a powerful symbol of Hamilton County\u2019s heritage. Designed and built by the Pauly Jail Company of St. Louis, the two-story brick and steel structure was engineered to be fire-resistant, an innovative feature for its time.<\/p>\n

For more than 91 years, it served as the county\u2019s only jail, housing both inmates and the sheriff\u2019s family under one roof, reflecting the intertwined nature of law, home and community life in late-19th-century rural Florida. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the jail now serves as the Hamilton County Historical Museum, offering visitors a rare, immersive view of early justice systems and local history.<\/p>\n

The Old Hamilton County Jail faces an urgent and escalating threat from both environmental damage and prolonged deferred maintenance. Inclusion to the 11 to Save program is intended to raise awareness for addressing threats through a focused, community-driven preservation and reuse plan.<\/p>\n

Lincoln Lane Schoolhouse<\/p>\n

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Interlachen, Putnam County<\/p>\n

Built 1938<\/p>\n

Built in 1938 at a cost \u201cnot to exceed $600,\u201d the one-room Lincoln Lane School House was the first Black school in Interlachen, serving African American children from grades 1 through 6. It closed following the 1954 landmark United States Court decision of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka that found \u201cseparate but equal\u201d doctrine, which had been used to justify segregation in public schools as unconstitutional. The Historical Society of Interlachen, Inc. purchased the land and building in 2013 in recognition of its historic significance. The schoolhouse\u2019s future is threatened due to years of structural deterioration.<\/p>\n

Lubbe House<\/p>\n

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Orlando, Orange County<\/p>\n

Built 1930<\/p>\n

Built in 1930, the Lubbe House is a rare surviving example of Mediterranean Revival, or Moorish-style, residential architecture in downtown Orlando. Located within Lake Eola Park, the house retains much of its original exterior character, including historic windows, doors, and ornamentation. Although some decorative entry details have been removed, photographs documenting the original carved features survive. The Lubbe House is especially significant as the last remaining residence originally constructed along the shores of Lake Eola.<\/p>\n

The house is now threatened by redevelopment pressures surrounding Lake Eola Park. After years of debate over a proposed high-rise development, the City of Orlando acquired nearby properties through a partnership with the Orlando Land Trust to expand parkland. Adjacent buildings are slated for demolition, leaving the future of the Lubbe House uncertain. Preservation advocates fear the loss of the structure would erase the final residential link to Lake Eola\u2019s historic waterfront development.<\/p>\n

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St. Petersburg, Pinellas County<\/p>\n

Built 1961<\/p>\n

The Pasadena Community Church sanctuary represented the crowning achievement of the Rev. Dr. J. Wallace\u2019s ministry when it was completed in the 1960s. This mid-century modern, 2,000-seat sanctuary features a dramatic folded-plate roof and floor-to-ceiling glass walls that create a luminous, garden-like worship space. Embracing the congregation\u2019s historic tradition of both indoor and outdoor worship, the sanctuary stands as a defining landmark in St. Petersburg.<\/p>\n

The sanctuary embodies the postwar era\u2019s optimism and spirit of innovation in structure, materials, and spatial design. Constructed during St. Petersburg\u2019s westward suburban expansion, it reflects the evolution of religious architecture in response to technological advancements while also honoring the congregation\u2019s origins as a \u201cdrive-in\u201d church.<\/p>\n

In February 2026, Pasadena Community Church members approved a resolution proposed by the church\u2019s Discernment Committee to demolish and replace the sanctuary with a new worship center. The committee concluded that the cost of renovating and preserving the building would exceed that of constructing a new facility. The sanctuary has remained unused since sustaining damage during Hurricane Milton.<\/p>\n

Police Memorial Building<\/p>\n

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Jacksonville, Duval County<\/p>\n

Built 1974<\/p>\n

A massive, multi-block Brutalist structure, Jacksonville\u2019s Police Memorial Building in was a product of William N. Morgan, one of Florida\u2019s best-known architects. The building originally included pedestrian amenities and foliage on its roof, providing a beautiful view of the adjacent St. Johns River. The green roof and park were an effort to democratize and humanize the structure. Morgan was an archaeologist as well as an architect and the Police Memorial Building reflects aspects of pre-Columbian design and construction by including platformed terraces and pyramid motifs. Other thoughtful aspects of the project include underground parking, which negated the need for surface lots and garages, which have taken over the fabric of downtown Jacksonville.<\/p>\n

Recently, the Jacksonville Sheriff\u2019s Office relocated most of its functions to a new location. Situated adjacent to an area of the downtown riverfront where the city is making significant investments to encourage infill mixed-use development, the multi-block Police Memorial Building site is in danger of being demolished.<\/p>\n

Stuart High School<\/p>\n

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Stuart, Martin County<\/p>\n

Built 1922-1923<\/p>\n

Stuart High School opened on September 21, 1923, and was designed in the Art Deco style by Frederick Homer Trimble, a prominent architect known for designing more than 50 schools across Florida. The original campus centered on the high school building and expanded over time with a WPA-built cabin in the 1930s, a wooden gymnasium in 1934, and additional classrooms and a cafeteria in the 1950s. The later additions, designed in the mid-century modern style by Stuart architect Don Armstrong, completed the campus. Today, only the 1923 high school and the two modernist classroom wings remain. The historic building has been vacant since October 2023, following its decommissioning by the Martin County School District. Without active use or stewardship, the property has faced increasing deterioration and deferred maintenance.<\/p>\n

Villa Serena<\/p>\n

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Miami, Miami-Dade County<\/p>\n

Built 1913<\/p>\n

Built in 1913, Villa Serena is one of the last surviving icons of early twentieth century residential settlements of the once primeval Brickell Hammock. Facing Biscayne Bay, its 200 feet of shoreline is overlooked and bordered by a segment of the Silver Bluff, as the exposed Atlantic Coast Ridge is known.<\/p>\n

One of the first reinforced concrete homes in Miami was the winter home from 1913 to 1920 and the permanent home thereafter of Mary Braid and William Jennings Bryan. Bryan, served as the 41st United States Secretary of State during the President Woodrow Wilson administration.<\/p>\n

The style is early or pre-Mediterranean Revival, likely inspired by Cuban mansions seen by the Bryans during their travels. It was one of the first reinforced concrete homes in Miami. In 2022, the former owner sold it to a hedge fund magnate whose plan is to move the house to a collection of buildings near and belonging to Villa Vizcaya. Collateral, the plan endangers an existing archaeological site.<\/p>\n

Editorial by Ennis Davis, AICP. Contact Ennis at edavis@moderncities.com<\/a>. Photographs provided by the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation\u2019s 2026 11 to Save program.<\/p>\n

Now Available: Jacksonville\u2019s Gullah Geechee Heritage<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

A Community Story. A Cultural Record. A Call to Remember.<\/p>\n

Jacksonville\u2019s Gullah Geechee history lives in the land, the water, the neighborhoods, and the memories passed down through generations. Jacksonville\u2019s Gullah Geechee Heritage brings those stories forward, rooted in place, shaped by community, and preserved for the future.<\/p>\n

Jacksonville\u2019s Gullah Geechee Heritage, a new book written by Ennis Davis, AICP and Adrienne Burke, AICP, Esq. and published by Arcadia Publishing is now available.<\/p>\n

\u201cAn invaluable resource combining extensive research, lived experience and generational knowledge inherited directly from within the culture providing a variety of fresh insights into a truly unique mixture of faith, community, ingenuity and resilience that is definitively Gullah Geechee.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2014 Ted Johnson, National Park Service, Retired<\/p>\n

Order your signed copy today<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a> to order signed copies of Jacksonville\u2019s Gullah Geechee Heritage book by Ennis Davis, AICP and Adrienne Burke, AICP, Esq. Copies are available in hard and soft cover..<\/p>\n

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