Jacksonville’s First Mormon Temple Groundbreaking Scheduled
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for its first temple in Jacksonville on January 24. The event will take place on Loretto Road in the Mandarin area and is invitation-only.
Temple Details and Location
The temple will cover 29,000 square feet and is located on a 6.6-acre site just east of San Jose Boulevard. It joins four other Florida temples that are built or planned in Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Tallahassee, and Tampa.
Historical Context of the Site
The property was formerly home to the Fleming Bowden residence, a two-story house built in 1907. Bowden was believed to be among the first car owners in Mandarin, having purchased Ford Model T’s in the early 1920s. He also served as Duval County’s supervisor of elections for 21 years.
- The property was rezoned for subdivision development in 2020.
- A Change.org petition attempted to stop this development.
- Plans to relocate the historic house failed, and the subdivision was never developed.
- The house, lacking historic designation, was demolished in early 2024.
Leadership and Missionary History
Elder Massimo De Feo, first counselor in the United States Southeast Area Presidency, will preside over the groundbreaking service.
"Mormon missionaries first arrived in 1845 in Florida. The state’s first congregation was created in 1897 in the Big Bend region."
Local historian Tracey Arpen confirmed the house’s demolition due to the lack of historic designation.
Author’s Summary
The Jacksonville LDS temple groundbreaking marks a significant milestone, blending new religious development with the history of a site once marked by early 20th-century local heritage.