MILTON — Mt. Pilgrim African Missionary Baptist Church members have reached their fundraising goal toward a historical restoration grant in partnership with the city.
“We have come up with our 25 percent of our matching funds ($30,000) which is the agreement that we had,” said the Rev. Jamie Smith, the church’s pastor.
Last year, the city and church combined efforts to pursue a Special Category grant through the state legislature and Florida Historical Commission recommendations. The city provided the other $30,000 to match the state’s $60,000, making the project worth $120,000.
Mt. Pilgrim’s church was originally located on Canal Street when the property was purchased in March of 1880. In the same year, a frame church was constructed. In 1916, the first church location was destroyed by fire, eventually leading to the construction at its present location on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
According to the National Register of Historic Places database found on the National Park Service website, Mt. Pilgrim is the only identified architectural work in Florida of Wallace A. Rayfield, one of the most important black architects in the South from the early 20th century.
“Unquestionably, the state recognizes the site’s historical significance,” said Randy Jorgenson, the city’s planning and zoning director. He cited the church being placed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Florida Black Heritage Trail.
The building, located on Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, has developed structural issues over the years, including a compromised foundation, water intrusion and termite damage. The grant would address these issues.
Once a contract agreement is settled between the city and state, work is expected to be underway.
Mayor Wesley Meiss praised the church’s efforts to preserve the historic landmark.
“(Mt. Pilgrim) is one of the icons of Milton, and we hope it is still here 100 years from now,” Meiss said. “It is definitely a wonderful piece of our community and the culture of who we are.”
Smith said this is a step toward bringing the historic structure to its former glory.
“We look for bigger and better things to come out of this to completely put the church back into its original state that it was built in,” Smith said. “We have a lot set before us, but we believe that this is something that is attainable.”
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Mt. Pilgrim raises funds to restore historic church building (VIDEO)