Crocker Church, also known as St. John's Chapel, was a Baptist church located in Sarasota, Florida. It was established in 1901 by Peter Crocker. It is now a historic structure under the ownership of the Historical Society of Sarasota County and is located at 1260 12th Street, Sarasota, Florida.
History
editPeter Crocker, T.T. Hamlin, and L.C. Demings were the three original trustees of St. John's Church. They were deeded the 2 acres of land from the Florida Mortgage and Investment Company on June 27, 1901, for $1.[1] The property was meant to be used for a church and a graveyard (Crocker Cemetery). The church was designated as a Baptist chapel in 1903. Due to the failure to find a resident pastor, the church declined after Crocker's death in 1911.[2]
Location and Ownership changes
editSixteen years after Crocker's death, Bay Haven Baptist Church purchased the building and had it moved to their property on Bradenton Road. The church was moved again by the historic preservationists in 1986 to Florida Avenue and was historically designated in 1995.[3] The church continued to be used by other congregations until 2004 when it was officially decommissioned.[4] It came to Pioneer Park under the protection of the Historical Society in 2006 and is used as their gathering place for educational and social events.[5]
- ^ St. John's/Crocker Memorial Cemetery | Sarasota History Alive!
- ^ St. John's/Crocker Memorial Cemetery | Sarasota History Alive!
- ^ SarasotaHistory (2009-02-24). Sarasota History - Crocker Church. Retrieved 2024-07-11 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Historical Society of Sarasota County in Sarasota | VISIT FLORIDA". www.visitflorida.com. Retrieved 2024-07-11.
- ^ "The Historical Society of Sarasota County". The Historical Society of Sarasota County. Retrieved 2024-07-11.