Welcome to the Historical Society of Orange Park
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Clarke House Tours
The Clarke House, built in 1912 and located in Clarke House Park, 1039 Kingsley Avenue, is open for tours the second Sunday of each month from 2 PM to 4 PM. Sunday afternoons are the perfect time for a leisurely tour of the house, both upstairs and downstairs.
Cemetery Tours
Magnolia Cemetery Tour – Veterans & Mayors – A Call to Service
Join us at 10 AM on May 16 at Magnolia Cemetery for an opportunity to learn about a family of veterans, our Pearl Harbor Triangle of Veterans. We will also share stories about some of our early mayors and how their contributions advanced Orange Park both economically and geographically. Sandra DiGiovanni will conduct a tour through the cemetery that will entertain, educate and enlighten. Please plan to attend.
Orange Park Memories
The Tea House
The Tea House
The Tea House
The Historical Society is highlighting Orange Park’s historic houses each month of 2026. This month we feature the Tea House at 167 Stiles Ave, built in 1925. This Colonial Revival house was for Mr. and Mrs. C.F. Knight. (a former mayor of Orange Park). It originally was a three-bedroom house with a sleeping porch on the east side of th
The Historical Society is highlighting Orange Park’s historic houses each month of 2026. This month we feature the Tea House at 167 Stiles Ave, built in 1925. This Colonial Revival house was for Mr. and Mrs. C.F. Knight. (a former mayor of Orange Park). It originally was a three-bedroom house with a sleeping porch on the east side of the house.
Finley and Iola Knight brought their two children, Doris and Finley Jr., from Mandarin to Orange Park in 1924. Iola was already a success with the Robinwood Grill, and so, opened a tearoom in their new home in Orange Park. The 11‑room English bungalow of brown‑stained shingles was large enough for a family with teenagers. It was not long before the house was known simply as Robinwood.
One 1927 article describes the scene: “Many congenial parties took advantage of the ideal Florida weather, motoring to Orange Park and entertaining their friends at this charming place.”
Finley Knight had an active civic life. He served Orange Park as commissioner, clerk, tax assessor, treasurer, and eventually mayor. In 1933 he became president of the Jacksonville Rotary Club. Iola, born in Bermuda, was a member of the Jacksonville chapter of the Daughters of the British Empire, and belonged to church and garden circles in addition to her running the Tea Room. Findley and Iola both died in the early 1930s.
In an odd coincidence, two men who later lived at the home were Cecil Field pilots who had crashes while living at 167 Stiles. Commander Geoffrey B. King, Jr. attached to the USS Saratoga, died when his jet crashed at sea in 1959. Cmdr. John C Christenssen crashed, but survived, the following year when his nose wheel collapsed while landing at Cecil Field in 1960.
The Tea House
The Tea House
There are gaps in the ownership chain. The house became home again when Joe and Mary Ellen DeMarco found it and restored it. The Knights would be very pleased with the results. The DeMarcos have invested countless hours preserving it with a careful eye on its history.
The Knight home rested on a raised pier‑and‑beam foundation, with origin
There are gaps in the ownership chain. The house became home again when Joe and Mary Ellen DeMarco found it and restored it. The Knights would be very pleased with the results. The DeMarcos have invested countless hours preserving it with a careful eye on its history.
The Knight home rested on a raised pier‑and‑beam foundation, with original wood windows and cedar shingles that remained intact for decades. When Joe and Mary Ellen DeMarco purchased the house in 1996, their restoration work revealed the home’s original materials and finishes. Cedar shingles were buried beneath layers of gray, gold, and blue paint. The original windows; and the 1920s electrical and plumbing that remained kept the home’s historic footprint and character intact.
It was a long process of bringing it back to life. The DeMarcos started with only a couple of usable rooms, living in the middle of a restoration. They rebuilt footings, scraped away paint, upgraded wiring and plumbing, refurbished bathrooms, and painted every room. It continues to be a source of projects and preservation.
Preservation Month
May is National Preservation Month!
Preservation Month is a time to share how the historic places we love spark joy, inspire wonder, and connect members of our community to our shared history.
The places that make us who we are deserve to be celebrated — and protected! This year’s national theme is “All People Are Created Equal” in recognition of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Join us at Town Hall for the Town Council Meeting at 7 PM on May 5th for the official reading of Orange Park’s Historical Preservation Month Proclamation. Then, on May 17th, visit the Farmers Market at Town Hall Park between 10 am – 3 pm as The Historical Society of Orange Park partners with the Historic Preservation Board of Orange Park to highlight the historical places in our town. This is your opportunity to ask the Preservation Board questions about the places you care about.
Scholarship Award
The Historical Society of Orange Park Awards College Scholarship
While the Historical Society participates in many community events throughout the year, the Board recognized an opportunity to give back in a more lasting way—by offering an educational scholarship to a local high school senior preparing for college. A set of criteria and a formal application process were developed and distributed to area high schools.
In our inaugural year, five outstanding students applied for the scholarship. After carefully reviewing each applicant’s academic record, school and community involvement, and personal essay, the selection committee was proud to award the scholarship to Rebecca Chapman.
Ms. Chapman is a truly remarkable student. She serves as president of two organizations, holds the title of Miss Orange Park High School 2026, has completed over 2,000 volunteer hours, and is highly respected and admired by her teachers. The Historical Society of Orange Park is immensely honored to recognize Rebecca Chapman as the very first recipient of this award.
Clarke House and Cemetery Tours
Private Guided Tours of Historic Clarke House and Magnolia Cemetery Available
Homeschool, civic and social groups are welcome to schedule a free guided tour of the 1913 historic Clarke House and/or Magnolia Cemetery. For more information, contact the Historical Society of Orange Park at info@ophistory.org. Groups will be scheduled based on the availability of guides.
Got Pics?
Help Document the History of Orange Park
The Society is looking for photographs to add to our resources. If you have long-time-ago images of people and/or places in Orange Park, please share them. In this increasingly visual world, there is a lot to learn from these glimpses of our past. You can share them through email at info@ophistory.org or through mail at P. O. Box 08, Orange Park, 32067. Originals will be returned after the Society makes a scan.
Orange Park Historic Driving Tour
Looking for somewhere to explore or something to do in Clay County? Visit the Explore Clay website, Explore Clay County - Small Towns, Big Passions, for plenty of suggestions.
One of the activities is a tour of historic buildings in Orange Park. This driving tour takes you to 23 historical structures that hold positions of prominence in Orange Park’s history and continue to serve today. Please remember most locations are private residences and should be viewed from the street.
To access the tour visit, download the Explore Clay mobile app from the Explore Clay website or by clicking: Clay County - Mobile App. Once you have the app downloaded, search for the tour then dive into the rich history of Orange Park.
our corporate sponsors
McDonald's
428 Park Avenue and 372 Blanding Blvd., Orange Park, FL 32073
New Way Hearing Aids
1494 Park Avenue
Orange Park, FL 32073
Jacksonville Memory Gardens
Jacksonville Memory Gardens
111 Blanding Blvd.
Orange Park, FL 32073
Carpet Man Flooring, Inc.
Carpet Man Flooring, Inc.
Jacksonville Memory Gardens
1988 Wells Road
Orange Park, FL 32073
Keith Bartholomew
Carpet Man Flooring, Inc.
Keith Bartholomew
904-955-5544
