The Historic Green Street Church

By Patti Middleton
The Green Street Church Museum at its Forever Home, Summer 2019

The church museum is a designated Sarasota County Historical Building.

CLICK HERE FOR HISTORIC TIMELINE WITH VINTAGE PHOTOS

On behalf of the Society, our sincere thanks to all who donated TIME & MONEY to help move & SAVE this historic building! 

**Donations are still needed to help pay for electricity, water, lawn mowing, etc.**

CLICK THE BUTTON TO DONATE VIA CREDIT CARD




OR

Mail your tax-deductible donation to:

Lemon Bay Historical Society
P. O. Box 1245
Englewood FL 34295

Thank you!


We are a 100% volunteer Florida-based charitable not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) corporation (REGISTRATION NO. CH49480). A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE 800-435-7352 WITHIN THE STATE OR VISITING THEIR WEBSITE (FloridaConsumerHelp.com). REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.


For more infomation: CONTACT US

 

View longer (15 minute) Video

View WWSB ABC 7 Video

WHY WAS THE CHURCH BUILDING MOVED?

Although the Lemon Bay Historical Society owned this historic building, the land it sat on was leased. The lease expired in 2018 and the Society was informed that the lease would not be renewed. The Society offered to buy the land but the owner declined the offer. In addition, parking space had always been a problem at the site.  

In order to save this historic building, to ensure problem-free parking and access for community events, the Historical Society elected to move the building to a lot it owned on the south side of the Lemon Bay Cemetery. This new location is more appropriate as an historical setting as it is adjacent to the burying ground of many of Englewood’s pioneer families.

Your help is still neeeded to help pay for electricity, water, lawn mowing, etc. We are pleased to announce that already hundreds of folks and local businesses have donated money, time and materials to help move, save and support the building. Your help will be greatly appreciated; no amount is too small.  

CLICK THE BUTTON TO DONATE VIA CREDIT CARD




OR

Mail your tax-deductible donation to:

Lemon Bay Historical Society
P. O. Box 1245
Englewood FL 34295

Thank you!

 

Historic Green Street Church Timeline



 

NOTICE: After being moved to its new location, the lovely historic church is now available to rent for weddings or other events.
For info: CONTACT US
Card by Lise Yust.

 


TEXT FROM THE SARASOTA COUNTY HISTORIC MARKER:

Green Street Church and Museum

The Green Street Church Museum began as Englewood’s first church building. Community Methodists began holding Sunday School classes in Josie Quimby Miller’s home around 1905. After the church officially organized in 1914, services were held in temporary locations and were led by visiting preachers.

With funding from a variety of sources, including Stanley Lampp and the Florida Methodist Conference Board of Missions, the group was able to build a simple frame structure without incurring any debt. The members first worshipped in their Magnolia Street church home on April 5, 1928.

When the 1920s Land Boom collapsed, Englewood was hard hit. The church struggled. Lottie Lampp (Stanley’s niece) is credited with holding the small congregation together. She cleaned the church, provided flowers from her garden for services, and played the piano when needed. Through her efforts a Baptist minister and cornetist from Venice, Roy Gustafson, called the worshippers together. The sound of the cornet brought fishing parties in from the bay. Women held bake sales to raise the $5 to pay the minister.

By 1952 the congregation was financially strong enough to support a permanent pastor, the Rev. Edgar E. Stauffer, at an annual salary of $2,500. The following year the congregation enlarged the facilities and replaced the original slat benches with pews. A widened front door that could accommodate a casket enabled the church to be used for funeral services.

The congregation broke ground for a new sanctuary in 1962 and the original building was moved to the western side of the property and turned to face Green Street. It was redesigned and named the Lampp Youth Center in recognition of the contributions made to the church by the Lampp family. In 1979 the Methodists moved to a new location.

The Church of the Nazarene purchased the Green Street church in 1979. When renovation plans were announced, the Lemon Bay Historical Society became concerned that such work might threaten the historical integrity of the building. After some negotiations, the Church of the Nazarene gave the building to the Historical Society with a 99-year lease on the land for $1 per year. Upon completion of needed restoration work in 1992, the Society turned the church into a museum.

Dedicated in 2005 by the Sarasota County Historical Commission.