JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Trust for Historic Preservation recently unveiled its 2025 Florida’s 11 to Save list, highlighting the state’s most endangered historic sites.
Each year, the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation compiles the 11 to Save list to spotlight historic places that are significant to local communities and in need of preservation. The sites included in the list are nominated by the public, reflecting a diverse range of cultural resources and historical significance across the state.
The 2025 11 to Save list features endangered historic resources located in Alachua, Duval, Gadsden, Levy, Manatee, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Putnam, St. Johns, and Seminole counties.
*The following information was provided by the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation
The local sites are:
Magic Beach Motel; Vilano Beach, St. Johns County
Built in 1951 in the Streamline Moderne style, the Magic Beach Motel is located just half a block from the Atlantic Ocean on the main street of the Vilano Beach Town Center. Originally known as the Blue Ocean, the motel has long served as a visual landmark in early Vilano Beach. Over the years, it has appeared in various television shows, including the 1990s series Safe Harbor starring Gregory Harrison and Rue McClanahan.
The Magic Beach Motel is a rare and iconic example of Florida’s mid-20th-century tourism boom. Structures like this, once common across the state in the 1950s and 1960s, are rapidly disappearing due to ongoing development pressures—especially in fast-growing coastal areas like Vilano Beach. Today, the motel stands in a zone of intense redevelopment, placing its future in jeopardy. The nominator believes that only strong community action can prevent its loss. While there is already local interest in preserving the property, inclusion on this year’s 11 to Save list by the Florida Trust would provide critical visibility and support—helping to educate property owners on the benefits of historic preservation and strengthening efforts to save this unique piece of Florida’s architectural and cultural heritage.
*UPDATE: St. Johns County officials said in early August that it’s issuing a demolition permit for the property owner who intends to raze the structure for new development.
Mary Mossman House & Hall; Melrose, Putnam County, Built c. 1881
In the 19th century, societal norms placed significant limitations on women’s autonomy and professional achievements. Yet, within this restrictive context, Mary Howe Mossman, an unassuming, soft-spoken, single woman, emerged as a remarkable exception.
Defying convention, Mary pursued a life of purpose and compassion: traveling widely, engaging with influential contemporaries, ministering to the sick in both body and spirit, and contributing meaningfully to her community. In 1881, builder William Lee constructed a home in Melrose for Mary, a spiritual healer from Ocean Grove, New Jersey, who spent her winters in Florida. The house, later known as Faith House, became a center for spiritual teaching, where Mary led Bible studies and prayed for the ill.
In 1921, a church building—now known as Mossman Hall—was added to the property, further solidifying its role as a place of faith and community gathering. Today, both historic structures need significant repair and restoration. Recently acquired by a foundation committed to their preservation, inclusion on this year’s 11 to Save list would help raise critical awareness and support for protecting this unique legacy of faith, healing, and women’s history in Florida.
Oneida Bungalow Court, Jacksonville, Built 1925
Platted in 1875 as part of an expansion of Jacksonville’s Brooklyn neighborhood, West Lewisville was established on land formerly part of the Dells Bluff Plantation. Confederate veteran and developer Miles Price led its development. By the early 20th century, West Lewisville had grown into a thriving, self-sustaining African American workingclass community, situated near Jacksonville’s industrial core. At the heart of the neighborhood, the Oneida Bungalow Court was developed in 1925 by Francis L’Engle. The court originally featured 29 bungalow-style homes and a service station, forming a compact and cohesive residential enclave.
However, West Lewisville was heavily impacted by mid-century urban renewal and infrastructure projects. The construction of Interstates 10 and 95 in the latter half of the 20th century devastated the area, leading to widespread displacement and decline. Today, very little remains of the original neighborhood. The Oneida Bungalow Court now represents the last significant concentration of historic residential buildings in West Lewisville. The nominator hopes that inclusion on this year’s 11 to Save list will help build momentum and attract funding for the court’s preservation, ensuring that this rare and important piece of Jacksonville’s history is not lost.
St. Johns River Lighthouse, Mayport, Duval County, Built in 1858
The St. Johns River Light is a decommissioned lighthouse located in Mayport, near the mouth of the St. Johns River. Built in 1858, it was the third lighthouse constructed at this location—and is the only one still standing today. It also holds the distinction of being the oldest surviving structure in the village of Mayport. In recognition of its historical significance, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
After 70 years of service, the lighthouse was decommissioned in 1929. In the 1940s, the U.S. Navy acquired most of Mayport, including the lighthouse property, to establish Naval Station Mayport. When the surrounding airfield was built in 1941, the lighthouse entrance was buried under eight feet of fill, and due to its location on a high-security military base, public access has remained extremely limited.
Decades of inaccessibility and neglect have left the lighthouse vulnerable. A local organization is now seeking funding for a feasibility study to explore relocating the structure off-base and restoring it for adaptive reuse as a gift shop and museum. Inclusion on this year’s 11 to Save list would help raise awareness and support for preserving this unique piece of Florida’s maritime and military history.
See our gallery below to view all of the sites on Florida Trust for Historic Preservation’s 11 to Save list
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