ORANGE PARK —Officers and members of various county historical societies met to discuss a plethora of topics at their biannual meeting on Friday, July 11.

Many topics discussed during the early morning roundtable included pending historical markers and ways to increase public involvement.

The Clay County Tourism Department was a speaker at the roundtable, providing valuable insights on how each group could expand its social media audience.

Additionally, each organization provided updates on current and future projects, including the Orange Park Historical Society's effort to mark the grave of a Pearl Harbor survivor in Magnolia Cemetery, the Clay County Historical Archives and Clay County Tourism Department's Bartram Trail initiative and the cleanup of Pleasant Point Cemetery.

A big subject, however, was the possibility of a museum to showcase the county's Black history. With the help of volunteers from each organization, the museum would be open to provide insight into and preserve the lives of some prominent Black figures. 

Those in attendance thrashed out questions on its location and ways to get the project up and running.  

One potential location of the museum included the former Middleburg Colored School in the Hilltop community.

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One idea was to place the museum in the Clay County Historical Archives building; however, Archives Supervisor Vishi Garig noted that, due to its housing official records, their repository wouldn't be open to the general public and therefore have limited availability. 

Another potential location was the historic Middleburg Colored School in the Hilltop community; however, concerns were raised regarding the county-owned building's non-compliance with code. 

"To get it to museum quality, to where it can preserve the artifacts, it needs major work," Garig said. "It has no insulation, it has no A.C., it has no climate controls."

Palmetto Community Development Corporation Board Member Cheryl Gonzalez said the schoolhouse becoming a site for the museum is an idea Civil Rights activist and Middleburg resident Maude Burroughs Jackson has wanted for years.

So, many were set on that being the perfect location. Some suggested putting in the work to bring the building to where it needs to be. 

One solution the group proposed was forming a committee and becoming a legal entity. From here, the group envisioned a greater commitment, county and local business support, as well as broader access to funding options. 

"I can see a lot of potential with the project expanding tourism, as well as business support," said Historical Society of Orange Park President Cynthia Cheatwood.