Janet Malphurs, 63, grew up on Old Bellamy Road in Alachua. She remembers celebrating Christmases, Easters and other holidays on the lawn of Spring Hill United Methodist Church as a young girl.
She is still an active member of the church and said her family has been involved there for as long as she can remember. But not many youths are involved at Spring Hill and most of its congregation is 50 or older. As a result, she worried it would soon be forgotten.
“We don’t want this church to die,” Malphurs said.
On Sunday, the Alachua County Historical Commission unveiled two new historical markers in the city of Alachua Sunday, one commemorating the history of Spring Hill and Old Bellamy and the other commemorating William Henry Traxler Jr., a late 19th, early 20th century store owner. The two markers make 70 total in Alachua County.
These historical markers will protect the church from being forgotten and preserve the history of William Henry Traxler, Jr, whose store was vital in “building commerce and establishing credit,” according to the marker.
Old Bellamy Road was the first federal road in Florida. It was commissioned in 1824 and completed in 1826 by John Bellamy,a plantation owner from Monticello, who used slave labor to help build a portion of it.
The road was wide to accommodate for wagons traveling east to west and connected Pensacola to St. Augustine with Tallahassee, the capital, as the midpoint. It now runs from Columbia County to Alachua County.
The original path twisted around a lot of rough terrain. Stumps of trees cleared to build the road were cut within one foot of the ground. Oftentimes, wagons hit these stumps because of height inconsistencies, which jolted the wagons. This is how the road earned its infamous nickname: “Stump-Knocker.”
To qualify as a Florida landmark “a building, structure or site must be at least 50 years old and have regional or statewide significance in the areas of architecture, archaeology, Florida history or traditional culture, or be associated with an event of statewide or national significance that took place at least 50 years ago,” according to the Florida Division of Historical Resources.
To be considered for a marker, a landmark needs a sponsor to submit an application. The sponsor researches the site to see if it has historical significance and writes the marker text before submitting.
Once submitted, applications are reviewed by the State Historical Marker Council. The council may propose a change to the marker text. The Bureau of Historic preservation will let the applicant know of the changes so the text can be finalized.
Carolyn Traxler Testrake, 84, sponsored the two new markers. She is the granddaughter of William Henry Traxler Jr. She stood next to a table covered with pictures and books about her family history at the event and was thrilled to see the Traxler name memorialized alongside family who came from out of state to watch the unveiling. Testrake wants the markers to remind folks of her grandfather’s influence and the church’s resilience over time.
“I did this to help us remember what is here and what isn’t here anymore,” Testrake said. She wants the markers to be a reminder of how the church has persevered over time and that even though William Henry Traxler Jr. is dead his memory will not be forgotten.
William Henry Traxler Jr., born in 1857, was the son of former slaveholders and pioneers. In 1879, he purchased 360 acres of land on Old Bellamy Road and built a general store. He also served as president of the First National Bank in Alachua until he died in 1928.
The introduction of the dedication ceremony was led by James Richardson, the pastor at Spring Hill. Richardson has a deep love for the church and has been a pastor there for over a decade.
“The history of Spring Hill is ultimately responsible for us being here today,” he said.
He told the dozens of people sitting on lawn chairs in front of the church the rich history that Spring Hill United Methodist Church has, including the fact that the pews in the church are originals that were handcrafted by slaves. According to the marker, the original church had two front doors for white people and a back door for enslaved people.
Spring Hill United Methodist Church has been around since 1860 and was built by local Methodists. The land was purchased by five men for $50 total, according to the marker. During the Cedar Keys Hurricane in 1896, the church was severely damaged and needed to be repaired. In 1915, the church was completely rebuilt but still contained the original pews and organ which still remain.
Marihelen Wheeler, chair of the Alachua County Commission, and Karen Kirkman, Historical Commission Chair, accepted the markers on behalf of Alachua County.
Wheeler felt a personal connection to the dedication because she grew up in a Methodist church community in Kentucky when she was younger. She said it’s important to commemorate history, especially the history of a church that has a community.