The building that is home to the Mandarin Community Club was rebuilt in 1872, for use as the Mandarin School, after a fire destroyed an earlier building on the site. Harriet Beecher Stowe, famed author of "Uncle Tom's Cabin", spearheaded the building project. Black and white childeren were educated at the school. Mrs. Stowe, a 15 year winter resident of Mandarin, lived on river property across from the school.  The school was also used as a site for community meetings and worship services.

The Mandarin Community Club was founded in 1923 and the school was presented to the club as a gift in 1936 by Edwin and Carr Mina Jones.

What We Do

The Mandarin Community Club dedicates much of its activities to preservation and beautification projects. Projects have included the Mandarin Parkway, 19 landscaped medians south of I-295, and the Parkway 2000 projects. The Parkway 2000 project was designed to provide tree-lined medians and tree-lined sidewalks along San Jose Boulevard from Kori Road to I-295.

The Community Club owns and maintains three historic properties. Included are the Mandarin Community Club (1872 Mandarin School), the 1911 Mandarin Post Office and General Store, and the Frederick Billard property. The Mandarin Post Office and General Store is leased to the Mandarin Museum and Historical Society for historical tours and education.

Throughout its history the Mandarin Community Club has been repeatedly recognized for its efforts on behalf of the history and preservation of Mandarin.  The City of Jacksonville honored the club in 1999 for outstanding contributions to historic preservation.  In 2006 the Mandarin Community Club received the Mayor's Neighborhood Organization Award.  

Copyright Mandarin Community Club, Inc. 2003-2007