Welcome to the Historical Society of Orange Park
Let's make our community a better place!
Clarke House Tours
The Clarke House, built in 1912 and located in Clarke House Park, 1039 Kingsley Avenue, is open for tours the second Sunday of each month from 2 PM to 4 PM. Sunday afternoons are the perfect time for a leisurely tour of the house, both upstairs and downstairs.
Orange Park Memories
The Historical Society is highlighting Orange Park businesses each month of 2025, sharing stories each month that feature one very old and one more familiar business in the town. Our August businesses are the Palmetto Factory and the Sisters’ Tea Room.
The town’s earliest businesses took advantage of the land’s natural resources. On December 27, 1877 a patent was filed for “Machines for Treating Palmetto Leaves, Etc.” by George Miller and Washington G. Benedict of Orange Park. It specified, “a new and useful Improvement in Machinery for Cutting, Stripping or Combing into Shreds all Varieties of Palmetto Leaves, Stalks, or Buds to be used in the manufacture and all upholstery purposes”. The wooden palmetto factory building was located on McIntosh Street, near today’s Moosehaven entrance. It employed women into the 1880’s, making hats, bags, fans, and more from stripped palmetto leaves.
The Sisters Tea Room opened in 1974 at the corner of Smith and McIntosh Ave. in Orange Park. By 1979, it was obvious they needed more than 10 tables, so they decided to move to 906 Park Ave. Owners Gwen Chojnacki and Bobbi Robbins kept the business going until 1993, making the best peanut butter pie anyone ever tasted. Many celebrations, showers, and family reunions were hosted by the sisters. Please share your memories in honor of all their amazing work with us at info@ophistory.org.
Clarke House and Cemetery Tours
Private Guided Tours of Historic Clarke House and Magnolia Cemetery Available
Homeschool, civic and social groups are welcome to schedule a free guided tour of the 1913 historic Clarke House and/or Magnolia Cemetery. For more information, contact the Historical Society of Orange Park at info@ophistory.org. Groups will be scheduled based on the availability of guides.
Orange Park Historic Driving Tour
Looking for somewhere to explore or something to do in Clay County? Visit the Explore Clay website, Explore Clay County - Small Towns, Big Passions, for plenty of suggestions.
One of the activities is a tour of historic buildings in Orange Park. This driving tour takes you to 23 historical structures that hold positions of prominence in Orange Park’s history and continue to serve today. Please remember most locations are private residences and should be viewed from the street.
To access the tour visit, download the Explore Clay mobile app from the Explore Clay website or by clicking: Clay County - Mobile App. Once you have the app downloaded, search for the tour then dive into the rich history of Orange Park.
our corporate sponsors
McDonald's
428 Park Avenue and 372 Blanding Blvd., Orange Park
Jacksonville Memory Gardens
111 Blanding Blvd., Orange Park
New Way Hearing Aids
1494 Park Avenue
Orange Park, FL 32073
