Jacksonville’s first Mormon temple sets groundbreaking | Jacksonville Today

Jacksonville’s First Mormon Temple Groundbreaking

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for its first temple in Jacksonville on January 24. The event will take place on Loretto Road in Mandarin and will be private, by invitation only.

Elder Massimo De Feo, first counselor in the United States Southeast Area Presidency, will preside over the ceremony. The temple will span 29,000 square feet and is located on a 6.6-acre site just east of San Jose Boulevard.

Temple and Regional Context

This new temple will join four other Florida temples that are either built or planned in Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Tallahassee, and Tampa, according to church officials.

Historical Background of the Site

The property was once home to the two-story Fleming Bowden house, constructed in 1907. Bowden was among the first Mandarin residents to own a car, having purchased several Ford Model T’s in the early 1920s. He also served as Duval County supervisor of elections for 21 years.

The land was rezoned in 2020 for subdivision development, but a Change.org petition attempted to halt the project. Plans to relocate the historic house failed, and the subdivision was never built. The land was eventually fenced off, and without historic designation, the house was demolished in early 2024, according to local historian Tracey Arpen.

Church History in Florida

Mormon missionaries first arrived in Florida in 1845. The state’s first congregation was established in 1897 in the Big Bend region.

"The private groundbreaking service will be by invitation only."
— Elder Massimo De Feo, United States Southeast Area Presidency

Author’s summary: Jacksonville’s inaugural Mormon temple will break ground on a historically significant site, marking an important milestone in the church’s Florida presence.

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JaxToday JaxToday — 2025-11-11

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