The Memorial Presbyterian Church is an historic church located a 36 Valencia Street in St. Augustine, Florida. The church was built in 1889 by business tycoon and St. Augustine benefactor Henry Morrison Flagler and dedicated in honor of his daughter Jennie Louise Benedict who died in childbirth the same year, hence the word Memorial.[1]
Designed by the New York architectural firm of Carrere and Hastings in the Second Renaissance Revival style and inspired by St Mark's Basilica in Venice, the church was built utilizing a novel construction technique pioneered by Franklin W. Smith, builder of the Villa Zorayda. This building method utilizing poured concrete mixed with crushed coquina stone, was utilzed in Smith's Casa Monica Hotel, as well as Flagler's Ponce de Leon Hotel and Alcazar Hotel of which Smith oversaw construction.
Like the Alcazar and Ponce de Leon, many of the architectural details were created with terra cotta.[2]
Upon Flagler's death in 1913 he was interred in a marble mausoleum within the church beside his daughter Jennie Louise and her infant Marjorie and, his first wife Mary Harkness Flagler.[3]