The Florida frontier remained relatively empty until after the Civil War. during the late 1860s, both northerners and native southerners perceived great potential in Florida. Among the places they settled was Tomoka, which became Daytona in 1871. Daytona settlers remained unchurched until various Protestant denominations established the Mission circuits so typical of frontier America. One early mission was St. Mark's begun in 1877. The parishioners of St. Mark's early felt the need for permanence and began planning a church building in the late seventies. Their efforts were crowned with success with the completion of St. Mary's, a Gothic Revival structure with board-and-batten exterior sheathing. St. Mary's has remained on its original site, growing with the community it serves. The structure has been enlarged several times to accommodate the expanding parish; however, the original St. Mary's remains the core of the present building, a visible reminder of Daytona's earliest years.
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.