A Landmark in Jeopardy
The Union Bank building was moved to 219 Apalachee Parkway in October 1971.
Courtesy of the Museum of Florida History
After longtime owner Ethel Stewart’s death in 1958, the First Baptist Church purchased the property. In 1969, the church wanted the buildings removed or demolished to make way for a parking lot. Cora Morse, President of the Florida Society of Colonial Dames XVII Century, organized a campaign to save the Union Bank.
With public and private support, in 1971, the building was moved inch by inch from Adams Street to its current location. The move damaged the building, opening large cracks in the walls. According to contemporary newspaper accounts, at one point, the building was in danger of rolling downhill and colliding with a barbershop. The movers threw timbers under the wheels to prevent the crash, but $2,500 of damage was done to city streets. It took two days for the building to travel about a half mile to its new home. Although saved from the wrecking ball, without additional funds for restoration, the Union Bank continued to deteriorate.
