Mickey Starling
reporter3@greenepublishing.com
In 1850, Madison Lodge Number 11, F.&A.M. founded the St. Johns Seminary of Learning at 202 North Duval St., in Madison. At its height, the site contained a school and a dormitory. The institute trained many teachers for schools throughout Florida until its closing in 1927. W.B. Gates established the Florida Normal Institute at this location as part of Madison High School in 1907. When the Institute closed, a new high school was constructed where the current Madison County Memorial Hospital is located on Crane Ave.
The dormitory was the only remaining portion of the institute, and it served as the offices of Tri-County Electric Cooperative until 1990. The building remained largely vacant until 1999, when fire swept through the offices in the early hours of Saturday, Feb. 13. The cause of the fire was unknown, but arson was suspected.
Some of the information for this article was taken from Tommy Greene's book, "Madison County: From the Beginning." The book is available for purchase at Greene Publishing, Inc., in Madison.