PROVIDENCE

NAME: Providence COUNTY: Union ROADS: 2WD GRID: 1 CLIMATE: Warm BEST TIME TO VISIT: Cold in Winter

COMMENTS: Old Providence Baptist Church and Cemetery are located on Price Creek Road heading north into Columbia County. This is the possible site of Old Providence. It is also noted Providence was one of the first communities in North Florida to recieve a US Post Office. REMAINS: Nothing original, Feed Store and Family Owned Grocery

The Providence Village is located in the western part of Union County near the Columbia County line and Olustee Creek which divides the counties. The village bears the record of being next to St. Augustine in age, as exploring parties used this region for a stopping place in journey's westward. The Bellamy Trail, which traversed our state in early times, is near this section of our county. The village became the county seat of all the land now comprising Columbia, Bradford, and Union Counties, and there were drug stores, large mercantile stores, blacksmith shops, and other businesses. Very few churches existed in the early days, but historical names of New Zion, Ft. Call, and Old Providence (being established in 1832), were near to Providence and were served by the "Circuit Rider Preacher". Some pioneer settlers include: Ward, Weeks, Wilkerson, Gay, Odom, Newsome, Fralick, Taylor, Valentine, Beilling, Harden, Summers, Smith, Shallar, Clyatt, O'Steen, Summerall, and many others. Although of ancient origin, Providence has never grown beyond a village, however, the farmers and families are closely settled and a finer agricultural place is not to be found in Florida. Submitted by: Ss

Lanier family picking strawberries, Providence 1915 Courtesy Jim Pike

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