The oldest church in Palatka, St. Mark's was established in 1853. The Carpenter Gothic church building was erected in 1854 using board and battensiding with corner buttresses on the base of the bell tower. One of the founding members of St. Mark's was William D. Moseley, first governor of the state of Florida. During the early years, services were held only in the winter months and were conducted by visiting vicars from the Northern States. During the Civil War, the church was occupied by Union soldiers, who caused much damage to the structure. The church reopened after the war and achieved full parish status by 1873.[3]