The Catholic church that became the chamber of commerce

Lina Nissley
ECB Publishing, Inc.

Monticello is a town known for its many important historical locations.

One building in particular is the structure that currently houses the Monticello-Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce. According to Katrina Richardson, the Chamber Executive Director, the building was built in 1917, 103 years ago.

It was originally built as a Catholic church. “It was the first Catholic Church in Jefferson County,” said Dee Counts, a local historian.

In the 1970s, the population of the church became too much for the small building to contain and the church members chose to build another location on the east side of town. That new structure became known as the Saint Margaret Catholic Church (which still stands on East Washington Street).

After the church had constructed their new building, the chamber of commerce purchased the former church structure and it still serves as their location today.

In the 1980s, a kitchen and bathroom were added to better accommodate employees within the chamber.
According to Troy Avera, a local historical homeowner, a member of the Jefferson County Historical Association and a city councilman, the church-turned-chamber building was constructed by boat builders and the rafters beautifully resemble the skeleton of a ship.

“The chamber is a gem and an important piece of history that we should preserve,” added Avera.

To this day, the former church building that has been given a new life as a chamber office remains an important piece of local history and is a beautiful landmark in Monticello.

For more information about the historical buildings scattered through downtown Monticello, the Monticello-Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce offers guided tours of the local historic district on Friday afternoons at 1:30 p.m. You can learn more about the different historical tours offered by the chamber by contacting the chamber office at (850) 997-5552.