Arnett Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church holds the distinction of being the oldest surviving African American church in present-day Gadsden County, with a congregation founded in 1866 — just one year after the end of the Civil War — by newly freed men and women building institutions of faith, community, and self-determination. The original Arnett Chapel building was constructed in 1898-99, and this remarkable Romanesque Revival structure continues to stand as a powerful symbol of the resilience, faith, and community spirit of Gadsden County’s African American community.

The church was named for the Rev. Benjamin W. Arnett, the Presiding A.M.E. Bishop in Florida from 1888 to 1892, whose leadership guided the growth of the African Methodist Episcopal Church across the South during the challenging decades of Reconstruction. Colorful art glass windows add to the beauty and historical richness of this cherished building at 209 S. Duval Street in Quincy’s historic district.

For visitors to Gadsden County — Florida’s only majority-Black county — Arnett Chapel AME Church represents an essential and deeply moving chapter in the county’s historical narrative. It is a place where history, faith, and community memory converge in a building of genuine architectural and cultural significance.