The Mandarin Store and Post Office was the core of Mandarin. Mary Graff states in her book Mandarin on the St. Johns,
“the bright dreams of Mandarin's early settlers never materialized, for the highways of commerce went another way and left it with few reminders of its former aspirations. The major industries of the nineteenth century and the truck farms of the early years of the twentieth century are gone: and although mandarin oranges are still well known locally, they no longer represent major sources of income. the citizens of Mandarin still assemble in the combined general store and post office, located in the center of the village , when the mail is due from Jacksonville. Here they are served by one of Mandarin’s most beloved citizens, Miss Agnes Jones. Like her father before her, she has tended Mandarin faithfully in both the store and the post office. There are few in the village who do not know the friendly counsel of “Miss Agnes,” who is a veritable directory for newcomers and old timers alike.” 1
This is a quote from the book written in 1953 which showed how
important this building and Agnes Jones were to the then sleepy
little village of Mandarin.
After the opening of the Buckman Bridge in the early nineteen seventies, Mandarin became an urban area almost overnight. There are countless subdivisions, State Road 13 is filled with convenience stores, fast food chains, Super Markets, and has become a densely populated area. However, a drive down Mandarin Road with the towering oaks still lends an ambiance of time that has gone forever. The General Store and Post Office have been purchased by the Community Club and leased to the Mandarin Museum & Historical Society for operation The building has been restored and serves as a Museum filled with the essence of old Mandarin. This building is a monument to the historical significance of the Mandarin area.
1 Mandarin on the St. Johns. University of Florida Press 1953, Mary Graff, p.153