Madison Lodge Number 11, F.& A.M. founded St. Johns Seminary of Learning on the southwest corner of this block in 1850. This institution became the basis for Madison High School in 1886. W.B. Cates established the Florida Normal Institute here as part of Madison High School in 1907. The adjacent building was the dormitory of the Florida Normal Institute. The institute trained many teachers for all of Florida before closing in 1927.