OCALA, FL (352today.com) – Amid the tourist magnet of Silver Springs in the mid-20th century, a peaceful enclave celebrating Christian faith emerged just off the main attraction: the Prince of Peace Memorial, a roadside shrine that offered visitors a reflective retreat through art and spirituality.

The memorial, located near the junction of Silver Springs Boulevard and the famed glass-bottom boat docks, was the vision of sculptor Paul Cunningham. Between the 1950s and 1960s, Cunningham created a series of twelve handcrafted dioramas depicting scenes from the life of Jesus – ranging from the Nativity to the Resurrection. These intricately carved tableaux were displayed in individual chapel-style structures, each accompanied by soft lighting and music to enhance contemplate viewing.

Black-and-white photo showing two people and a man observing a display at the Prince of Peace Memorial in Silver Springs, Florida.
Visitors explore one of the chapel-style diorama buildings at the Prince of Peace Memorial, where handcrafted biblical scenes offered moments of reflection. Courtesy: State Archives of Florida/Florida Memory

Photos and postcards from the era depict a tall A-frame chime tower marking the entrance, flanked by serene gardens sheltering the chapel dioramas. This spiritually focused attraction stood in stark contrast to the more entertainment-heavy offerings at Silver Springs at the time – glass-bottom boats, reptile shows, and jungle cruises. It provided a quiet, meditative pause for faith-minded visitors amid the bustling tourist activity.

Color diorama showing Jesus on the cross with two others, set against a painted sky backdrop, part of the Prince of Peace Memorial collection.
A diorama depicting the Crucifixion, one of twelve handcrafted biblical scenes created by sculptor Paul Cunningham in the 1950s. Courtesy: State Archives of Florida/Florida Memory

By the 1970s, however, the Prince of Peace Memorial gradually faded. As Florida’s tourism infrastructure shifted – the emergence of mega-parks and modern attractions – smaller religious installations like this lost prominence. Eventually, the memorial’s structures were dismantled or repurposed, and the grounds were absorbed into adjacent land holdings.

Today, no visible trace remains of the site; its existence is preserved only through archival photos and collector postcards.

Despite its erasure, the Prince of Peace Memorial holds value among local historians and religious tourism researchers. It represents a rare example of mid-century roadside piety and artistry in Marion County – melding faith, craftsmanship and landscape.

Garden courtyard with palm trees and chapel-like buildings at the Prince of Peace Memorial, part of the mid-century roadside shrine near Silver Springs.
A view of the garden path lined with chapel structures housing the dioramas, designed for peaceful contemplation amid Silver Springs’ tourist buzz. Photographer: Johnson, courtesy of State Archives of Florida

The memorial is briefly honored in regional studies of Silver Springs’ heritage, mentioned as part of its 1950s expansion, alongside attractions like Tommy Bartlett’s Deer Ranch. Though humble in scale, its purpose was profound: to offer travelers a moment of spiritual contemplation even amidst the Wild Florida backdrop.