A Tribute To Mary Peck
River House is a little different than most venues in that it is owned by a private non-profit organization, the St. Johns County Council on Aging. On the weekdays, the building operates as an active senior center with all types of classes and programs for residents and visitors alike. On the weekend, it transforms into an event venue, hosting 750+ social and corporate events since its 10 years in business. Proceeds from the venue rentals directly support the non-profit’s mission and day-to-day upkeep of the building, making River House a dual-purpose facility with truly unique functions.
A woman by the name of Mary Peck, a longtime supporter and active participant of COA programming, willed that her home be used for the benefit of community elders when she passed away. Her wish was to provide waterfront dining for seniors, so older adults could enjoy the Bayfront view that she had loved during her lifetime. With her donation, a vision was brought to life. Her home was sold and the profit was used as the seed money to build River House.
Cathy Brown, COA’s Executive Director at the time, is credited with the brilliant idea of constructing a building that could house senior programing during the week, and host special events on the weekends. It became the perfect balance — providing St. Johns County with a state-of-the-art, nationally accredited senior center, as well as a prestigious event venue on the Bayfront overlooking the Matanzas River, St. Augustine Lighthouse and Bridge of Lions.
A.D. Davis Construction broke ground in May 2009, and River House opened its doors in January 2010. The River House Ballroom is named in Ms. Peck’s honor, and a portrait of her created by local artist Jean Troemel is displayed there.
To learn more about COA’s mission and impact on St. Johns County, click here.
Reviews of River House
Shelby C.
The best choice we made while planning our wedding was choosing River House! From the first day meeting with Constance I knew she was going to be such a pleasure to work with. The venue itself is absolutely beautiful! The ceremony background of the river and lighthouse makes for the perfect pictures. The inside is already beautiful so it doesn’t take much decorating. The pictures online don’t do it justice so make sure to schedule an appointment to go see it, you will not be disappointed! Our guests couldn’t stop commenting on how beautiful the venue was. We cannot say enough good things about River House!
Samantha
The River House Events venue is the perfect spot, especially for weddings. We had so many compliments on how beautiful it was, and we really didn't have to do much to decorate! It's already beautiful as it is. Constance and Sara are very easy to work with and they are very quick with responding to emails and phone calls for any questions. The price might seem high at first, but it includes so much and the vendors they work with are amazing - so take a look at their list before searching for your own. I am so glad we had our wedding at the River House. I would do it again in a heartbeat. Our day was perfect! Thank you, Constance!
Emily S.
We had our wedding reception May 25th, 2019 and it was perfect! My husband and I live in Jacksonville but all of our guests were coming from Pennsylvania. We picked the River House because if he indoor/outdoor flexibility! We wanted our guests to embrace the Florida lifestyle! We didn’t have to worry about the weather and got to enjoy the beautiful views of the river and lighthouse. There also have their own dock where we took amazing sunset photos. Lastly, Constance and her staff were a joy to work with and always willing to help!
