Director

Samuel Sparks Lamb (or S.S. Lamb as we will refer to him from now on) was a visionary. It was thanks to his planning and foresight that Palmetto has thrived. When S.S. Lamb first came to Palmetto, he purchased almost 85 acres of land that would become the basis for Palmetto. His plan was to divide his land into plats and create a village. He envisioned a wide avenue stretching from the two entrances of Palmetto (the wharf on the Manatee River and the Seaboard Air Line Depot). Over the years, Lamb donated land for the Palmetto Cemetery, the Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian churches, the Carnegie Library, the Women’s Club, and Lamb Park – which was a Christmas gift to the people of Palmetto in 1909. When the railroad came to Palmetto in 1895, the center of activity for the town shifted from the waterfront, closer to the railroad depot, which was located on Main Street (10th Ave) several blocks north of where we are now. The railroad also allowed contractors to have a steady supply of bricks on hand, and buildings became more stable and less prone to fire hazards. Many new brick buildings were built along Main Street to replace wooden buildings near the water and many businesses relocated from the waterfront to these new brick structures.

More Info

The City of Palmetto dates its beginnings to the arrival of Samuel Sparks Lamb in 1868. He was known as the “father of Palmetto” and gave the town its name, Palmetto, after his home state of South Carolina. As we walk along, we will learn more about the Lamb family, and other pioneers, some of whom arrived even earlier than he did.

Welcome to Historic Palmetto, Florida!

Take a self-guided tour of Palmetto's Historic Downtown and learn about how Palmetto came to be. 

Palmetto's Historic Downtown Walking Tour

Early on families taught their own children at home. During this time S.S. Lamb, the town founder, hired a tutor for his children. Later, he used a small log cabin on his property as a school, and invited the neighbors.Growth necessitated the building of a small frame schoolhouse and the hiring of teacher Mr. Nettles, and one year later Miss Frankie A. McKay (Frankie Howze) was hired.In the late 1800's, the newly incorporated city of Palmetto built Palmetto Academy, the first public school in Manatee County. The NE Corner of Palmetto Historical Park was the site of Palmetto Academy, Palmetto's first public school. It was built in 1894 with money raised by a bond. It was said to be the first time in Florida that public funds were used to build a school. Children went to school from 8:30am to 4:00pm for 5 to 6 months of the year. By 1917, a new school building was constructed at the corner of 10th Ave W. and 7th St. W. Multi-storied red brick and concrete buildings followed, and in 1926 the Palmetto Grammar School building was added to the square block site between 7th and 8th Streets and 10th and 11th Avenues.The Palmetto Academy building became City Hall by 1917 and by 1926 was simultaneously used as an armory for the Palmetto National Guard. For years this was their headquarters until a concreate building was built on 14th Ave W. and the Guard was relocated. Palmetto Academy was torn down after being vacated by the Guard.

The NE Corner of Palmetto Historical Park is the site of Palmetto Academy, Palmetto's first public school. It was built in 1894 with money raised by a bond. It was said to be the first time in Florida that public funds were used to build a school. Children went to school from 8:30am to 4:00pm for 5 to 6 months of the year. By 1930, a new school building was constructed on the corner of 10th Ave. W. and 7th St. W. Later, Palmetto Academy was torn down.

Site of Palmetto's First School

Palmetto was one of 1687 communities in the United States that constructed a new public library thanks to the support of Andrew Carnegie's matching grants. With the contributions of local citizens and the leadership of a committee of local women, Palmetto became one of the first in South Florida to do so. As part of the terms of the matching grant, Carnegie-supported libraries required a basement, and as a result, the second floor is considered the main floor, and the first floor is considered a basement.Now part of the Palmetto Historical Park, the Carnegie Library is a local history repository. The main floor houses the Alice V. Myers' Archive Center which included city maps, directories, photographs, slides, local family histories, histories of local businesses, and many other unique documents related to the history of the North River area.From the 1915 Palmetto High School Year Book:"One of the most beautiful buildings in Palmetto, and one to which Palmettoites point with pride, is the Carnegie Library. It is built of brown pressed brick with concrete trimmings, is seventy (70) feet long by thirty (30) feet wide, and is one story and a basement high.The main or upper floor contains the library and reading rooms; the interior is beautifully finished in native woods. The reading tables, chairs, and librarian's desk, and all other furniture were made of native cypress by our local novelty works. The library contains about 1,500 volumes donated by the Women's Library Association in Palmetto, and new books are being constantly added.The Lower floor is fitted up as an auditorium and is used for club meetings and other public gatherings of the town of an educational nature.The gift of Mr. Carnegie was $10,000, and the town has voted $1,000 annually to support the institution. The library was opened to the public on December 29, 1914, and bids fair to become a strong factor in the educational uplifting of Palmetto."

Palmetto's Carnegie Library was one of the first libraries constructed in South Florida and was made possible by a matching grant of $10,000 from Andrew Carnegie. The City of Palmetto contributed $1,000 and the land, while local citizens under the leadership of the Ladies' Library Association provided all the books, library materials, and furnishings. The Carnegie Library was a functioning public library until 1969 when they built the library across the street. The Carnegie Library is now part of the Palmetto Historical Park and is home to the Alice V. Myers Archive Center.As of 3/1/2022 - Inside the Carnegie Library is a featured display on Andrew Carnegie and the Free Library Movement.

1914 Carnegie Library

The Oaks Hotel in Palmetto opened in 1909. The hotel was built by J.A. Lamb, A. M. Lamb (both sons of S.S. Lamb), D.I. Jones, and J.W. Jackson. It was located on 10th Ave West, near the current location of the Palmetto Historical Park.The original hotel was "L" shaped and had a porch running across two sides of the building. It initially housed 26 guest rooms, a stone addition on the north side in 1923 increased the size to 50 total guest rooms, and in 1930 another addition was added to the north and west sides of the building. Rooms could be rented monthly and seasonally, with many residents making it their permanent winter residence. In 1969 a fire gutted the third floor of the building and it eventually was demolished the next year.

The Oaks Hotel was built here in 1909. It was incorporated by J.A. Lamb, A. M. Lamb (both sons of S.S. Lamb), D.I. Jones, and J.W. Jackson. The hotel was known for its excellent food. Rooms could be rented monthly or seasonally, with many residence making it their permanent winter residence. In 1909, the hotel owners dug the first sewer line in Palmetto. It went through the alley behind the hotel on the west side of Main Street. The City Council agrees to let the hotel have FREE city water for two years in exchange for the completion of this sewer line. The hotel burned in 1970 and the Oaks Apartments were built in its place. Over the years there have been several remodels of the apartments and are now called the Regatta Royale Apartments.

Site of the Oaks Hotel

Located diagonally across from the Palmetto Carnegie Library and adjacent to the Palmetto Public Library, on 10th Avenue West is a very unique looking building with ascending vines on its façade. This building housed one of Palmetto’s earliest theaters, The Olympia Theater. The building was advertised in the December 8, 1916 issue of the Palmetto News by E.W. Stolz and the theater was opened soon after following a renovation and was initially run by Mr. Stolz himself. Residents of the town began viewing moving pictures or flickers here in 1917. The theater was complete with a box office, costume closet, theater seating with balcony and a pressed metal tile ceiling. It had many names after its opening in 1917, including The Palmetto Theater. Live music accompanied the silent films. The theatre closed in 1953.It reopened for a short time in 2009 as the Olympia Children's Theatre until 2012, and is now privately owned.

This building housed the Olympia Theater that opened in 1917 and was owned by Mr. Erwing W. Stoltz. Mr. Stoltz and his family lived above the lobby for a time and it later became his office. In 1923 the name changed to the Palmetto Theater. The theater remained in operation until the 1953.The lobby of the theater was shared with Earl Mason’s Bakery Shop, but the bakery was in a separate building behind the theater. For a time, this building also contained the Iverson &amp; Lloyd Drug Store and the Lloyd family lived upstairs. It reopened for a short time in 2009 as the Olympia Children's Theatre until 2012, and is now privately owned by Alexander Berne (visual artist and jazz musician) and serves as his home and recording studio.

Site of the Olympia Theatre & Palmetto Bakery

First United Methodist Church of Palmetto became officially organized and appointed under the Methodist Episcopal Church South. Prior, it had been a mission of the First Methodist Church of Manatee, and pastors from Manatee and Bradenton held monthly sermons at a schoolhouse. In 1884, land for a church was gifted to the congregation by the Lamb family. An attempt to raise money to build the sanctuary during the 1880s was largely unsuccessful due to the financial ramifications of the yellow fever as well as several bad agricultural seasons. In 1890, the church exchanged lots with the Lamb family, and were instead provided a lot at the intersection of Main Street (10th Ave.) and Myrtle (5th St). By Fall of 1892, the sanctuary was completed.The sanctuary was moved in 1923 from its location here to the another new property at the corner of Lay (4th St) and Lamb St. (11th Ave), which was also donated by the Lamb family. The previous property was sold to help finance the building of a new brick sanctuary to hold the growing congregation. In 1924, another new sanctuary was built at the new location. The older church was used for Sunday schools and other church activity. In 1938, the church was sold to Mr. S.F. Devereaux of Palmetto for $250 and the lumber was used to build his home at the southeast corner of 5th Street and 12th Avenue.The first brick building in Palmetto was the Manatee County State Bank, formed in July 1899. It was the first bank in Manatee County, as well. Major stockholders were S.S. Lamb, C.C. Whitaker, the well-known Tampa attorney Peter O. Knight, Lon Sims and C.E. McNeill. This lot was home to the second location of the Manatee County State Bank from its construction in 1925 until it caught fire and was demolished in 1980.

This parking lot once house the first church building for the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1890, the church exchanged lots with the Lamb family, and were provided a new lot at the intersection of Main Street (10th Ave.) and Myrtle (5th St). By Fall of 1892, the sanctuary was completed. The church met on this property until they relocated in 1923.In 1925, this lot became home to the second building of the Manatee County State Bank.

Site of the First Methodist Episcopal Church

This parking lot once housed the Nettles Building, which for many years was really a community center built in 1907 from handmade concrete blocks by J.R. Owen. It was a three-story brick building, the highest building in Palmetto for many years. The first and second floors housed a post office, hardware and drug stores, a telegraph office, a pharmacy, offices for doctors, lawyers and dentist and for a time, a private school. The third floor was a meeting hall for community groups such as the Masons, Knights of Phythias, Odd Fellows and Woodsmen of the World. The small adjoining building housed Western Union, Sothern Express, and others. There was an empty lot next to the building on the south side that served as a city park. There was a bandstand here and many community events were held here as well as informal gatherings on Saturday evenings.

This parking lot once housed the Nettles Building. Built in 1907, the three story brick building was the center of the community. Over the years, the first and second floors housed a post office, hardware and drug stores, a telegraph office, a pharmacy, offices for doctors, lawyers and dentists, and for a time, a private school. The third floor was a meeting hall for the community groups such as the Masons, Odd Fellows, and Woodsmen of the World. Next to the building on the south side was an empty lot that served as a city park. There was a bandstand and many community events were held here as well as informal gatherings on Saturday evenings. Today it is a parking lot owned by the First Baptist church and they allow community use for the downtown Palmetto area.

Site of the Nettles Block

What is today Palmetto's quaint historic downtown, was once a bustling shopping area. In the same space that currently houses restaurants, retail, an art gallery, a fish market, and several salons, were once the following businesses:<h3>Palmetto State Bank (449 10th Ave W)</h3>The Palmetto State Bank was incorporated in 1912. Their offices were housed here until the depression when the building was joined with 447 and became Palmetto City Hall. Prior to that, 447 had been a Ladies Dress Shop.<h3>S.B. Black Grocery (435 10th Ave W)</h3>In 1918, this building has housed a variety of businesses. It was built as a grocery store and barbershop on the first floor with other business above. For a time, the upstairs held apartments.<h3>Palmetto Fire Insurance building (431-433 10th Ave W)</h3>This once new brick building was built in 1918 was home to the Palmetto Fire Insurance Company, as well as the Buffalo Vegetable Marketing Firm, Lamb and Willis Real Estate Company and now houses two retail stores.<h3>Palmetto Hardware Company Building (425-429 10th Ave W)</h3>The 1918 City Directory lists the Palmetto Hardware Store as being located in this building. <h3>Tallant &amp; Groff Clothing Store (421 10th Ave W)</h3>Now Seagrapes Seafood Market, this building was built to house the Palmetto branch of the Tallant and Groff Clothing Store. The original store was built in Bradenton by Henry K. Tallant and Otto D. Groff, both residents of Bradenton.

When the railroad came to Palmetto in 1902, the center of activity for the town shifted from the waterfront closer to the railroad depot which was located on Main (10th Ave. W &amp; 9th St. W) several blocks north of here. The railroad also allowed contractors to have a steady supply of bricks on hand, and buildings became more stable and less prone to fire hazards. Many new brick buildings were built in this vicinity to replace the wooden buildings near the water. Many businesses moved from the older wooden buildings on the waterfront to the new brick buildings here.

Old Main Street Shops

In the early 1910s, Thomas Taylor moved from England to Palmetto and became one of the most well-known and generous benefactors in Palmetto’s history. He was a local drycleaner, and was nicknamed “Taylor the Tailor” – most now remember him by that name. He had many other ventures as well – he was a musician and musical instrument salesman, a realtor, secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, and the owner of the Universal Theatre.His dedication to the needy and to children helped make him one of Palmetto’s most beloved men. Once of the greatest things Taylor did was providing young couples with low-income housing. He invested in tax sale properties, renovated them, and then sold them to young couples for “rent” charges that were often half of what the payments would normally be. Taylor invested in the children of Palmetto by sponsoring dances and parties. He hosted the Palmetto Elementary school’s Christmas party every year. He would provide enough money to buy each child in the school a stocking of fruit and candy, along with a book and a toy. Because of this, Taylor became the personification of Christmas for many children in the area. At his theater, Taylor never charged any child more than a nickel to attend a movie. After his death in 1954 at the age of 70, Taylor left his estate to the Children’s Homes of Florida, except for $500 that he set aside to pay for his funeral expenses. Because they knew his $500 would not cover the expense of a tombstone, the students at Palmetto Elementary, along with the local police chief, raised the money to purchase one. Thomas Taylor was honored as a Great Floridian 2000 with a plaque that was placed on the side of this building. It disappeared when the building was last painted.

This building once housed an open-air post office designed like the open-air post office still in operation in St. Petersburg, Florida today. William E. Burch was the postmaster in Palmetto from September 21, 1923 to December 31, 1935, and operated this post office location. Today it houses a medical supply company.On the back of this building along 4th Street (old E. Bay) was the location of the tailor shop operated by Thomas Taylor.

Site of the Open Air Post Office & Taylor the Tailor

The first location of the Manatee County State Bank was the first of the "new" brick buildings of the late 1800s to be constructed on Main Street. The building was also known as the Lamb Block building. Major stockholders were S.S. Lamb, C.C. Whitaker, the well-known Tampa attorney Peter O. Knight, Lon Sims and C.E. McNeill.For a number of years, across the street from the Manatee County State Bank was Dr. David I. Jones' drug store.The Manatee County State Bank was relocated in 1925 to its second location, 2 blocks north on Main Street (also the location of the First Methodist Church in Palmetto).

On this corner was once the first brick building in Palmetto. It was built in 1899 and was known as the Lamb Block. The building served as the location for the first bank organized in Manatee County, the Manatee County State Bank, which opened on July 15, 1899. It was incorporated with a capitalization of $16,000 and had grown to $50,000 by June of 1914. One hundred and sixty shares were issued at $160 a share. The Manatee County State Bank remained in this building until 1925 when it was relocated 2 blocks north to the stop we were at previously.

Site of the first Manatee County State Bank 

This three-story building was built as an apartment building in 1921 by Erving W. Stoltz (the same Stoltz who built the Olympic Theater). Buyers rented furnished apartments for $375 to $500 per season of 6 months. In the winter, snowbirds would rent the apartments to make the purchases they would later ship up north. There were 24 apartments with 2 to 3 bedrooms in each apartment, "with janitor service, private bath, hot and cold water to all fixtures, steam heat to living and bath....Everything furnished except silver, bed and table linen."After the Depression, the name was changed to the Palmetto Apartments and was used by affluent local residents. It was renamed the Crusader Building after some Canadian sailors who used the building as a dormitory while training for the American’s Cup races in the 1980s. The building has undergone a renovation and is now an office complex.

Now known as the Crusader Building, this three-story building was once an apartment building owned by Erving W. Stolz. The name was later changed to the Palmetto Apartments. The building has undergone a renovation and is now an office complex. It was renamed the Crusader Building in honor of sailors who lived here while they trained on their boat, "The Crusader" for the America's Cup.

Site of the 1921 Stoltz Apartments

There have been one landing and four main docks in the history of Palmetto. The first landing place was located where the railroad bridge crosses the river today (the south end of 5th Ave W). Simon Turman, a native of Ohio, who arrived in the Manatee area in 1843, filed for a land grant of 160 acres under the Armed Occupation Act and chose his parcel to receive expected ship traffic and imported goods. Turman constructed a crude cabbage log crib in deeper water, which became known as Turman's Landing. No dock connected the crib with the mainland and everything that was unloaded had to be rafted to shore. Turman only remained in the Manatee area for two years before moving to Tampa, but the landing that bore his name served the Palmetto community until Joel Hendrix built a dock at the end of 9th Avenue in 1874. Hendrix came to Palmetto in 1871 and his wife, Martha Ann, paid S.S. Lamb $100 for six acres. Three years later, after building a house, establishing a general store on the property, and repaying his wife the $100, Hendrix built a dock so that he would not have to ferry supplies from the landing to the shore. At one time, the Palmetto Terminal Railroad, a narrow gauge railroad ran from the end of the dock two miles to Memphis. Plans were that the line would run to Parrish, a total of twelve miles of track.  However, the rest of the track was never completed and the railroad lasted only a year. A third dock, a public dock, was built here at the end of 10th Avenue or Main Street in 1896. It was called the Palmetto Wharf. Two other docks were the Atzeroth Dock and the Ogden Point dock. Over the years the dredged island at the end of the pier served as the home of a number of restaurants during the 20th Century and into the early 21st. A later pier replaced the one that burned in 1967 and more dock space for visiting yachts were added at the end of the 20th Century.

The waterfront and the Manatee River has always played an important part in the history of Palmetto. To the pioneers, the river was like our interstate highways of today. Mail, supplies and newcomers arrived by boat and produce and citrus were shipped in that manner, as well. There have been four main docks in the history of Palmetto. A public dock was built here at the end of 10th Avenue (Main Street) in 1896. It was called the Palmetto Wharf.

Palmetto Wharf 

Mrs. Julia "Madam Joe; " Atzeroth, and her husband Joseph, originally from Bavaria, were the first permanent white settlers on Terra Ceia.In 1850 at a Sheriff's Sale, Madam Joe Atzeroth who originally settled on Terra Ceia in 1843 purchased the 46.46 acres of property owned by John Reese for $230 on the river where we are now. Reese left a partially completed log cabin under six oak trees. Madam Joe built a larger residence covered with clapboards and finished ceiling inside nearby and the original log house was converted into a store (the first in Palmetto) with the home serving as a combination residence and lodging place for travelers. A wharf, the first in Palmetto and the second landing place, was constructed here as well. Four years later, Madam Joe purchased an additional thirty eight acres from Simon Turman for $3.00 an acre. The Atzeroth's lived on this site until 1866 when they sold the property to Sarah Campbell, an older sister of Joel Hendrix (Palmetto's First Postmaster). Mrs. Campbell did not live long on the property. On February 3, 1868, she sold it to S.S. Lamb. The Lambs moved into the house built by Madam Joe, and he continued to operate the store in the log cabin until he moved it farther west on the river. The family, then, used the log cabin for a school and a private teacher was hired to teach the Lamb children and their neighbors. Lamb envisioned his property divided into a village. He surveyed and platted it. Over the years he donated land for the Palmetto Cemetery, three churches, the Carnegie Library, the Women's Club, and a park. It was also due to his foresight and planning the Old Main Street (10th Avenue) is so wide. Lamb intended to have a fine avenue stretching all the way between the two entrances to Palmetto, the wharf on the river and the Seaboard Air Line Depot. When the city became officially established in 1897, Lamb served as one of the first aldermen. Lamb continued to be active in Palmetto until his death in 1910. His wife, Sarah, lived here until her death in 1922. The Regatta Pointe Condominiums were built here on the location of their home in 1961.

Today, the home to the Regatta Pointe Condominiums, this was once the location of the Atzeroth family home. Madam Joe sold the house in 1866 to Sarah Campbell, sister to Joel Hendrix (Palmetto's first postmaster), and in 1868 resold the house to S.S. Lamb. The Lamb home was later used as a school for the Lamb children and their neighbors.

Site of Madam Joe Atzeroth's home and S.S. Lamb's home

Julius A. Lamb, son of S.S. Lamb, built this house, in 1913. Julius, nicknamed "Dool", was a nine years old when the family came to the area. On the family's journey to Florida from Mississippi, he drove the barouche, which transported his mother and five sisters. Julius owned Lamb &amp; Willis Real Estate, Guarantee Abstract Company and was Vice-president of Manatee County State Bank, which his father helped to establish in 1899. He also established the first livery stable in Palmetto.When Julius married Lillie, he built a large home (house next door) in 1899. He later ordered this home from a Sears and Roebuck catalog and sold the home he built.This house was a Sears and Roebuck House, which was ordered from a catalog and came complete and ready to put together. The porches have since been enclosed. Evelyn Winter was a niece of Lillie &amp; Julius. She lived with the couple and cared for them while her husband was serving in WWII. Evelyn and her husband were the owners of the Sea Horse Gift Shop, which was at the foot of the Green Bridge for many years and is now represented by a large seahorse statue.The house later opened as a bed and breakfast establishment, it was called Five Oaks (in honor of the six oak trees that have been on this property since S.S. Lamb purchased the land, but one of the six original oaks died). There is a portrait inside the B &amp; B of Julius' wife - Lillie Lamb. The first family to turn this home into a B &amp; B told the story about when they were in the midst of the project, they took down Lillie's picture, and then everything started going wrong - so they hung the picture back up and things started going right again. If you have an appointment to go inside, you can see her photo still hanging in that staircase.The property was purchased in 2009 by Wim &amp; Mieke Lippens and has been renamed to the Palmetto Riverside Bed &amp; Breakfast.This local landmark is listed on the ‘Nation’s Registry of Historical Homes’ and is a premier wedding destination.

The 1913 Sears-Roebuck house was the home of Julius A. ("Dool") Lamb, the son of Palmetto founder Samuel Sparks Lamb. They Moved to Palmetto when Julius was 9 years old and in poor health. Julius grew up and became a local businessman. Julius owned Lamb &amp; Willis Real Estate, Guarantee Abstract Company and was Vice-president of Manatee County State Bank, which his father helped to establish in 1899. He also established the first livery stable in Palmetto. This house was a Sears and Roebuck House, which was ordered from a catalog and came complete and ready to put together. The porches have been enclosed.This is now the Palmetto Riverside Bed &amp; Breakfast.

1913 Sears and Roebuck Home

This house was built for J.A. Lamb, son of S.S. Lamb, and his new bride Lillie A. Mason in 1899 and sold it in 1905 to S.N. Davis after determining it was too large for their small family. J. A. Lamb then purchased the Sears and Roebuck house from a catalog and moved to the lot next door.J. Pope Harllee, the son of Peter and Alice Harllee, purchased the home in the 1920s from Mr. Davis. J. Pope Harllee was a farmer and began his career on a ten-acre tract of land located near Memphis northeast of Palmetto. His parents gave it to him in 1906. He formed Harllee Farms in partnership with his two sons, Peter S. and J.P, Jr., in 1935. It has developed into one of the largest operations of its kind in Manatee County. He served as Mayor of Palmetto from 1928-1929 and a member of the Manatee County Board of County Commissioners for 25 years. He was Manatee County's first distinguished Citizen in 1956. In addition, he owned Harllee and Harrison Ford Agency.

This house was built for J.A. Lamb, son of S.S. Lamb, and his new bride Lillie A. Mason in 1899 and sold it in 1905 to S.N. Davis after determining it was too large for their small family. J. Pope Harllee, the son of Peter and Alice Harllee, purchased the home in the 1920s from Mr. Davis. This home remained in the Harllee family until 1991.This home is a private residence. The carriage house and pool house in the back yard are not original to the home.

J.A. Lamb / J. P. Harllee House

James A. Howze came to Manatee County in 1885 from Alabama. He was a Captain in the Confederate Army. He opened up a store west of S.S. Lamb's on the river. In August of 1888, a salesman from Tampa arrived on a steamer and went to call on Howze. The man was ill and Howze took him to his uncle, Dr. Alston's house, nearby to rest. That afternoon when the steamer made its return trip to Tampa, the man left on it and word came back shortly after that he had died of Yellow Fever. A few days later, Mrs. Howze (1st Wife) was afflicted with the symptoms of the disease. The Howze children soon came down with the fever. The children recovered, but Mrs. Howze died. She was the first victim of yellow fever. Prior to this time, there were only a few graves in the old cemetery on 5th Street and 14th Avenue. There was not even a road to the cemetery. When Mrs. Howze died, a path wide enough to carry a coffin was cut northward from 4th Street to the cemetery.In December of 1889, Captain Howze married Miss Frankie McKay, who had arrived in Palmetto to teach school in the newly constructed frame schoolhouse.Captain Howze died in 1897 of a heart attack. His four sons continued to live in the area and became civic leaders in Palmetto. Thomas A. Howze lived here in the family home. He was a city councilman and the president of Manatee County State Bank.In 1903, the Howze family built a dock between 12th Ave W &amp; 13th Ave W. There were several packing houses on the dock and on the shore near by. A boardwalk ran from this site to the dock along the edge of the ricer. Also in this area was Palmetto's first jail. It was a wooden building set out in the water. A prisoner escaped from it one time, by setting his mattress on fire and burning a hole in the wall to escape into the water. A large hurricane in 1921 destroyed the boardwalk and the wood from the wreckage was used to heat the Carnegie Library that winter.To learn more about Mrs. Frankie Howze and her impact on Palmetto, please visit Palmetto Historical Park for a 2:00PM FREE guided tour Tues-Fri.

James A. Howze came to Manatee County in 1885 from Alabama. He was a Captain in the Confederate Army. He opened up a store west of S.S. Lamb's on the river. In August of 1888, a salesman from Tampa arrived on a steamer and went to call on Howze. The man was ill and Howze took him to his uncle, Dr. Alston's house, nearby to rest. That afternoon when the steamer made its return trip to Tampa, the man left on it and word came back shortly after that he had died of Yellow Fever. A few days later, Mrs. Howze (1st Wife) was afflicted with the symptoms of the disease. The Howze children soon came down with the fever. The children recovered, but Mrs. Howze died. She was the first victim of yellow fever. Prior to this time, there were only a few graves in the old cemetery on 5th Street and 14th Avenue. There was not even a road to the cemetery. When Mrs. Howze died, a path wide enough to carry a coffin was cut northward from 4th Street to the cemetery.

Site of the 1885 Howze Homestead

In December of 1889, Captain Howze married Miss Frankie McKay, who had arrived in Palmetto to teach school in the newly constructed frame schoolhouse. Captain Howze died in 1897 of a heart attack. His four sons continued to live in the area and became civic leaders in Palmetto.After Captain James A. Howze’s death in 1897, Frankie Howze left the Howze homestead for Thomas and his family and moved with the younger children into a home built on this site. This house is shown on the 1917 Sanborn maps. Mrs. Howze continued to teach school and later became principal of the primary school. She also served as librarian at the Carnegie Library. When she retired in 1940, she had served Manatee County school’s for 67 years. Mrs. Howze was called "the Mother of Education in Manatee County." Two schools were named for her. She never stopped learning. After her retirement, she returned to school and earned another degree. Mrs. Howze died on July 29, 1956.The house has been torn down and replaced with this new, though older looking house. But, many of the trees on the property are some of Mrs. Howze’s plantings.To learn more about Mrs. Frankie Howze and her impact on Palmetto, please visit Palmetto Historical Park for a 2:00PM FREE guided tour Tues-Fri.

After Captain James A. Howze’s death in 1897, Frankie Howze left the Howze homestead for Thomas and his family and moved with the younger children into a home built on this site. This house is shown on the 1917 Sanborn maps. The house has been torn down and replaced with this new, though older looking house. Many of the trees on the property are some of Mrs. Howze's plantings.To learn more about Mrs. Frankie Howze and her impact on Palmetto, please visit Palmetto Historical Park for a 2:00PM FREE guided tour Tues-Fri.

Site of the 1900 Frankie Howze Home

First United Methodist Church of Palmetto became officially organized and appointed under the Methodist Episcopal Church South. Prior, it had been a mission of the First Methodist Church of Manatee, and pastors from Manatee and Bradenton held monthly sermons at a schoolhouse. In 1884, land for a church was gifted to the congregation by the Lamb family. An attempt to raise money to build the sanctuary during the 1880s was largely unsuccessful due to the financial ramifications of the yellow fever as well as several bad agricultural seasons. In 1890, the church exchanged lots with the Lamb family, and were instead provided a lot at the intersection of Main Street (10th Ave.) and Myrtle (5th St). By Fall of 1892, the sanctuary was completed.The sanctuary was moved in 1923 from that location to the another new property at the corner of Lay (4th St) and Lamb St. (11th Ave), which was also donated by the Lamb family. The previous property was sold to help finance the building of a new brick sanctuary to hold the growing congregation. In 1924, another new sanctuary was built at the new (and final) location.The older church was used for Sunday schools and other church activity. In 1938, the older church was sold to Mr. S.F. Devereaux of Palmetto for $250 and the lumber was used to build his home at the southeast corner of 5th Street and 12th Avenue.

The First United Methodist Church was relocated to this location, the corner of Lay (4th St) and Lamb St. (11th Ave) in 1923. The land was donated by the Lamb family, as was the case with the previous location for the church. The previous property was sold to help finance the building of a new brick sanctuary to hold the growing congregation. In 1924, another new sanctuary was built at the new (and final) location.

Site of the 1924 First United Methodist Church

The historical marker from this site at 11th Ave West in Palmetto reads, " The Palmetto Baptist Church was organized on January 5, 1892, and a few months later its first building was erected on this site. The Reverend R.H. Whitehead, under whose leadership the church was constituted, became its first pastor. Dr. M.B. Harrison and W.H. Harrison were elected deacons. They also were named trustees, together with John W. Mitchell, M.C.Davis, and W.M. Rowlett. There were 22 charter members, 18 of who transferred from the Benevolence Baptist Church, then located on Frog Creek several miles north of Ellenton. The original frame structure was torn down and replaced by the present brick building in 1926." In 2017, significant additions and renovations were made as the church added a welcome center.

The Palmetto Baptist Church was organized on January 5, 1892. A few months later, a wooden building was erected on this site where the new church is located today. The Rev. R.H. Whitehead, who spearheaded the church's establishment, became its first pastor. There were 22 charter members, 18 of whom transferred from the Benevolence Baptist Church, which was organized in 1868 and located, on Frog Creek several miles north of Ellenton. A brick church was begun on this site in 1923 and completed in 1926. This church building was torn down when the new church was built.

Palmetto's Historic Downtown Walking Tour

Welcome to Historic Palmetto, Florida!

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information