Site of the Nettles Block
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
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.
Images
The Nettles Block Building, built in 1907.
The sign for the Southern Express Company is on the lower storefront on the right.
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
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.
Sources
This entry was created by Palmetto Historical Park staff using Palmetto Historical Park’s records and photos.
Manatee County Public Library System Digital Collections M01-01493-A
Manatee County Public Library System Digital Collections M01-25911-A