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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Packet July 17, 2013ST. LUCIE COUNTY HISTORICAL COMMISSION AGENDA July 17, 2012, 4:00 P.M. Planning and Development Services Department Conference Room 1 St. Lucie County Administration Building 2300 Virginia Avenue, Fort Pierce, Florida 34982 Call to Order Announcements Roll Call 1. MINUTES Approve minutes from the April 17, 2012 meeting 2. ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION OR ACTION A. Robinson House Update on County condemnation of William Robinson House at 4955 South Indian River Drive B. White City Historic District Review of possible historic district boundaries 4. MEMBER MATTERS • Next meeting: Tuesday, October 16, 2012 at 4:00pm 2012-07-17 Historical Commission Agenda 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 Historical Commission Tuesday, April 17, 2012, 4:00 PM 2300 Virginia Ave Fort Pierce, FL 34982 Planning & Development Services Department Conference Room One CALL TO ORDER Chairman, Charles Hayek called the meeting to order at 4:00 PM ANNOUNCEMENTS The Historic Commission welcomed new Stans. ROLL CALL Jack Connolly ............. James H. Moses......... Susan Enns Stans...... Marjorie Harrell........... David Heffelfinger....... Charles Hayek............ MEMBER ABSENT: Hilda 'Ruth" McSween ..., Philip S. Steel .................. 0'_g STAFF PRESENT fs Heather Yoyf%,h .... Kara Wood b� . Sarah Smith ......... ',,�, v- OTHER��IN ATTEN�'AN�CE ��_ Ir `� *Bone 1 Retw and appro� of pj Mr. Hayek cate,Ffor a mon January 17, 2012<<tneting F %�ppr W 6' 2. Items for Core tderation A. Robinson House ber ......Vice Cfi`a ......Chairman Ms. Susan Enns Arrived - Resigned County Attorney Manager 3 Secretary to approve the minutes from the October 18, 2011 and )val of the minutes was passed unanimously. or Action Staff reported that a condemnation hearing for the Robinson House is scheduled for May 1, 2012. Discussion ensued about a transfer in title believed to have taken place on the property. Heather Young stated that she would look into the matter as it should be a part of public record and upon evidence of a transfer she would notify the new owner of the County's efforts to condemn and demolish the house; however, new owners could possibly have no 2012-04-17 Historical Commission Meeting Draft MinsPage 1 of 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 bearing on whether or not the County decides to demolish the house because it is considered a matter of public safety. 3. Member Matters Members felt that the current Historic Preservation ordinance limited their authority to take action on matters that concern them. Comments aroused the idea of having the ordinance revisited to see if language could be drafted to give the Commission more authority in order to preserve the history of St. Lucie County. Ms. Wood advised the Commission that the Ordinance recently with limited staff she felt the Board of County Commissioners y changes to the Ordinance at this time. ' Ms. Wood encouraged the Commission to direct the County that could be considered for historic de A motion was made to designate Jim Moses a d V,jce Chair, David Heffelf l coordinators of an effort to identify White Citk aap histoFi district. The Mlk unanimously. N 4. Chair Matters None. Next meeting date: July 17, 2012�a4:00"P1 Planning a tevelopnlgltt Services onference Room 1 The meeting adj revisions and ;ed to making properties in the lead passed 2012-04-17 Historical Commission Meeting Draft MinsPage 2 of 2 St. Lucie Southeast 8SL126 White City School, 905 West 2nd Street Historic Resources This school building was designed in the Colonial Revival style; however, it was adapted to the architecture of the area through the use of Mediterranean Revival details, such as a stucco exterior and an arched entryway (Figure 52). Architects Hatcher and Funke designed this educational building and contractor C. E. Cahaw built it in 1927 (Historic Property Associates 1990). This building's historic physical integrity remains largely intact, except for the windows which have been replaced. Janus Research 107 St Lucie Historic Figure 53: Current Photograph of the Christensen House/511 West Midway Road, Facing South 8SL188 Christensen House, 511 West Midway Road This two-story farmhouse, built circa 1895, belonged to the Christensen family, originally from Johnstown, Pennsylvania (Historic Property Associates 1990) (Figures 53-54). Mr. Christensen ran the post office in White City for many years. The property also includes two historic outbuildings. This resource's historic physical integrity remains largely intact. Figure 54: Historic Photograph of the Christensen House, Date Unknown Courtesy of the St. Lucie County Historical Museum Janus Research 108 St. Lucie Historic Resources Figure 55: Current Photograph of the White City Mercantile Building/1000 West Midway Road, Facing North 8SL155 White City Mercantile Buildine,1000 West Midway Road Built circa 1900, the White City Mercantile Building originally operated as a general store and the White City post office (Historic Property Associates 1990) (Figures 55-56). It is currently an antique shop. The building's historic physical integrity remains largely intact. The one-story addition on the west side is historic; however, the full -width front porch has been slightly modified and some of the windows have been replaced. Figure 56: Historic Photograph of the White City Mercantile Building, Circa 1920 Courtesy of the St. Lucie County Historical Museum Janus Research 109 St. Lucie Historic Resources Figure 57: Islamic Center/1104 West Midway Road, Facing Southwest 8SL151 Islamic Center,1104 West Midway Road This building, originally known as the Dutton Memorial Church, was built circa 1910 and was one of the first churches in the White City area (Historic Property Associates 1990) (Figure 57). The building's historic physical integrity remains largely intact and it retains its original siding, windows and tower. The original church building has been attached by a wood frame hyphen to a 1950s building, which fronts Midway Road. The former church complex is now occupied by the Islamic Center. Janus Research Ito St. Lucie Potential Local Historic Districts Historic Resources White City After documenting buildings in White City, it was determined that a small residential/ commercial area around Midway Road could be considered a historic district at the county level. A mixture of 45 residential, commercial, and institutional buildings, constructed from the late 1800s through the 1950s, form a cohesive collection of buildings. However, alterations to individual buildings and non -historic infill between historic resources make this area ineligible as an NRHP historic district. Consequently, an MPS that includes 10 individually eligible buildings associated with White City is recommended on pages 104- 113. Table 19 contains the contributing resources within the boundaries of the potential White City Historic District. Figure 91 illustrates the proposed boundaries for the potential local historic district. Table 19. Contributina Buildinas in the Prnnnsed I nral Whifo Cif, Hiefnrir nicfrirf FMSF # Sitem Nae/Address .' _ Date of Construction 8SL124 Nels Hansen House/5102 South Oleander Avenue c.1910 8SL125 Captain Hansen House/5101 South Oleander Avenue 1895 8SL126 White City School/905 West 2"d Street c.1927 8SL127 Chamberlin House/1001 West 2" d Street c.1915 8SL128 Richard Hayes House/1002-1006 West 2"d Street c.1935 8SL129 1003 West 2"d Street c.1920 8SL130 John Small House/1013 West 2"d Street c.1920 8SL132 Gustav Rin dahl House/1203 West 1" Street 1898 8SL133 Irene Peterson House/1108 West 18' Street c.1930 8SL134 Nels Jor ensen House/5006 South Citrus Avenue c.1925 8SL135 Andrew Jorgensen House/5004 South Cypress Avenue c.1925 8SL136 John Waldron House/1009 West 1"Street c.1930 8SL137 Bob Hayes House/1001 West I" Street c.1910 8SL138 Mary Kerr House/5204 South Citrus Avenue c.1920 8SL144 1001 West Enders Road c.1925 8SL146 Ulrich House/1310 West Midway Road c.1920 8SL147 4911 Magnolia Avenue c.1930 8SL148 1109 West Midway Road c.1920 8SL150 Stetcher House/1103 West Midway Road 1917 8SL151 Islamic Center/1104 West Midway Road c.1914 8SL152 1010 West Midway Road c.1920 8SL154 Lawrence White House/1005 West Midway Road 1917 8SL155 White City Mercantile Buildin /1000 West Midway Road c.1900 8SL156 4809 Sunrise Boulevard c.1925 8SL157 Potter House/4713 Sunrise Boulevard c.1905 8SL182 4901 South Oleander Avenue c.1930 8SL183 4911 Elm Avenue c.1900 8SL184 4909 Elm Avenue c.1900 8SL185 4801 Elm Avenue c.1900 8SL186 4906 Elm Avenue c.1920 Janus Research 143 St. Lucie County Historic FMS #=Site NamelAldress '- Date of Construction 8SL187 4908 Elm Avenue c.1930 8SL1282 5106 South Citrus Avenue c.1946 8SL1283 1101 West 1"Street c.1945 8SL1284 807 West Midway Road c.1944 8SL1285 908 West I" Street c.1925 8SL1286 1313 West 1" Street c.1945 8SL1287 Fiddle Stix/1205 West Midway Road c.1935 8SL1288 1305 West Midway Road c.1935 8SL1289 The Feathered Nest/1203 West Midway Road c.1935 8SL1292 1009 Charlotta Street c.1935 8SL1293 1108 Charlotta Street 1893 8SL1294 4905 Sunrise Boulevard 1910 8SL1295 4901 Elm Avenue 1918 8SL1296 4902 Sunrise Boulevard c.1938 8SL1297 1137 Percival Street c.1950 r �4l �5 ffi 1297 , 1 VFW LI�'6 .Lt 9! s . F ®£ Ri V g5La �SL188 187 9LtH r5L1 8 6L1 1292 t� y $List - s _ �FSl1 SLIM�6�,tt52 a 9Li55 - '� &L1198 � � 9L15} �y5d SLi2B7 �Lt SL1J9 JL131 PSL145 3�4j 5 1 .a = 49ww s 54ikL1$ SLt71 fSL13Y 4 " SLt c �,� L124 silaa 5Lt28, �'1 SLi28 Figure 91: Boundaries for the Proposed Local White City Historic District Note: The heavy black dotted line represents the proposed district boundary. The gray dotted line represents the White City Neighborhood Overlay Area (taken from Historic White City Community Preservation and Economic Development Plan, Figure 4-12). Janus Research 144 St. Lucie Historic Resources v.igure 92: Example of a Contributing Residence at 1009 Charlotta Street in the Proposed White City Historic District, Facing South Figure 93: Example of a Contributing Commercial Building (a Former Residence) at 1205 West Midway Road in the Proposed White City Historic District, Facing South Janus Research 145 St. Lucie County Historic Resources As a result of this survey, 298 roads within St. Lucie County have been identified as historic, which means they were constructed prior to 1955. Of the 298 roads, there are 19 roads that are notable for their importance to the development of the county and its transportation systems. Although portions of two of these roads, AIA and U.S. Highway 1, retain some of their original historic character and appearance, development throughout the twentieth century has significantly altered large portions of these roadways. Improvements that have affected the historic physical integrity of the roads include widening, asphalt paving, modern traffic lights, and increased commercial areas. Given the lack of integrity or engineering distinction that remains, these two roads are considered ineligible for listing in the NRHP or the St. Lucie County Register of Historic Places. For similar reasons, 11 of the remaining 17 roads are considered ineligible for listing in the NRHP or the St. Lucie County Register of Historic Places. However, these 11 roads, or portions of them, fall within the proposed White City Historic District boundaries: • 2"d Street • Charlotta Street • Citrus Avenue • Cypress Avenue • Elm Avenue Magnolia Avenue • Midway Road Oleander Avenue Palmetto Avenue Sunrise Boulevard (formerly Mulberry Avenue) 1sr Street The remaining six roads are considered significant due to their historic importance to St. Lucie County and their confirmed retention of historic physical integrity. Because of these factors, the following six roads are evaluated as potentially eligible for inclusion in the local St. Lucie County Register of Historic Places. Janus Research 173 St. Lucie • Orange Avenue (western portion) • Old Dixie Highway (northern portion) • Indian River Drive • Okeechobee Road (western portion) • Indrio Road • Old Edwards Road Historic Resources Janus Research 174 St. Lucie County Historic Resources 34; Township 36 South, Range 40 East, Sections 3, 10, 15, 22, 26, and 35; and Township 37 South, Range 40 East, Sections 1, 7, and 12 (USGS Quadrangles: Ankona 1948, PR 1983; Fort Pierce 1949, PR 1983; Indrio 1948, PR 1983). The roadway travels in a north -south direction (Figures 111-112). Within St. Lucie County, Florida, the northern end of the road is located at the northern county line and heads north into Indian River County. The southern end of the road is located at the southern county line and continues south into Martin County. The road's length within the county is approximately 22.5 miles. The roadway is four lanes wide at the northernmost point, with two lanes in each direction, and is paved with modem asphalt. There is a wide grassy median that separates the road and is, at times, broken by a U-turn lane running through the center. There are small asphalt shoulders on the northbound and southbound sides. Occasional right and left turn lanes exist on both sides of the road at varying intersections; this occurs along the entire length of the road within the county. The portion of U.S. Highway 1 north of the North Bridge Causeway is generally commercial in nature, but is not highly developed. There are numerous open and uncleared lots on the east and west sides of the road. The entire length of U.S. Highway 1 in St. Lucie County is primarily commercial in nature. South of the North Bridge Causeway, the area becomes more developed and the number of empty lots decreases. South of Taylor Creek, sidewalks appear intermittently along the roadway on varying sides from Taylor Creek to the southern border of the county. Also at this point, the grassy median dissipates and a continuous center left turn lane exists in the roadway; the lane continues intermittently. The Florida East Coast (FEC) Railway tracks border the road to the east in this area, as well. South of Seaway Drive, the road is heavily trafficked and highly commercial in nature. At this point, the FEC Railway ceases to border the road on the east. The eastern portion of the road becomes industrial in nature and includes citrus packing plants and other warehouse industries. Municipal buildings for the city of Fort Pierce exist along the roadway between Avenue C and Orange Avenue. South of Citrus Avenue, there are paved and painted bike lanes that exist on the northbound and southbound sides of U.S. Highway 1. South of Ulrich Road in White City, the area surrounding the roadway becomes slightly less developed, and there is an increase in the amount of undeveloped lots. In this area, a grassy median separates the northbound and southbound travel lanes. South of Rio Mar Drive, the road becomes six lanes wide, with three lanes in each direction. An intermittent sidewalk exists on both sides of the road in this area. At times, drainage ditches appear on varying sides of the road. Just north of St. Lucie Boulevard, the roadway changes to eight lanes wide, with four lanes in each direction. There are several documented historic resources that exist along this roadway representing various architectural styles, including Frame and Masonry Vernacular, Mediterranean Revival, and Art Moderne. These resources range in date from 1915 to 1952 and are concentrated around and north of Midway Road. As evidenced by its name, U.S. Highway 1 was one of the first federal roads planned by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Public Roads (BPR). The BPR, working in conjunction with the American Association of State Highway Officials, began preliminary Janus Research 180 St. Lucie SL1657 Midway Road Historic Resources Midway Road is located in Township 36 South, Range 38 East, Section 1; Township 36 South, Range 39 East, Section 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6; and Township 36 South, Range 40 East, Sections 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 (USGS Quadrangles: Ankona 1948, PR 1983; Fort Pierce 1949, PR 1983; Fort Pierce NW 1950, PR 1970; Fort Pierce SW 1953, PR 1983). The roadway travels in an east -west direction (Figures 119-120). Within St. Lucie County, the eastern end of the road is located at Indian River Drive. The western end of the road is located at an intersection with Okeechobee Road in the central portion of the county. The road's length within the county is approximately 10 miles. The western portion of the road begins just east of Okeechobee Road and is surrounded by agricultural and rural properties. This portion of the road is two lanes wide, with one lane in each direction, and is paved with asphalt. There are many existing citrus groves in this area, both old and new, and large areas of land are being cleared. There are intermittent drainage ditches that parallel the road on the north and south sides. East of Shinn Road, there are sporadic residences and rural businesses, such as nurseries and horse ranches, but for the most part, the land is used for crops or has not been cleared. Approximately 0.6 miles west of Florida's Turnpike, the road widens to four lanes, consisting of two asphalt lanes in each direction. There is a concrete overpass on Midway Road that travels over Florida's Turnpike. On the north and south sides of the road are on - and off -ramps for the Turnpike. East of this point, the road narrows to a two-lane road with one lane in each direction. Also east of the Turnpike, the road crosses railroad tracks and the area becomes more industrial in nature, with businesses including Rinker Concrete, a Tropicana processing plant, and fill rock stations. The roadway passes under an I-95 concrete overpass. East of I-95, there are occasional right and left turn lanes heading both directions. The area becomes mainly residential and commercial in nature, although the atmosphere is still rural. East of 251h Street, the area surrounding Midway Road known as White City is primarily residential, and features many historic wood -frame homes and buildings. One-half mile west of U.S. Highway 1, the area becomes commercial in nature and features a continuous center left turn lane. East of U.S. Highway 1, a bike path parallels the road on the south side and the area is somewhat commercial, but mostly residential, in nature. There are some undeveloped lots with overgrown vegetation in this area. The roadway crosses the FEC Railway tracks just west of Indian River Drive, its eastern termination point. Along the roadway, there are documented historic resources in the Frame Vernacular, Bungalow, and Masonry Vernacular styles that range in date from 1895 to 1950. Midway Road was fist constructed in the 1890s. It initially appears in the county records on a plat map titled "Town of White City Florida" in 1907 (St. Lucie County Plats 1907). The roadway was historically the main east -west artery of White City and was considered the gateway to travelers heading west and south from Fort Pierce and White City (Rights 1994:107). Janus Research 196 St. Lucie County Historic Resources Midway Road was appropriately named, as travelers heading to Jupiter, Okeechobee City, Bassinger, and Fort Drum could find connections to those cities from it. Before the railroad connected Okeechobee to White City, all produce from Bluefield and other groves was brought in along Midway. Mule teams would haul the produce there in a day trip from Bluefield. It was even platted in 1924 with the name of "cross state highway" (St. Lucie County Plats 1926). The road also was widely used by Native Americans in the region, as it was built on elevated ground and boasted a stable bridge that crossed the St. Lucie River (Jorgensen n.d.). A wood mill that processed pine was established on Midway Road, east of present day U.S. Highway 1, and was a major part of the early economy in White City. The heart of pine trees contained pine pitch that was sold to steam boats and electrical plants for use as a power source (Jorgensen n.d.). The first bridge over the St. Lucie River was built at the present location of Midway Road Bridge. It was a single -lane wooden bridge, and was replaced in 1906 by a wood and iron, two-lane bridge. The bridge stood at a low elevation, and could not be passed in the rainy season. Thus, a second bridge was built farther south along the river (Jorgensen n.d.). Currently, a modem concrete bridge at this location spans the St. Lucie River. Early Midway Road was a dirt causeway, which was possibly paved at points with oyster shell, marl, limestone, or brick (Miley 1976). By August 22, 1929, the road was paved from Dunn Road eastward, but was still a sand and clay road in the west (St. Lucie County Township maps 1929). Midway Road was one of the original White City roads. For more historical background on White City roadways, see the description of 2"d Street (pages 183- 184). Midway Road is now a two-lane asphalt paved road, but is still used as a main road heading east into White City from Okeechobee. The road still retains some of the historical character of White City today. Midway Road played an important role in the development and transportation systems of St. Lucie County. Although portions of Midway Road retain some of its original historic character and appearance, development throughout the twentieth century has significantly altered large portions of the roadway. Improvements that have affected the context and integrity of the road include widening, asphalt paving, modern traffic lights, and increased commercial areas. Given the lack of integrity or engineering distinction that remains, Midway Road is ineligible for listing in the NRHP or the St. Lucie County Register of Historic Places. However, a portion of Midway Road passes through the proposed local White City Historic District. This portion of Midway Road still conveys its historic physical integrity and significance. The roadway follows its historic route through White City and has experienced minimal alterations. Based on the retention of its integrity and historical significance, this portion of the roadway is considered a contributing element within the proposed local White City Historic District. Janus Research 197 St. Lucie Intersection, Facing South SL1660 Oleander Avenue Historic Resources Oleander Avenue is located in Township 35 South, Range 40 East, Sections 15, 22, 27, and 34; and Township 36 South, Range 40 East, Sections, 3, 10, and 15 (Ankona USGS Quadrangle 1948, PR 1983; Fort Pierce USGS Quadrangle 1949, PR 1983). The roadway travels in a north -south direction (Figure 121). Within St. Lucie County, the southern end of the road is located at Beach Avenue. The northern end of the road is located at the intersection of Sunrise Boulevard. The road's length within the county is approximately 6.8 miles. The roadway is approximately two lanes wide at the northernmost point, and is paved with modern asphalt. The area surrounding the northern portion of the road is primarily residential in nature. Although the area is residential, there are no sidewalks or shoulders along the roadway. Sidewalks are intermittent along the road south of Sunrise Boulevard, and exist on varying sides of the road. Modern traffic lights are suspended along the road at main intersections, such as Virginia Avenue and Edwards Road. There are occasional stop signs located along the road, and right and left turn lanes exist at some intersections for both the northbound and southbound lanes. There are two sets of railroad tracks that bisect the roadway, the FEC Railway Cutoff and another FEC Railway spur. South of the northernmost tracks, the area is residential in nature on the east side of the road, and commercial and industrial in nature on the west side of the road. South of the southernmost set of railroad tracks, 3.6 miles south of Sunrise Boulevard, the surrounding area is primarily industrial and commercial in nature. Just north of Weatherbee Road, the area becomes primarily residential in nature and includes many Janus Research 198 St. Lucie County Historic Resources undeveloped lots. At this point, sidewalks cease to exist and intermittent ditches are evident on both sides of the road. South of Midway Road, the surrounding area contains a large amount of undeveloped land covered with natural vegetation, and is scattered with historic and modern residences. Most historic resources on Oleander Avenue exist around and south of Midway Road. Around Midway Road, there are several historic homes that date from 1895 to 1930. Oleander Avenue was constructed in the early 1900s. It first appears in the county records on a plat map titled "Town of White City Florida" in April 1907 (St. Lucie County Plats 1907). The road was at first a dirt and sand graded road, probably paved along certain sections with oyster shell, marl, limerock, or brick (Miley 1976). It first appears on record as a paved road following its modern route in 1929 (St. Lucie County Township Maps 1929). Oleander Avenue was one of the original White City roads. For more historical background on White City roadways, see the description of 2"d Street (pages 183-184). Today, Oleander Avenue is a modern asphalt -paved street existing mainly in residential districts. However, it retains much of its historical character in the White City area due to numerous documented historic structures and low commercial activity. Oleander Avenue played an important role in the development and transportation systems of St. Lucie County. Although portions of Oleander Avenue retain some of its original historic character and appearance, development throughout the twentieth century has significantly altered large portions of the roadway. Improvements that have affected the context and integrity of the road include widening, asphalt paving, modern traffic lights, and increased commercial areas. Given the lack of integrity or engineering distinction that remains, Oleander Avenue is ineligible for listing in the NAHP or the St. Lucie County Register of Historic Places. However, a portion of Oleander Avenue passes through the proposed local White City Historic District. This portion of Oleander Avenue still conveys its historic physical integrity and significance. The roadway follows its historic route through White City and has experienced minimal alterations. Based on the retention of its integrity and historical significance, this portion of the roadway is considered a contributing element within the proposed local White City Historic District. Janus Research 199 St. Lucie Historic Resources rigure iLI,: ranneuu avenue, ivortn or i otreet, racing ivorrn SL1661 Palmetto Avenue Palmetto Avenue is located in Township 36 South, Range 40 East, Section 4 (Ankona USGS Quadrangle 1948, PR 1983). The roadway travels in a north -south direction (Figure 122). Within St. Lucie County, Florida, the northern end of the road is located at the western end of 1" Street. The southern end of the road is located south of Driftwood Lane, and dead ends. The road's length within the county is approximately 0.4 miles. The roadway is approximately two lanes wide and paved with asphalt, although the pavement quality is poor and contains no painted lines. The area surrounding the road is primarily residential in nature. Residences along the roadway are both historic and modern buildings, although most of the modern residences are located along the southern portion of the roadway. The only non-residential component of the surrounding area is a nursery located on the southern portion of the road. Along the northern portion of the road, there is a live oak canopy covering the roadway for approximately 0.1 miles. There are drainage ditches on both sides of the road. Although the area is residential, there are no sidewalks or shoulders along the roadway. Palmetto Avenue was constructed in the early 1900s. It first appears in the county records on a plat map titled "Town of White City Florida" in April 1907 (St. Lucie County Plats 1907). The road was at first a dirt and sand graded road, probably paved along certain sections with oyster shell, marl, limerock, or brick (Miley 1976). Palmetto Avenue was one of the original White City roads. For more historical background on White City roadways, see the description of 2"d Street (pages 183-184). Today Palmetto Avenue is a modern asphalt -paved street existing within a residential district. However, it Janus Research 200 St. Lucie Historic Resources retains much of its historical character due to numerous documented historic structures and low commercial activity in the White City area. The historic importance of Palmetto Avenue to the development of the county and its transportation systems is still evident, and the road still conveys its historic physical integrity and significance. The roadway, which follows its historic route, has experienced minimal alterations. Based on the retention of its integrity and historical significance, this roadway is considered a contributing element within the proposed local White City Historic District. Janus Research 201 St. Lucie Historic Resources Figure 123: Approximately 4902 Sunrise Boulevard, Facing North SL1662 Sunrise Boulevard Sunrise Boulevard is located in Township 35 South, Range 40 East, Sections 16, 21, 28, and 33; and Township 36 South, Range 40 East, Section 4 (Ankona USGS Quadrangle 1948, PR 1983; Fort Pierce USGS Quadrangle 1949, PR 1983). The roadway travels in a north -south direction (Figure 123). Within St. Lucie County, the northern end of the road is located at the intersection of Georgia Avenue and U.S. Highway 1. The southern end of the road is located at lsr Street. The road's length within the county is approximately 5 miles. The roadway is unpaved from ]sr Street, the southernmost point, to Midway Road. This section is approximately two lanes wide. The portion of the roadway located north of Midway Road is paved with modern asphalt, and consists of two lanes, one in each direction. The southern portion of the road is primarily residential in nature. Residences along the roadway are both historic and modern. There are intermittent drainage ditches that run parallel to the road and are located on both sides. Occasional stop signs exist the entire length of the street. Between Midway Road and Weatherbee Road, there are numerous historic residences that date from 1905 to 1938. Around the Bell Avenue area and north to Dade Road are three historic Frame Vernacular and Bungalow style private residences dating from 1918 to 1920. The White City Cemetery and Mausoleum also exists along the roadway southeast of the intersection at Bell Avenue. Modern traffic lights are suspended over four main intersections along Sunrise Boulevard, including Virginia Avenue, Edwards Road, Oleander Avenue, and U.S. Highway 1. Occasional small modern concrete bridges cross over drainage canals running perpendicular to the road. Janus Research 202 St. Lucie County Historic Resources The FEC Railway Cutoff exists just south of Keystone Terrace. This area, from Keystone Terrace north to Edwards Road, contains numerous historic resources, including Masonry Vernacular, Frame Vernacular, and Minimal Traditional style private homes dating from 1925 to 1940. The area surrounding Virginia Avenue is mostly commercial in nature. North of Virginia Avenue, the area is mostly residential in nature. North of Oleander Avenue, there is a grassy median that divides the roadway. The main intersection is located at U.S. Highway 1, and this area is mostly commercial in nature. Sunrise Boulevard extended into incorporated Fort Pierce just west of Oleander Avenue (St. Lucie County Plats 1923). The initial development of that portion of the road occurred in the downtown district of Fort Pierce, where routes for increasing traffic were needed. The road was probably at first a dirt grade road paved along certain sections with oyster, limerock, marl, or brick (Miley 1976). However, by August of 1929, the roadway was expanded to its modern length and completely paved. The southern end of Sunrise Boulevard was originally known as Mulberry Avenue. It sits in the heart of historic White City, although it does not appear on the earliest maps of the city, which were platted in the late 1890s (St. Lucie County Plats 1894). Mulberry Avenue, which is now called Sunrise Boulevard in White City, was developed in the first decade of the twentieth century. For more historical background on White City roadways, see the description of 2Id Street (pages 183-184). The roadway was planned for residential area use, and is still utilized as such. Most of Sunrise Boulevard runs through private residential areas. Commercial areas exist along the northern portion of the road, close to the downtown Fort Pierce area and the road's terminus at U.S. Highway 1. Sunrise Boulevard played an important role in the development and transportation systems of St. Lucie County. Although portions of Sunrise Boulevard retain some of its original historic character and appearance, development throughout the twentieth century has significantly altered large portions of the roadway. Improvements that have affected the context and integrity of the road include widening, asphalt paving, modern traffic lights, and increased commercial areas. Given the lack of integrity or engineering distinction that remains, Sunrise Boulevard is ineligible for listing in the NRHP or the St. Lucie County Register of Historic Places. However, a portion of Sunrise Boulevard passes through the proposed local White City Historic District. This portion of Sunrise Boulevard still conveys its historic physical integrity and significance. The roadway follows its historic route through White City and has experienced minimal alterations. Based on the retention of its integrity and historical significance, this portion of the roadway is considered a contributing element within the proposed local White City Historic District. Janus Research 203 St. Lucie rigure icy; t ou-eet, r.ast ur ♦.ypress tive, racing west SL1664 lst Street Historic Resources First Street is located in Township 36 South, Range 40 East, Section 4 (Ankona USGS Quadrangle 1948, PR 1983). The roadway travels in an east -west direction (Figure 124). Within St. Lucie County, Florida, the eastern end of the road is located at Oleander Avenue. The western end of the road is at the intersection of Palmetto Avenue. The road's length within the county is approximately 0.44 miles. The roadway is approximately two lanes wide and paved with asphalt, although the pavement quality is poor and contains no painted lines. The area surrounding the road is completely residential in nature; many of the residences along the roadway are historic. There are drainage ditches on both sides of the road. Although the area is residential, there are no sidewalks or shoulders along the roadway. Several documented historic resources exist along the roadway and range in date from 1898 to 1945. First Street was constructed in the 1890s. Its earliest existence appears in the county records on a plat map titled "The White City" in May 1894 (St. Lucie County Plats 1894). The road was at first a dirt and sand graded road, probably paved along certain sections with oyster shell, marl, limerock, or brick (Miley 1976). By 1929, many roads in White City were paved, however 1st Street was still graded between Sunrise and Oleander and unimproved west of Citrus Avenue (St. Lucie County Township Maps 1929). First Street was one of the original White City roads. For more historical background on White City roadways, see the description of 2"d Street (pages 183-184). Today, 1st Street is a modern asphalt -paved street existing within a residential district. However, it retains much of Janus Research 204 St. Lucie Historic Resources its historical character due to numerous documented historic resources and low commercial activity in the White City area. , The historic importance of 1st Street to the development of the county and its transportation systems is still evident, and the road still conveys its historic physical integrity and significance. The roadway, which follows its historic route, has experienced minimal alterations. Based on the retention of its integrity and historical significance, this roadway is considered a contributing element within the proposed local White City Historic District. Janus Research 205