Survey Final Report Link (this link will download a 272-page, 33 MB file to your computer).
One purpose of this survey was to update information on Crescent City buildings and homes included in the 1996 documentation for Crescent City’s Historic District designation, recognized on the National Register of Historic Places. On this website, information from that application is provided in the “This Place Matters” section. Descriptions on those pages may be updated as time and access allow.
The 2025 survey was conducted by Paul L. Weaver, MA, Historic Property Associates, Inc. and
Jenny Wolfe, AICP, MSAS, Planning 2 Preserve, LLC, for Crescent City, FL
Executive Summary:
Historic Property Associates, Inc. (HPA) of St. Augustine, Florida conducted an area survey of historic properties in Crescent City, Florida, beginning in February 2025. Crescent City is located in the Fruitland Peninsula Region of South Putnam County, Florida, approximately twenty-five miles south of Palatka, the county seat. The city is accessed by US Highway 17, a major transportation corridor that passes through the city between Crescent Lake and Lake Stella. The surveyed area covers 2.4 square miles within the corporate limits of the city. The survey was sponsored and conducted for the City of Crescent City and occurred between February and July 30, 2025. The survey was conducted to fulfill requirements under a Historic Preservation Small Matching Grant, grant number 25.h.sm.200.043.
The objectives of the survey were to record approximately 350 combined original and updated properties using Florida Master Site File (FMSF) forms for all properties 50 years or older. HPA utilized the Historic Structure Form v5 and assessed properties for their individual eligibility for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) as well as their potential for contribution to a historic district. All work was intended to comply with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966 (as amended), implemented by 36 CFR 800 (Protection of Historic Properties), Chapter 267 F.S., and the minimum field methods, data analysis, and reporting standards embodied in the Florida Department of Historic Resources (FDHR) Historic Compliance Review Program (November 1990). All work also conformed to the professional guidelines set forth in the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archaeology and Historic Preservation (48 FR 4416). Field survey methods complied with Chapter 1A-46 Florida Administrative Code.
The survey consisted of field inspection to verify all historic resources, including buildings, structures, sites and objects, and linear resources (such as roads and railways), within the project area constructed in 1975 or earlier. Data from the Putnam County Property Appraiser and the FMSF were collected and cross-referenced to ensure the accuracy of information with respect to buildings. A survey roster was obtained from the FMSF to verify previously recorded sites and avoid their duplication. Research conducted at local and state repositories focused on the historical context of the project area and site-specific information for individual buildings and other properties.
In total, approximately 400 properties were assessed through desktop reconnaissance and field inspection, including two sites (Eva Lyon Park and Palmetto Cemetery) and two structures (the City of Crescent City Water Tower and Tank). Of the surveyed properties, HPA recorded 347 properties using the FMSF form that satisfied the age and integrity requirements for historic property surveys. Of those recorded, 218 resources were previously recorded and were updated. The remaining 133 resources were recorded for the first time. Forms for 21 demolished buildings previously surveyed were also recorded. [map of demolished properties]
The survey resulted in a review and updated evaluation of one National Register Historic District (NRHD) within the survey area. The evaluation includes a map and an inventory of contributing buildings and other properties in the district. The Hubbard House individual National Register listing was also reviewed and updated. Additional buildings were evaluated as being individually eligible for the National Register. Final deliverables include both new and updated FMSF forms, maps, images, and all other associated data; a Survey Log Sheet and associated map; and a file database. Also of interest is this list of structures sorted by the approximate date of construction.
Note from webmaster: We hope that you enjoy reading the final report of the survey. We present it here as a public service and are in the process of setting up access for the individual FMSF forms for all 347 properties that were part of this survey. Please bear with us as we determine the best way to disseminate the information. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please use the “contact us” link below.
