Clematis Street Historic Commercial District
The Clematis Street Historic Commercial District is a U.S. historic district (designated as such on October 8, 1998) located in West Palm Beach, Florida. The district runs along the 500 Block of Clematis Street. It contains 12 historic buildings. History. Early in the history of West Palm Beach, Clematis Street (then Clematis Avenue) became the city's "Main Street", with several businesses located along the east end of the street by the mid-1890s. While the eastside of Clematis Street grew rapidly into the 1900s decade, it would not be until the 1910s when commerce began  expanding westward across the Florida East Coast Railway. A city directory from 1916 indicates that several grocery and mercantile businesses and homes existed in the 500 block of Clematis Street section. The Campbell Building, located at 535 Clematis Street, opened in January 1918 and is the oldest surviving structure in the district. Five stores soon occupied the first floor of the Campbell Building. The Fashion Store opened at 502 Clematis Street in November 1918, although it was demolished prior to the area's designation as a historic district. By 1919, "The Palm Beach Post" frequently reported on real estate speculation  within Clematis Street's 500 block, with property prices rapidly increasing. Near the end of the year, Raymond C. Ketcham opened a dry goods store at 522 Clematis Street. By 1920, prices for front property along the west end of Clematis Street averaged $400 per foot. Soon, decreasing construction costs and a land boom allowed property prices to continue to sore. The western portion of the street had become a "very desirable place to live and work" by the early 1920s, with the section possessing its own electrical and ice plants while also being located near the water and  gas plants. The decade saw the completion of 10 out of 12 of the district's contributing properties, including Gruner's Department Store in 1920, St. James Rooming House and the W.E. Pope Building in 1921, Hotel Clematis and Suther's Market in 1922, the Jennings Building in 1924, the Sirkin Building in 1925, Sewell Hardware and 540 Clematis Street in 1928, and 517-519 Clematis Street in 1929. However, the end of the land boom and the beginning of the Great Depression left nine buildings vacant in the 500 block of Clematis Street alone by the end of the  year. More buildings were vacated and construction along Clematis Street ceased as economic turmoil persisted. A number of buildings in the 500 block of Clematis Street were demolished through the late 1990s. This included every building east of 513 Clematis Street, all structures west of 533-535 Clematis Street, and the building situated between 528-530 Clematis Street and 540 Clematis Street. On October 8, 1998, the Clematis Street Historic Commercial District officially became a listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), with 12 structures at the 500 block of Clematis Street being considered contributing and another being  non-contributing. Two other structures have been demolished since the area was listed on the NRHP in 1998 – Hotel Clematis at 512 Clematis Street and Gruner's Department Store at 516 Clematis Street. Structures. Contributing. Twelve structures within the 500 block of Clematis Street are listed as contributing to the historic commercial district: