National Register of Historic Places

Roser Park Historic District

St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida
Listed
March 31, 1998
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
98000295

About this property

The Roser Park Historic District is a U.S. historic district (designated as such on April 1, 1998) located in St. Petersburg, Florida. The district is bounded by 5th and 9th Streets S, and 6th and 11th Avenues S. It contains 146 historic buildings. Roser Park was developed in the early years of the 20th century by wealthy developer Charles Roser. Born in Elryia, Ohio in 1864, Charles Martin Roser foresaw the opportunities that came with purchasing land in Florida during the land boom. He believed that this location would draw the northerners, who lived in very cold climates most of the year, to the warm and sunny climate of what is now Roser Park, FL. It is rumored by some residents that Charles Roser earned fame and fortune by inventing the Fig Newton cookie, selling his recipe and baking process to The National Biscuit Company (Nabisco). Nabisco has stated that they have no record of Charles Roser, and evidence strongly suggests the cookie originated in Newton Massachusetts, for which it is named. In 1910, Roser and his wife, Ruth, came to St. Petersburg to establish himself as a developer of this land. His first projects in Florida included the Palm and Poinsettia Hotels, Mound Park Hospitals home for nurses, and Mercy Hospital for black residents. In 1911, he broke ground on the Roser Park development, originally purchasing land from C.D. Hammond, J.P. Lynch, and Alex Linn to get started. From there, he expanded the development from 60 to 80 lots, then began purchasing and renovating subdivisions in the surrounding areas. One of the last things that Charles Roser built before he died in 1937 was the Royal Palm Hotel in 1923, which was located on 5th St S in St. Petersburg. The historic home located at 682 ROSER PARK DR S, ST PETERSBURG, FL 33701 was named “House Beautiful” by Charles Roser. This home sits on top of the hill with a view of Booker Creek. Owned by Gary M Guthrie for 25 years, he hired Aaron Hunt and Rob Johnson of Avalon Group Real Estate Agents to sell this home which sold on March 29, 2019, to the buyer Christienne M Valone. Pinellas County listings at National Register of Historic Places

Location

St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida
27.76028, -82.64221

Categories

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTARCHITECTURELANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Roser Park Historic District

This page lists Roser Park Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Studebaker Building
Industrial
0.4 mi
Williams, John C., House
Industrial
0.4 mi
Potter House
Industrial
0.5 mi
Alexander Hotel
Industrial
0.8 mi
Kress, S.H., and Company Building
Industrial
0.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Roser Park Historic District listed on the National Register?

Roser Park Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 31, 1998.

What type of historic resource is Roser Park Historic District?

Roser Park Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Roser Park Historic District?

The period of significance for Roser Park Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Roser Park Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Roser Park Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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