DAVENPORT HISTORIC DISTRICT

By  Mike Miller June 7, 2025

The Davenport Historic District is in downtown Davenport, Florida. It covers 32 acres and includes 28 historic buildings and one structure.

Designated in 1997, it’s on the National Register of Historic Places. The district showcases early 20th-century architecture.

Visitors can walk streets to see preserved homes and businesses. It reflects Davenport’s small-town heritage.

Davenport, Florida restored Elementary School.

Davenport began in 1838 with Fort Davenport, 12 miles north, during the Second Seminole War. The modern town started in the 1880s with the South Florida Railroad.

First called Horse Creek, it was renamed Davenport in 1886 for the fort’s commander, Colonel William Davenport. A post office opened in 1884.

The town incorporated in 1915. A 1900 fire destroyed the original settlement, leading to rebuilding a mile south. The citrus and naval stores industries thrived, drawing settlers.

The district’s buildings, mostly from the 1920s, include the 1927 red brick schoolhouse, now restored, and pictured above.

The Davenport Historic District is bounded by Suwannee and Orange Avenues, Palmetto Street, and West Boulevard, Davenport, FL 33837.

From I-4, take exit 55, follow US-27 south, then US-17/92 into downtown. The district is open 24/7 for walking; no admission is charged.

The Davenport Historical Society at 119 North Orange Avenue offers exhibits. Call (863) 421-3600 for museum hours, typically weekdays.

Guided tours may be available; check the Historical Society's webpage. Park at City Hall or along Bay Street.

Visit in spring for May Day Festival events. Wear comfortable shoes for uneven sidewalks. 

• The 1927 schoolhouse educated four generations of Davenport residents.  

• “The Mart,” built in 1927, housed the post office from 1928 to 1970.  

• A 1939 swimming pool near the Community Center is still visible.  

• Sgt. James Hendrix, a Medal of Honor recipient, lived in Davenport.  

• The district’s first post office was a railroad boxcar by Horse Creek.  

• Citrus candy was invented by two women in a Tea Room at The Mart.  

• The 1900 fire started from sparks of a wood-burning train.  

DAVENPORT HISTORICAL SOCIETY WEBSITE