Secretary Byrd Designates Crescent City Downtown Partnership as Florida Main Street Program of the Month

TALLAHASSEE, FLA. -

Today, Secretary of State Cord Byrd announced that Crescent City Downtown Partnership, located in Putnam County, has been designated the October 2025 Florida Main Street Program of the Month.

"Crescent City captures the spirit of Florida Main Street through its rich agricultural history and strong sense of community," said Secretary of State Cord Byrd. "Its story, from citrus groves to the development of Crescent City Downtown Partnership, shows how preservation continues to shape local identity and growth."

Crescent City sits between Crescent Lake and Lake Stella, waterways that shaped its early development. Long before American settlement, Native people lived in the area for thousands of years, leaving behind pottery, tools, and shell mounds. In 1774, naturalist William Bartram explored Crescent Lake and documented villages, landscapes, and wildlife. Following the Civil War, Major Jesse Landon Burton pioneered citrus growing in southern Putnam County. In 1876, Charles R. Griffing and Major E.G. Dike laid out Crescent City with a distinctive grid plan that balanced residential lots, agricultural groves, and public spaces. Griffing's wife Jennie named the city for the crescent shape of its largest lake. Steamships soon connected Crescent City to Palatka and Jacksonville, and by the late 19th century, the town was both a hub for citrus and a retreat for northern visitors.

Photos provided by Kram Kran Photo

The citrus industry flourished until devastating freezes in the 1890s. To recover, growers shifted to cultivating ferns, giving birth to the decorative cut-foliage industry. By the early 1900s, Crescent City became a center of foliage production, with growers like Will D. Carrier and O. Mitchell Newbold leading the way. By the mid-twentieth century, south Putnam, Volusia, and Lake counties supplied most of the world's cut greenery, and Crescent City alone accounted for a quarter of that production.

Through the 20th century, Crescent City preserved its small-town character while maintaining strong ties to agriculture. The town also grew as a fishing and tourism destination. Landmark businesses like 3 Bananas, first built as a general store in 1883, welcomed generations of visitors. By the 1990s, Crescent City had weathered agricultural shifts and economic change while holding firmly to its community traditions, including the annual Rotary Catfish Festival, held each April since 1978.

Today, Crescent City's historic downtown thrives through the leadership of the Crescent City Downtown Partnership (CCDP), established as a Florida Main Street community in 2022. CCDP has advanced façade improvements, business recruitment, streetscape beautification, and promotional events, and it has also partnered with the City of Crescent City to support heritage tourism and strengthen the local economy. Since its Florida Main Street designation, CCDP has reported over $1.5 million invested into the district and more than 5,000 volunteer hours dedicated to its efforts. Signature projects include the restoration of historic storefronts along Central Avenue, expanded seasonal festivals, and a strong marketing program that highlights Crescent City's heritage. CCDP has been recognized for its volunteer engagement and preservation work, and it continues to attract both visitors and new businesses to the downtown district. Crescent City is well known for its lively annual events, including Red White and Boom in June, the Fall Festival in October, and Light Up Crescent City in December. These gatherings reflect the community's dedication to service, culture, and small-town pride.

For more information on Crescent City Downtown Partnership, visit the Crescent City Downtown Partnership website or Facebook.com/CrescentCityDowntownPartnership.

To learn more about the Florida Main Street program, visit FloridaMainStreet.com or follow on Facebook and Instagram.

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About Florida Main Street

Florida Main Street is a program administered by the Division of Historical Resources under the Florida Department of State, which currently oversees 52 communities throughout the state. By implementing the National Main Street Center's Four-Point Approach, Florida Main Street encourages economic development within the context of historic preservation through the revitalization of Florida's downtowns - the community's heart and soul.