"Historical & Architectural Treasure"

The Hotel James (aka James Hotel) was designed by Henry John Klutho, a nationally known architect of the Prairie School style from Jacksonville, Florida. Mr. Klutho designed two other buildings in Palatka. The recently restored Larimer Arts Center (originally the Melton Memorial Library) and the old City Hall which was demolished in the 1960's to make way for construction of the Capital City bank. On the 5th of May 1916, ground was broken at 300 St. Johns Avenue (former site of the Arlington Hotel) for the new three-story James Hotel. The project was funded by the President of the Putnam National Bank, Dr. George E. Welch. Klutho's design had more than a slight resemblance to Frank Lloyd Wright's City National Bank/Park Inn Hotel in Mason City, Iowa, built seven years earlier.

Klutho grouped the second and third -story windows between brick pilasters with limestone seals and heads framing each opening, similar to his treatment of the south façade of the Florida Life Tower constructed in 1911 in Jacksonville. At each corner and the secondary entrance, large brick pilasters rise above the roof parapets with fine abstract Prairie School terra cotta decoration. The decoration terminates delicate, projecting brick finials that run from the horizontal band at the second story continuous sill. A projecting, shingled brow occurs



over the third floor windows above a perforated ventilation band serving the roof framing behind. The James Hotel was completed on the 10th of November 1916, after only six months of rapid construction. Klutho provided supervision of the hotel's construction probably expedited by the excellent river steamer service between Jacksonville and Palatka. The hotel remained in operation through 1984.
The Hotel James is an architectural treasure and of historical importance to not just Palatka but the entire state.

(captions)

(left)
Detail of abstract Prairie School terra cotta ornament atop brick pilasters

(right)
Henry John Klutho

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