Built circa 1896, the Plumb House is one of the oldest structures still standing in Pinellas County. The Clearwater Historical Society has decided to repurpose the home, currently located on S. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue.
It now has multiple art workspaces and a tea room/event space. An open house was held Saturday.
For Clearwater Historical Society president Allison Dolan, the project was a necessity.
The Plumb House sits on City of Clearwater-owned land. Prior to the renovations, the structure was in poor condition. City leaders gave the Society an ultimatum in 2025: Dolan and her team could either renovate the house or it would be torn down. The decision was easy.
“It’s a way for you to see how people lived in the 1800s and 1900s in Clearwater,” Dolan said. “You can see the craftsmanship that went into it.”
The efforts, she explained, included repairing the exterior wood and repainting it. Additionally, the Society installed new electric work and fixed the wooden windows frames. The interior was also repainted. Dolan added that the restoration project is still underway. Eventually, the roof will be replaced.
The downstairs of the Plumb House now is utilized by the Tea Room at Lake Belleview and a boutique shop.
Sheri Aquilar manages the concept. The event space will be used for monthly tea gatherings. It is also available for private functions.
In the fall, she plans to host pop-up festivals outside on the lawn. The Tea Room at Lake Belleview will host Christmas and holiday events as well.
Additionally, Dolan explained, the site will benefit aged-out foster children. Young women will be able to come to the house and attend mentorship meetings.
Aquilar is one of two artists who currently work on the property. The upstairs has three art studio rooms. Some of her work is sold at the boutique shop.
“Just looking at the view and the house, it’s beautiful,” Aquilar said. “I just didn’t want anything else to happen to it.”
Designing the Tea Room at Lake Belleview was an enjoyable process, she explained. The goal was to create a “Victorian vogue” theme. Aquilar purchased many items for the space at thrift stores, estate sales and on Amazon.
“It’s such a special area. When you come here, it’s very peaceful,” she added. “We’re saving a historical property, which is probably the number one thing. Development is great, but we still need our history.”
Initially, the Plumb House was a paint store on the northwest corner of Lakeview and South Fort Harrison Avenues. The upstairs was reserved for living quarters. By the early 1900s, the home was acquired by Ralph and Florence Plumb. They would convert the structure into a single-family home.
Ralph Plumb’s mother, Jennie Reynolds Plumb, was Clearwater’s first paid public school teacher. In 1873, she taught children of all grades in a Baptist church. She was compensated $100 for three months’ worth of work.
Reynolds Plumb’s brother Rev. C.S. Reynolds established Clearwater’s first newspaper in July 1873. It was printed on a hand press that he invented.
Jennie Reynolds Plumb’s granddaughter, Kathleen, would continue the academic tradition. She eventually became principal of South Ward School in Clearwater. Plumb Elementary School was named after the family.
In 1982, the Plumb House was acquired by Dr. Charles Nach after Kathleen Plumb and her sister Mary moved into nursing homes. Nach donated the home to the Clearwater Historical Society and paid for it to be moved to Ed C. Wright Park, where it has resided since 1983.
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