Davis Islands is unusual because the neighborhood’s origin story is still visible in its street plan, canals and surviving 1920s architecture. The house at 116 W. Davis Boulevard is part of that story. The National Park Service identifies it as a 1925 Mediterranean Revival building designed by Tampa architect Franklin O. Adams Jr.
The property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989 as part of the broader group of Mediterranean Revival buildings that preserve the character of the original Davis Islands development.
D.P. Davis and the Creation of Davis Islands
The City of Tampa describes Davis Islands as the 1920s project of developer and Tampa native D.P. Davis. The islands were created from two small natural islands at the mouth of the Hillsborough River, with dredged material used to enlarge the landmass.
The National Park Service’s historic context for Davis Islands explains that Davis envisioned a coordinated Mediterranean-style community with winding, palm-lined streets, canals and a mix of residential, commercial and public buildings. That planning concept is why individual houses here make more sense when viewed as pieces of a larger development rather than as isolated landmarks.
What the National Register Actually Says
The National Register record specifically identifies 1925 as the significant year and Franklin O. Adams Jr. as the architect. It classifies the building within the Mediterranean Revival resources of Davis Islands, one of the defining architectural themes of Tampa’s Florida land-boom period.
Popular retellings sometimes call 116 W. Davis Boulevard “the D.P. Davis House” and describe it as Davis’s own residence. The National Park Service listing itself is focused on the building’s architecture and names the resource simply as the “House at 116 West Davis Boulevard.” This revised page therefore does not claim more than the official record establishes.
A Neighborhood Built as a Complete Idea
The NPS context says the original development was intended to combine Mediterranean architecture, Venetian-inspired canals, curving avenues, parks and recreational amenities. The surviving 1920s buildings remain important because they reveal that unified concept.
For modern real estate, that planning legacy is a major part of Davis Islands’ identity. Buyers are not only choosing a house; they are buying into a layout, streetscape and architectural story that began during Tampa’s most dramatic early development boom.
No historic or current house photo is included in this review build because the previously supplied images still need verified source and usage-rights documentation.
Did You Know?
The National Park Service’s Davis Islands multiple-property nomination recognizes a group of surviving Mediterranean Revival buildings rather than treating the neighborhood’s historic architecture as a single isolated landmark.
Sources
- National Park Service, House at 116 West Davis Boulevard
- National Park Service, Mediterranean Revival Buildings of Davis Islands
- City of Tampa, Davis Islands neighborhood history
Last reviewed October 2026. This entry limits historical claims to what the sources above support. Spot an error or have documentation about this home? Tell me.