The former Melting Pot and future home of a concept from Mad Beach Craft Brewing was once a kitschy roadside attraction called the Earl Gresh Wood Parade. 

Recognize this wild English cottage at the intersection of 4th Street and 22nd Avenue North? It was the home of The Melting Pot for several decades — but before that it was a popular roadside museum. Preserve the ‘Burg details the history of this structure — seriously sign up for their newsletter, it’s brilliant.

Earl Gresh built the structure in the early 1930’s to look like an English cottage. The Earl Gresh Wood Parade was one of myriad roadside attractions that St. Pete, and the state of Florida, was famous for.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBnoE7NJoP6/

Here’s a little context from a museum brochure:

“The building with its mullioned windows is fashioned of hand hewn longleaf yellow pine timbers with flitch tide red cypress siding. The rived shingles of heart cypress are similar to those used on George Washington’s home, Mount Vernon. Bricks from historic Fort Dade at the mouth of Tampa Bay were used for the garden wall and the immense chimney.”

The center of the museum contained the cross-section of a 2,270 year old tidewater red cypress tree stump. The museum featured carvings from all over the world that at first glance would appear to be paintings but were works of art made entirely of wood pieces and without paints or stains to color the wood.

The Wood Parade officially closed in 1959. The Melting Pot also recently closed. We’re not sure what the future holds for this historic structure, but we hope the unique English Cottage is preserved.

Follow Preserve the ‘Burg if you’re hungry for more beautiful St. Petersburg history.

Earlier in 2021, St. Pete Catalyst reported that Mad Beach Craft Brewing Management Co. LLC bought the property at 2221 4^th St. N.

What to read next: 

St. Pete Gems: Coney Island Grill and Skyway Jacks

St. Pete Gems: 4th Street Shrimp Store, a laid back oasis outside downtown St. Pete

St. Pete Gems: Ted Peter’s Famous Smoked Fish has served St. Pete since the 1950s