THE COW PALACE

This club, located within the African American neighborhood of Carver Heights, was built in 1957 without heat or air conditioning. The club featured a spacious dance floor, and a bar with native cypress woodwork and ornate Spanish tiles. At various times, it operated under different names, including Jake's Lakeside Tavern, and The Cow Palace. The club served as a stop on the fabled Chitlin' Circuit, a network of African American music venues throughout the southeastern United States that National Public Radio stated “provided employment for hundreds of black musicians and brought about the birth of Rock ’n’ Roll.” The club attracted some of the biggest names in blues, soul, and R&B music including internationally famous performers as James Brown, B.B. King, Ray Charles, and Buddy Guy. The Cow Palace is recognized as one of the state's last surviving stops on the Chitlin’ Circuit in Florida, and served not only as a top entertainment venue, but a point of pride for the local African American community.