A. B. Edwards

From Mayor to Myakka

Photo credits: Sarasota County History Center

Arthur Britton Edwards was a true pioneer, born October 2, 1874, on the mainland shore of Sarasota Bay in what is now Sarasota County. Throughout his life, Edwards main focus was the development of Sarasota.

He began this quest when he opened his real estate and insurance office in 1903, on Main Street in downtown Sarasota. Many questioned why a real estate office was needed in a town with only 300 residents, but Edwards knew that the railroad was coming through, which meant potential growth.

In an interview with the Sarasota Herald Tribune in October 1959, Edwards stated that "it was my belief that the railroad line represented a link with the outside world and that Sarasota would be at last discovered." Edwards continued by saying that in 1903 he "resolved that I would devote my time and energy to developing the place of my birth. I have never lived, never registered, never voted anywhere but right here. I never have looked for any better climate or place to lie for it is my belief that there is no place with more natural resources, more natural beauty than right here."

He explained that real estate had been his principal business since the 1890s and that he began buying, developing and selling small tracts such as orange groves and farms before the Spanish-American War.

One problem Edwards had was trying to sell Sarasota to the outside world. According to Karl Grismer's "The Story of Sarasota," Edwards did not have the funds to advertise the Sarasota Bay district.

To solve this problem, he wrote to the leading railroads throughout the country and asked them to send him the names of people inquiring about Florida. Lists soon began to appear and Edwards wrote personal letters to each person who had asked for the information. It was through these efforts that people began to travel to Sarasota to see what Edwards was talking about.

One wealthy Chicago socialite took notice in 1910 and, thanks to the efforts of Edwards, Mrs. Potter Palmer and family visited the area and liked what they saw. Mrs. Palmer would eventually purchase more that 90,000 acres of land and became one of the major influences in Sarasota during the 1910s.

One of the main goals of Edwards' life was the establishment of Myakka State Park in the Myakka River region. This was a dream he shared with Sarasota Judge Paul C. Albritton. Together, they worked to convince state officials that this land was a priceless heritage of Florida and that it must be publicly owned to preserve it. In September 1934, they succeeded in persuading the Internal Improvement Fund of the state to purchase 17,500 acres from the estate of Adrian C. Honore, brother of Mrs. Potter Palmer for 37 ½ cents an acre.

Arrangements for the establishment of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camps were in the works as Edwards and Albritton were finalizing the deal for the Honore land. The lease for the camp sites would be one dollar a year.

In a letter dated August 15, 1934, to the Honorable Harry Lee Baker, state forester, Edwards reported that "Major Meyers (of the U.S. Army) inspected the site for the possible CCC camp and was concerned about the mosquitoes. I explained to him that the high water was only temporary and flowing freely and the mosquitoes would not breed out there like they do along the coast. As a matter of fact, 10 months in the year the Myakka River valleys are practically free from mosquitoes." By late 1934, all the land arrangements were finished and CCC workers began to clear and develop the park.

Edwards continued his real estate practice until 1964, when he retired at the age of 90.

Quoted in the Tampa Tribune on October 2, 1964, he said, "I've been working long enough. I'm getting ready to retire from business. I'm not an old man; I've just been here quite a spell." Edwards died November 15, 1969, at the age of 95.

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