This Week Newsletter - April 14, 2010
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School Year is Almost Over
Before you know it school will be out for the summer; we bet that the students and teachers alike will be patiently waiting - sure thing - ha! Anyhow, do you know the history of Southside Elementary School? We have prepared a short video to enlighten you about this special place. Furthermore, did you know that Southside has a twin sister on the north side of town; that's right - Bay Haven Elementary. Click here to enjoy the show.
Tales of Sarasota
Pete and Diane are taking this week off. Why, you might wonder? Nope, they're not going on vacation, or even hitting the beach - instead they are proud to announce they are now great grandparents! Let's all wish them and the little lad, Parker Robert Artis, a happy arrival, and a joyful Spring. Parker's parents are Robert and Heather Artis, and we bet Diane and Pete will be spoling the little guy as much as possible. If you would like to congratulate our wonderful bloggers, Click Here and we will forward them your best wishes. If you would like to see Diane with Parker, Click here.
The Sarasota Times(The Sarasota Times newspaper was our area's first. Rose Wilson was the publisher and editor for many years after her husband passed away. Sarasota History Alive! would like to share artices from this paper with you that reflect on our heritage. Today we have chosen one that tells of Mrs. Potter Palmer providing a children's playground in downtown Sarasota - that's something we never knew existed. Good things come out of the Sarasota Times. Palmer Playground OpenedA movement for the benefit of the children of Sarasota was successfully launched by the Woman’s Club Monday night, when the Palmer Playground was opened to the public. With the band playing, hundreds of children scattered in groups, swinging and playing games, all enjoying to the fullest extent the place of recreation provided for them, the number of citizens who were present did not fail to see the importance of the playground, and what a material advantage it was to the city; and the happiness of the little ones amply repaid the generous donor and the Woman’s Club, through whom the gift was made, and who, from un-cleared land, had prepared the playground for the children. Palmer Playground contains two or more acres of land. It has 300 feet frontage on Main Street, between Pine Street and Indian Avenue, and extends back about the same distance, having one tier of lots on the south side between the park and Golf Street. The ground level has a good growth of native grass, and is covered with pine trees, which give plenty of shade. Mrs. Potter Palmer very generously offered the use of this land for a playground; and in making the offer to the Woman’s Club, gave a check of $100 towards putting it in order. Read more...
The Ryan-Garner Residence
Constructed in 1926, the Ryan-Garner Residence, located at 1919 Grove Street, is a one story cross gabled Spanish bungalow. It is covered by a barrel tile roof, and exhibits a rough cast stucco exterior over clay tile masonry. The front façade is asymmetrical featuring a three bay front porch with arched openings. This home is typical of a Spanish bungalow built during the Florida Land Boom when this style dominated Florida architecture. Historic Significance The Ryan-Garner home was built in early 1926 and is located in the Grove Park Subdivision. This subdivision was platted in 1925 and was developed by the real estate firm of Curry, Cristie, and Cobb. Curry, Cristie and Cobb purchased and subdivided the land in 1925. The Grove Park subdivision was one of many subdivisions which experienced tremendous growth during the Florida Land Boom and as such it represents a broad trend in the development of the state. The firm of Curry, Cristie and Cobb were made up of three local businessmen. Little is known of Mr. Curry other than he was undoubtedly associated with the pioneer Curry family. The second partner, J.M. Cristie moved to Sarasota in 1910 from Asheville, North Carolina and became manager of the Badger Pharmacy. Mr. Cristie joined the military and served as a pharmacist during World War I. Following the war, he returned to Sarasota. Mr. Cristie was a large sports enthusiast and played semi-professional baseball in local organized baseball from 1922 to 1925. Perhaps it was Mr. Cristie’s association with local baseball that led to the partnership with the third principal, J. Paul Cobb. Mr. Cobb was a professional baseball player who played in the western leagues from 1907 to 1916, and was famous as an outstanding third baseman. He was also the brother of the famous Mr. Ty Cobb. Mr. Cobb moved to Sarasota in 1924 and entered the real estate business. He also took an active interest in civic affairs while serving as Chairman of the Baseball Committee of the Chamber of Commerce where he played an active roll in getting Indianapolis and later the Boston Red Sox to train in Sarasota. Read more...
The Very Thing to Send (Electronically)
Oh, how perfectly convenient! Vintage e-Postcards of Sarasota to send to friends and family with a quick thought from you. Nobody has much free time to write and stamp a card these days, so check out our postcard service. It's fun and as 'easy as pie'. Click here to view the postcards, and try out this 'good time' feature.
The Annual Alliance Speaker's Meeting
The Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation held their Annual Meeting at the Ringling College of Art and Design's Academic Center this past Friday evening, April 9, 2010. After a short business meeting, and the election of directors, Don Smally, the outgoing President, introduced the evening speaker, Dr. Uzi Baram, New College Professor of Anthropology. His interesting topic was, "Honoring the Dead, Keeping History Alive: Sarasota's Galilee Cemetery." The Galilee cemetery dates back to Sarasota’s early days, but time has not been kind until recently, when the Woodlawn/Galilee Cemetery Restoration Task Force organized a clean-up campaign, created a more appealing entrance, and turned to Dr. Baram, to document the lives of those interred there. In February 2010, Dr. Baram assembled a team of anthropology students from New College of Florida, State College of Florida, and citizens of Newtown to systematically record the location of as many graves as possible. The students are also coordinating with Newtown residents to unfold the mysteries behind the many unmarked graves. Pictured above from left to right are Euline Myrick, Dr. Uzi Baram, Harvey Hoglund, Della Ferguson, Shirley Walker, Audrey Mayes, and Valerie Buchand. For more information about the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation, visit them at www.historicsarasota.org |
Palms Hotel had Varied Past
Built in 1891 by Wadhams and Jacobs of Braidentown, the hotel began as the private Tarpon Club operated by Alfred and Annie Jones. Its origin reportedly came out of conflict. Both Karl Grismer in “The Story of Sarasota” and Alex Browning in his memoirs recount the difficulties between the Joneses, when they leased the DeSoto Hotel at the foot of Main Street, and the hotel’s owner, Col. John Hamilton Gillespie, and his wife. The Joneses left after four years at the DeSoto and, with financial support from some of the northern families who frequently the hotel, purchased land from the Whitaker family and built the 21-room Tarpon Club. Browning recalled that these families became shareholders and subscribed to the project according to the floor space they would need. The club “was occupied by this happy congregation of families for a number of years,” he wrote. At some point in the 1890s, it became the Palms Hotel and, later, the Palms Villa. On approximately five acres, the hotel faced the bay across a deep front lawn that was landscaped with bamboo, sago palms, African dates, jasmines, roses and oaks. Jane Brush later recalled her 1904 visit to the neighborhood. She saw her first date palm on the grounds of “The Palms” as she traveled by wagon on the road from Braidentown to Sarasota, a route that wound between the bay and the homes along Indian Beach. Read more... (photo credit: Sarasota County History Center)
Yesterday's Sarasota Calendar
Also, be sure and check out Whit's website at: www.ChickenHillNC.com. Today in 1930, action was proposed on an ordinance to prohibit the sale of comic books in Sarasota. A delay was provided to five representatives of the PTA, giving them time to travel to New York to meet with publishers. The group objected to comics that featured crime and sex stories. My how times have changed! (Detective Comics #27, originally published May 1939 by National Publications.) Ain't Life Grand?
I've heard of a "Kiss a Fish" contest to raise money for good causes, but Really?? I'd say, that Charlotte Kickliter, pictured here with a tarpon is taking a good cause just a bit far. Why, the tarpon is bigger than she is, even with heels on! Somehow, I expect this may just be a publicity photo, but nevertheless, this takes guts... (photo credit: Sarasota County History Center)
History Locator
The waters of this unusual archeological and paleontological site have yielded preserved human skeletal remains and artifacts dating from 10,000 to 3000 B.C. Animal fossils have also been recovered, including species of extinct tortoise, sloth, elephant, and bison. Nearby in the pine woods are the remains of an Indian village dating from 4800 to 3200 B.C. Villagers buried their dead in the much of the adjacent, now flooded, slough and spring basin. The remains in this cemetery are well preserved. The site provides a unique laboratory for the study of early humans and past environments. (photo credit: Greg Best) Who Were We?The winner from our last quiz was Richard Strong We would like to thank our generous sponsors for providing prizes. You too, can become a sponsor (see below). Click here to review the photo, question and the correct answer of last week's challenge. This Week's Clues:
I bet a lot of you remember me standing proudly next to the regal hotel. In any event, before I was the Bickel residence, I was the offices of a renouned developer and and equally renounded architect. Do tell, who were we? Click here to submit your answer. (photo credit: Sarasota County History Center) Your prize this week is a Sarasota High School tote bag, and is created and supplied by Sarasota History Alive!
If you would like to be a sponsor of our "Where Am I?" quiz, please call us at (941) 951-7727. It only cost $25 per week for us to set up your ad, and then you only have to provide a prize for the winner. What could be easier?
Sound Stage? Great Idea for Economic Development, but...The Auditorium is Absolutely the Wrong Place!(Guest Column by Mollie Cardamone, former Mayor of Sarasota and City Commission 1993-2001)
The city commission between 1991 and 1999 spent a little over $1 million local tax dollars and $706,000 state historic grant dollars on a complete historic renovation. The City of Sarasota Municipal Auditorium was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. I believe it is unconscionable, unthinkable to give that investment away for a nominal fee after such recent expenditure of our tax dollars. How can our city commission even consider it or justify pursuing a study of the idea? I understand the importance of economic development and the importance of creating jobs but I believe the Auditorium is an economic engine in the city and needs to be recognized as such. I believe there are hundreds of employees and businesses who serve the needs of the events that regularly occur in the Auditorium. The security guards required for art, jewelry, stamp and antique shows; various events require caterers, servers, food and beverage purchases, valets, the rentals of tables, chairs, the purchase of flowers and decorations, the printing of flyers, tickets and ads placed in various media, the event planners and lighting and sound folks, the musicians and entertainers, and on and on. These jobs are local ones that contribute to our local economy in a regular fashion. I bet the sound stage users will bring in their professional people for production and maybe hire some locals, no guarantee just a big maybe? I also bet that the use of a sound stage as an economic development tool is not a full time proposition for Sarasota, sort of a hit and miss or to be used as needed. I even bet there is a lot of competition on the part of communities to bring filmmakers to their cities. Who will guarantee a Sarasota sound stage will be successful? Read more...
Do you like Saints or Sinners?
Center Ring at the Historical Society of Sarasota County
It was a fascinating journey to learn how the Ringlings collected art treasures with the intention to leave them as their legacy to the State of Florida, and all the different "Winter Quarters" that housed the circus over many decades. Walk's presentation included many vintage posters that are currently on display at the Circus Museum. Sounds like it's time for a visit to the Ringling trilogy - Ca'd'Zan, the John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art and the Circus Museum. And, let's not forget an integral part of the Circus Museum; the Tibbals Learning Center. Step right up, folks! Pictured from left to right are Diane Esthus, Dr. Lorin Stieff, and Deborah Walk. For more information about the Historical Society of Sarasota County, visit them at www.hsosc.com. |
When local photographer Felix Pinard took this photograph in 1899, the Palms Hotel had already become well established along Sarasota Bay, south of the present Indian Beach Drive. It had been designed by Alex Browning, one of the colonists who came to Sarasota from Scotland in 1885.
Every day of the year we highlight what took place in Sarasota's history, thanks to Whit Rylee and Tom Payne's extensive research and sense of humor. Frequently check our website's 
Your editor spends a great deal of time at the Sarasota County History Center finding interesting information for you to ponder. While there, he also comes across many photos that depict life at an earlier time in history. With that in mind, check out this week's mage. 
Today we are honoring the Little Salt Springs marker. It reads: 
In the last newsletter there was an article about the lovely Madira Bickel. Here she is, at a later time, sitting on a bench in front of me next to the John Ringling Hotel (originally named the El Vernona Hotel, and afterwards, John Ringling Towers). 
A sound stage is an industrial use that does not belong on the bay front in the Municipal Auditorium. A sound stage has many requirements that are incompatible with the location and the Auditorium. The Municipal Auditorium is a historic revered public facility built in 1937 and has been used and enjoyed all these years by the public. A sound stage would displace many wonderful events that served an estimated 70,000 visitors and local citizens in 2009. Is there justification to take from the public the Auditorium for private exclusive use? 
The Saints & Sinners Tour is sure to delight the long time resident as well as those visiting Sarasota for the first time. The two hour tour invites guests to examine a unique cast of historical characters and decide for themselves who were the saints, and who were the sinners. To learn more about the tour 
Last evening, April 13, 2010, the Historical Society of Sarasota County hosted a presentation by Deborah Walk, the Curator of the Ringling Circus Museum. Her talk took us through the circus life of John Ringling from the time he was a clown in 1885, up until the time the "Wisconsin" was recently restored and is on display at the Circus Museum. The "Wisconsin" was John and Mable Ringling's first Pullman car, that actually brought the couple to Sarasota."Sarasota History Alive!" is a part of the "Florida History Alive!" network
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