This Week Newsletter - July 1, 2009
 |
|
This Week
The section we are featuring is about the Out-of-Door School. Neither Jeff or your editor attended this unique school, but many people would have loved to be a part of such a creative and fascinating place on Siesta Key. Though school is out for the summer break, you too, will enjoy this special place and what it offered open-minded young scholars who wanted a different and engaging way of learning. No FCAT nonsense back in those days! Click here to view the slideshow. You can pick up a copy of Jeff's book "HIdden History of Sarasota" for the bargain price of $19.99 at local bookstores, or the Sarasota County History Museum gift shop, located in the historic Chidsey Library Building at 701 North Tamiami Trail.
Tales of Sarasota
Back in 1980, your editor moved back to Sarasota after many years out and about exploring and journeying through life. When he returned, the first apartment he moved into was in Florasota Gardens. By this time, it had become a great place for 'starting over' and was filled with creative people, divorcees, singles and an array of colorful people, to say the least. Never did he realize the amount of controversy that it caused in Sarasota when it was being constructed, as Pete tells us in this week's blog. He fills us in on why plumbers, electricians, and carpenters would not be of service to his family. Click here to read Pete's blog.
The Reagin Residence The Reagin Residence and garage, at 1213 North Palm Avenue was built in 1926 in the Mediterranean Revival Style. The two-story house was designed by Thomas Reed Martin for L.D. Reagin, owner and editor of the Sarasota Times newspaper.
Mr. Reagin purchased the lot at 1213 North Palm Avenue from the Burns Realty Company in April of 1925. The lot abutted the First Street property site which became the home of the Sarasota Times newspaper which Reagin was at that time owner and editor. In the 1927-28 City Directory, Leslie D. Reagin was listed as the "Vice President of the Morris Plan Company of Sarasota, President of Sarasota Publishing Company, and owner, Sarasota Daily and Weekly Times with his home at 350 North Palm Avenue." The Sarasota Times newspaper which was owned and edited for the first quarter of the twentieth century by Mr. and subsequently, Mrs. C.V.S. Wilson, was sold in 1923 to T.J. Campbell and J.H. Lord, who in turn sold the newspaper on March 27, 1924 to L.D. Reagin. In addition to the purchase of the Sarasota Times, Leslie D. Reagin commissioned the prominent architect, Dwight James Baum to construct a new office and press building for the Sarasota Times on what was then Seventh Street (now First Street), near Broadway (now North U.S. 41). The Sarasota Times went into receivership on Monday, December 9, 1929. After the folding of the paper, Leslie D. Reagin served as Postmaster of the City of Sarasota beginning in 1933 until his retirement July 31, 1945. Read more...
The Main Street Reporter
July 3, 1947 (SHT) Modern Grapevine...When Mrs. Albert Anderson found she had a flat tire the other night while on the way to call on a girlfriend, she was plenty perturbed. But not for long. Came the state highway patrol who on being hailed, stopped to see what was what. Mrs. A. asked that they go and ‘phone her husband through Art Esthus. They said they could do even better, and contacted police headquarters with their radio hook-up on their patrol car. Headquarters in turn called Art Esthus who got hold of a service station. Soon a wrecker drew up along the disabled car and the flat was quickly changed...Time lost by Mrs. Anderson, fifteen minutes. One Coon And Two Turtles...Over on Polk Drive, Lido, the Larry Devitts have found that a coon has attached itself to them. It is partial to garbage cans. This, the Devitts discourage. Instead, they provide such tidbits as canned tuna and fresh meat. Also the whites of eggs as this solves a problem which has presented itself to the household ever since they took to dropping raw egg in their morning orange juice. The coon is looking fat and happy. And all is well. Then there are the turtles. Two of them. They did not take to the coon's diet. But Mrs. D. got around that by serving fresh killed mosquitoes. At least she did until the most recent D.D.T. flying trip over her house top. Since then for a spell, mosquito hunting has become quite a game. The turtles have lost a bit of weight, but are said to be tolerably content.
(photo credit: Sarasota County History Center) |
Kreissle's Forge On in Sarasota
German immigrant George Kreissle Sr. was born in 1908 in Leutkrich, Germany. At the age of 14 he began an unpaid apprenticeship there, which lasted for four years. Afterwards, Kreissle was required to work for a qualified ornamental metal making firm operated by a master mechanic in order to earn the status of Master Metalsmith. For this title, Kreissle was required to complete a final examination piece. The piece, a precisely constructed lock, entirely crafted by hand, without the use of machine tools or factory parts, was on display in the forge's showroom for many years. After immigrating to America in 1927, Kreissle settled in Long Island, New York, establishing Freeport Ornamental Ironworks. In Freeport, Kreissle undertook commissions for ornamental ironwork for several large Long Island estates, as well as working for nationally recognized builder William Levitt in his Long Island developments. Although successful in New York, Kreissle decided to move to Sarasota, to realize his longtime ambition to build a "landmark smithy" that was artistic as well as practical. Read more... (photo credit: Sarasota County History Center)
Ain't Life Grand?
A Man, a Pipe, a Cane and a Plane...This World War I photo shows a handsome pilot about to get aboard his craft. Makes you wonder what his destination was; surely not just a joy ride. Go Air Force! (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 1937, "Well, Kiss My Grits" - Polly Dean Holliday, T,V.'s Flo was born. If you think you had some wild teachers, how would you like to have been in Polly's classes here in 1960 at Southside Elementary School? By 1961, moving in her career direction, she was performing with the Asolo Theater Repertory Company. She burst on the television scene as the irrepressible "Flo" on the series "Alice" and eventually starred in her own series. (photo credit: Sarasota County History Center)
History Locator
It reads: On January 12, 1929, Sarasota dedicated its first municipal airport located on 160 acres just west of Oriente Avenue, now Beneva Road, and north of Fruitville Road. Pilots performed aerial maneuvers and stunts for the crowd, many of whom felt an airport was critical to future growth of the city. An earlier airfield located on the fairgrounds east of Oriente Avenue closed when the Fair Association deeded its holdings to Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus for winter quarters. During the economic depression of the 1930s, business leaders and aviators promoted Sarasota's growing air industry. In 1931, a hanger to house five planes was added alongside Oriente Avenue. The Chamber of Commerce sponsored air tours and other flying exhibitions. Various flying schools operated out of the airfield in the winter months when the sod runways were dry. National Airlines began daily passenger and mail service at the municipal airport in the early summer of 1937. Wet grounds, however, forced cancellation of many stops. Later in the year, National discontinued service when financially-strapped Sarasota was unable to provide concrete runways. Read reverse side...
What Am I Now?
Our winner for last week's contest was again, No one?? So many participants tried to figure out the answer, but no one got it. Okay, we admit it; it was a trick question and we were not surprised no one guessed correctly. Click here to review the photo, question and the correct answer of last week's challenge. This Week's Clues:  Perhaps we should make the question a bit easier this week. In this photo, this place of entertainment was at the corner of Park Avenue and Seventh Street. Hence the name of the place of business; The "Park Seventh." Later, the name changed to the Garden Theater, and later the Art Theater, and in this photo it is the Palm Tree Playhouse. Whew! There were more changes after that, but that information would give it away, for sure.What is there now? (photo credit: Sarasota County History Center) Please submit the form that allows you to guess the answer. Click here to fill it out, and next week we will announce the winner, and give the solution to the question. Answer early, since the first person with the correct answer, claims the prize. Contestants may win only once per month.
Be a Pal, use PayPalWe will continue to offer our weekly e-Newsletter and website resource at no charge, for the time being, however, if you are in a position to help us now, we certainly will appreciate it. Please click the Donate button to contribute today, so your favorite Sarasota history news will be brought to you regularly. If you prefer, you may send a check to Florida History Alive, 1835 Jasmine Drive, Sarasota, FL, 34239. Again, thank you for your thoughtful support. Also, 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 you only have to provide a prize for the winner. What could be easier?
|
This week we are presenting a collaborative piece for your enjoyment. Jeff LaHurd has agreed to permit us to utilize an excerpt from his latest book, "Hidden History of Sarasota" and we, in turn, are going to depict a photo slideshow to coincide with his generosity.
We would like to extend our thanks to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune for permitting Sarasota History Alive! to reprint excerpts of Helen Griffith's Main Street Reporter column from the 1940s and beyond. Please visit them online at, 
Just north of the Sarasota/Bradenton airport, along the Tamiami Trail, the Kreissle Forge rests peacefully amid a small stand of pines, as it has for more than 60 years. The forge is the kind of quiet establishment that contributes to our community by the mere fact of its reassuring familiarity. However, Kreissle family members have contributed far more to the communities of Sarasota and Bradenton than just familiarity and reassurance since coming to Sarasota in the 1940s. George Kreissle Sr., arrived in Sarasota at a time when there was a need for ornamental iron work for building projects. In fact, some of the forge's earliest commissions were obtained from prominent local architect Thomas Reed Martin and his son, architect Frank Martin.
Your editor spends a great deal of time at the 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, we are now going to show you some of those photos that all of us can relate to in one way or another. Enjoy!
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 
This week we are honoring the Municipal Airport - Lowe's Field historical marker.
Sarasota History Alive! is the sponsor this week. Be the first to answer the mystery question, and we will send you a gift certificate from Target."Sarasota History Alive!" is a part of the "Florida History Alive!" network
Return to Sarasota History Alive