This Week Newsletter - July 21, 2010
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Owen Burns - A Major Player in Our Development
Many people think of John Ringling and Bertha Palmer when it comes to the development of our community and placing Sarasota "on the map." That's not where the story ends; instead it just begins. You see, one man, who came here in 1910 did so much for us, you just need look around and marvel at his contributions. That man was named Owen Burns, and he deserves a special place in our memory bank. In fact, we found out from Jeff LaHurd that a celebration of his life here will be taking place in November, 2010. More on that event will be announced at a later time, so stay tuned. Anyhow, this gives you time to catch up on a quick visual summary of his life here in Sarasota. Click here to view the video about one of our greatest founders. (photo credit: Sarasota County History Center) Tales of Sarasota
So...can you name all the ice cream flavors at Howard Johnson's? Diane tells us of her experience with her son, Ken, when he was a tyke, and how a dessert flavor decision can be simplified. If only life in general were so simple. Click here to catch her blog. We wonder if Ken's taste buds have changed over the years.
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 unfortunately we do not know the date associated with it. It was written by a frequent visitor to our area, though the clipping is incomplete and sans date. However, the insight into Bertha Palmer's hospitality is worth the read. Enjoy!
Reminiscences of Early Days in Sarasota - Gem City of the GulfSome years ago when I was spending a winter in Sarasota, Florida, I was a frequent visitor at the beautiful estate of Mrs. Potter Palmer, a fine location fronting Sarasota Bay and in sight of the Gulf of Mexico, a charming tropical section known as “Osprey” six miles down the bay from Sarasota. Here is where her winter habitation was for many years – pretty vine-covered house affording her every luxury. Fifteen or twenty servants were employed on the place during the winter season, and I learned to know some of them, especially the butler, who was a big fine, jovial fellow with a heart full of kindness and love for everything on the Palmer premises, and always willing to do favors for the many tourists who visited the place. It was my custom when I would land with a party at the private pier to stop inside and ask for a guide before permitting the excursionists to enter the grounds. On one occasion, to my surprise, when our boat pulled up to the landing, I stepped to the door, as usual, to get a guide. Mrs. Palmer, graciously and pleasantly met me, and said: “In the future, Mr. Hubbard, you need not go to the trouble to ask for a guide. I will make you the guide for all the Ohio people that you bring to my home, and also any other of your tourist friends.” In a very few days following this privilege, I landed at the Palmer private dock with a boat filled with Logan County people and others from Ohio. There were 70 in all and as we went along the many walks we were attracted by a parrot sitting upon a branch of an orange tree and it was calling, “wattah!” “wattah!” and we all stepped up and admired the beautiful bird, when a Bellefontaine woman exclaimed, “What a shame that they don’t give it a drink when it calls for water! If I can find something that will hold water I will go and get it a drink.” All aboard the boat had taken baskets filled with eatables
for the picnic feast, and Mrs. Palmer, noticing that we had our baskets and
boxes, thermos bottles, etc., came to us and said, “You may spread your
eatables on the ground and enjoy them picnic fashion if you wish to do so, and
I would suggest the grounds surrounding the tea house. You have such a fine
view of the bay from that point.” Read more... (photo credit: Sarasota County History Center) The Edward H. Knight House
The Edward H. Knight House is a one-story bungalow located at 1828 Grove Street between U.S. 41 and South Osprey Avenue in Grove Park Subdivision within the city limits of Sarasota, Florida. The home and garage are directly north of Southside Elementary School. Several of the homes on the street were constructed during the same time period in various styles ranging from small bungalows to larger Mediterranean Revival style homes. An interesting feature of the home is a trap door located near the dining room doorway in the rear addition. Although, it is currently covered with ceramic tile, it leads to a small concrete room beneath the house that at one time contained a cistern for the collection of rain water. At the time of construction broken rock, shell and concrete were used as fill for the house’s foundation to rest on. At some time later, the house was raised and placed on concrete piers. Historical Information During the 1920s, residential subdivisions were platted throughout an expanded Sarasota city limits. Cheap land prices and the promise of quick profits swept the city into a spiral of development. This decade brought unparalleled growth to Florida. Sarasota downtown development was coupled with expanding suburban residential areas. Sarasota was fast replacing the fishing village image that it had with that of a developing resort community. Construction following World War I, produced what would become a modern city. In 1925, nationally renowned land planner, John Nolen, established a comprehensive plan for Sarasota. His plan was intended to guide in the provision of adequate traffic circulation, utilities, and schools; yet rapid development drastically altered Nolen’s original plan. During 1925 and 1926 over five hundred structures were built, half of them residences. Many of the platted subdivisions remained partially undeveloped when the real estate market collapsed in 1927. The subject structures were either moved to or constructed in 1936 in Grove Park Subdivision which was platted that same year by the real estate firm of Curry, Christie, and Cobb. Christie was the manager of Badger’s Pharmacy, and establishment located in downtown Sarasota for many years, and known as a popular gathering place. Christie played baseball and no doubt it was through his affiliation that he became acquainted with and business associate of J. Paul Cobb. Cobb was the brother of the illustrious ballplayer, Ty Cobb, and had come to Sarasota in 1924 and immediately became involved in many real estate investments as well as being active in civic affairs throughout the 1920s and 1930s. 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.
Historical Society of Sarasota CountyIt's never too early to start making plans for the upcoming 'season' of historical events presented by our Historical Society of Sarasota County. This year they have added so many more things to do in their ever-improving digs on 12th Street, between U.S. 41 and Cocoanut Avenue. Please Click here to view all the programs you can attend for the remainder of 2010 and into 2011.
(Editor's note: We are always supportive of non-profit organizations that are devoted to preservation, historic architecture, sustainability to contact us for free promotion of their services and programs. We also are happy to promote non-profit organizations that showcase any of the arts that are presented in our community.) |
Leagues of Their Own
The above photo from Robert “Bud” Thomas’ collection shows the Nine Devils, a team based in Bradenton. Thomas, kneeling on the left and holding a bat, played shortstop for the team, which played around Florida and often beat teams from larger cities, such as Tampa and St. Petersburg. In a Sarasota Herald-Tribune interview many years ago, Thomas, now deceased, regretted not having had the opportunity to play professional ball. He recalled that, with limited options for black players, he had joined for a while the Zulu Giants, a “clowning” Miami team that barnstormed the country, wore grass skirts and entertained the audiences, but also played serious baseball. In Newtown since the 1920s, Thomas established Bud’s Barger Shop on (then) 27th Street, and it became the place to have your hair cut. Thomas was also a golfer. Although he caddied at Sarasota’s
Bobby Jones Golf Course, for many years he was denied the chance to play the
course. Black golfers in the area were limited to a course in Tampa. Finally, in
the 1950s, Thomas and three others who called themselves the “Ex-Caddies Club,”
were the first black golfers to play at Bobby Jones. In the 1990s, an annual
Bud Thomas Golf Tournament was started to raise scholarship money for needy
black students. 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. This Friday, in ca. 1925, a woman rocking quietly on her front porch received an unexpected visitor today. Noticing that her chair seemed to be rocking on its own, she looked down to see a large alligator brushing against her leg. Her scream caught the attention of a passerby who shot the alligator. A small crowd gathered to eye the deceased saurian which wasn't too surprising since the woman resided on Main Street in downtown Sarasota. (photo credit: Sarasota County History Center) Ain't Life Grand?
There is no way you could throw the baby out in a bathtub like this! This hunk of marble was the outdoor tub for Rajah Jakargir; Akbar’s son and Jahan’s father which was actually used by him in the open courtyard. It is made from a solid piece of marble and has a set of steps carved on both exterior and interior. The photo was taken on November 11, 1922 by an unknown photographer. Wonder if it had adustable water jets, you never know. (photo credit: Sarasota County History Center)
"Purple Cow" - Jewel of Sarasota - The Cohen Legacyby Lou Ann PalmerReaders of Sarasota History Alive!: My name is Lou Ann (Rosengarten) Palmer. I am of relatively sane mind and very wrinkled body. Am 73, but feel 37. My former SHS American History student, Larry Kelleher (your editor), has asked me to share with you my personal memories of living in Sarasota for the past 62 years. I just want to warn you that my stories are purely my recollections and may not be totally accurate. If anyone wants to challenge them, please feel free to do so. Let's get started! Preface:
The interview was interrupted by a customer phone call ordering toilet paper, paper plates, and several cartons of cigarettes. Dad and Dave shot into the warehouse and filled the order. Dad returned the next day and continued as Dave's right hand man for 30 years until the company was sold. Dave always joked that he could never fire Roy because he had never hired him. Mom was hired by Meg and Marvin Weiss to be a saleslady at their dress shop on Main Street (eventually, they moved the shop to Harding/St. Armands Circle). A few years later, Eleene Cohen, Dave's wife, snared Mom to sell jewelry and organize fashion shows for her store...The Sport Shop...(located at 5 Points where First Watch currently is today). Having no relatives here, Dave and Eleene became my non-blood uncle and aunt, and both had a major impact on my growing up in this community. (pictured in the photo above; L to R - David Cohen, Nima and Roy Rosengarten, and Eleene Cohen) Read more... (photo credit: Lou Ann Palmer Collection)
History Locator
A unique community founded in the 1800s by the Ainger, Anderson, Biorseth, Carver, Chadwick, Chapman, Clark, Dryman, Heacock, Goff, Gottfried, Green, Johnson, Jones, Kelly, Lampp, Leach, Loper, Nichols, Quimby, Washburn, Walker, Whidden and Wyatt families, who through danger, hardship and disease, showed the courage and fortitude necessary to bring civilization to a wilderness. 1896 - Town of Englewood recorded by Nichols brothers. 1897 - First sawmill established by B.C. and W.F. Heacock. 1897 - Guest House built by the Quimby family, later purchased and known as the Jergens Mansion. 1898 - Englewood Inn, build for tourists by Nichols brothers. 1898 - Englewood school opened as solution "in the family teaching of the three "R's". (photo credit: Greg Best) Where Am I?The winner from our last quiz was Bobbi Hicks. 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.
My question to you is two-fold:
Best of luck to you, my friends. I think Sarasota needs more places like me that cater to the bed and breakfast crowd. What do you think? (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?
Letters-To-The-EditorWe are accepting letters-to-the-editor, so please Click here to submit your comments, experiences, ideas, and general information. Thanks for continuing to keep Sarasota’s history alive! Dear Editor: Last March, I started blogging about a ramshackle beach cottage I photographed on Longboat Key. Since then, the story has taken all kinds of twists and turns, and I thought you might find it interesting. Click the link below to read from the beginning: Joy Baker
(editor's note: The story about the Villa Am Meer on Longboat Key, is very interesting and the author has broken it into chapters in her blog for your convenience. Often, as a child, I passed this place and fantasized about what lay beyond the gates; now I know.)
Dear Editor:
Around 1965 +/-, I was working at Tamiami Title Company in
the 1900 Main Building (the company had been purchased from Abstract Company of
Sarasota (located on State Street) by the Holiday Inn group in Memphis, TN)) and
Tamiami had furnished a "courtesy" office to Ben Drymon so that he could
continue to have a place to go every workday morning...he loaned me his copy of
Sarasota by Karl Grismer and as I have always been interested in history. I
gladly accepted the book, took it home, and must have read it at least three
times...Mr. Drymon continued to remind me on almost a daily basis that I
had his book as he was very anxious to get it back. I am sure by that time it
was out of print. Prior to that beginning in 1959 I had worked in the mortgage
business at 535 S. Washington Boulevard, right next to Clark Fulton's real
estate office.
I am not a "native" or an "old timer" having moved to
Sarasota in 1959, but one of my very dearest friends was William H. Hebb (son of
Homer and Mabel Hebb) who had purchased the surveying business from J. Lewis
Cobia. Since Bill's mother was a "Helveston" and his grandmother Ida, and her
family were descended from William H. Whitaker, and had a constitutional
homestead in Indian Beach (next door to the Rosins) and platted much of the
Newtown property, I was always interested to hear stories of old Sarasota
firsthand...how Mabel Hebb graduated from Tallahassee and how long it used to
take her to go from Tallahassee to Sarasota on her trips home, and all of that
made the history of Sarasota very alive to me. Bill always tried to get his
mother to sit down and narrate stories from her younger days into a tape
recorder, but she did not seem to have an interest, so a lot of great stories
went untold and died with her.
I was searching the internet this morning for the book
"Sarasota" by Karl Grismer, and came into contact with your website, and it has
been a lot of fun to follow some of your stories. I moved from Sarasota in
1998, but still read the Herald Tribune every morning, as I left part of my
heart in Sarasota after having lived there for such a long time. I will put
your website into my "favorites" and will check back often to keep current on
your narratives. I was very happy to find your website!
Virginia Norris
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When Sarasota’s black children dreamed of playing
professional baseball, before Jackie Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in
1947, their models were players in the state and national Negro leagues. The
local teams were the Nine Devils and the Sarasota Tigers.
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 image.
Because of very severe sinus
conditions, my parents, Nima and Roy Rosengarten, and I moved to Sarasota from Toledo,
Ohio in 1948. It was a very brave
venture for a 45 year old man who had no job, no home, and had never seen Florida before. Having
been the Grand Exalted Ruler of the Toledo Elks, he immediately drove to the
local BPOE on Fruitville Road to
see if any of the members could assist him in finding work. One suggested
he visit David Cohen who owned
Smith Candy Co. (later renamed Smith Specialty), a wholesale supplier of hotel
and restaurant supplies. Dad did so immediately (the business was initially
located on Lemon and 6th Street
- later renamed State Street). 
This week we are honoring the Early Lemon Bay - Englewood historical marker in Englewood, Florida. It reads:
Guess I'll go easy on you this week; with the heat and all why make things difficult? I was a beauty of a place to stay in town during my heyday. My name was the Hotel Watrous (yep, I am related to Bill Watrous of Watrous Video Productions) and I stood for many a year before urban renewal. 
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