This Week Newsletter - May 26, 2010

The Boorse Identity

Remember that movie some years ago called "The Bourne Identity"? Well, your editor was at the Sarasota County History Center doing some research, and he came across a photo album of the life of Paul C. Boorse.

In honor of Memorial Day, we have put together a slide show of this gentleman who was a Private in World War I. It is not too often we come across photos from that time period.

Private Boorse was stationed in Jacksonville's Camp Joseph E. Johnston for his basic training in 1917. He was sent to Europe to serve at Camp St. Sulpice in France as part of the Third Section, G-3 (Operations) that dealt with Correspondence, Journals of operations, AEF headquarters war diary, Charts showing composition of AEF infantry division, Divisional history charts and many types of mapping services.

There are no photos of actual fighting, but it was a joy to see him on leave with his friends traveling about in France. Click here to go on a tour of duty.

(photo credit: Sarasota County History Center)

Florida Trust for Historic Preservation Announces the 2010 Statewide Awards

On Friday May 14, 2010, the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation announced the recipients of the 2010 preservation awards at their annual conference, which was held in Ft. Myers and Sanibel Island.

It is a pleasure to inform you that in the category for Preservation Education/Media, Sarasota History Alive! won for best statewide website, along with the Sarasota Convention and Visitors Bureau for their “Tour Sarasota Architecture” self-guided tour booklet. In addition the Sarasota Opera House won most outstanding in the category for restoration and rehabilitation of their historic building.

We at Sarasota History Alive! would like to extend our thanks to the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation for this wonderful honor. We will continue to strive to give our readers a rewarding experience on a bi-weekly basis with our e-Newsletters and also expand our website. In the coming months, we hope you will enjoy our continued efforts to foster preservation, and additionally promote cultural and heritage tourism to our city and county. After all, we have a jewel of a heritage that can we can be proud of – let’s show it off!

Tales of Sarasota

Just recently we found out that Diane's Grand Uncle was the Superintendent of Schools for Manatee County (Sarasota was part of Manatee until 1921).

She recalls the old Sarasota High School when it was on Main Street. We're willing to bet a number of you can recall its location. Too bad it was demolished, since it had similarities to the beauty on US 41. Click here to learn all about it!

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 President U. S. Grant's son, General Frederick Grant. While in Sarasota he visited Mrs. Potter Palmer while carriying out his military duties. Your editor found a rare image of President Grant when he was a younger man, which is displayed below.)

General Grant Goes to Inspect Fort

January 4, 1912

After making the inspection of the fort and soldiers at Ft. Dade between the hours of 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. yesterday, General Frederick Grant, son of former President U.S. Grant (pictured above), and one of the highest ranking officers in the U.S. Army, will leave Friday on the Mallory Line steamer bound from Tampa to New York. General Grant will be picked up just out from Ft. Dade where he will be taken by one of the government boats.

His stay there was a brief one but a cordial reception was accorded him by the officers at Ft. Dade and he was shown about the post and the guns and equipment of all the departments of the fore were gone over. He made no report on his inspection but in case any needs for the fort were revealed he will make this known to the war department and action will be taken. He was brought from Bradentown in the government launch and on his arrival at the fort guns were fired and he was received by the officers and presented to a number of the ladies at the fort.

An invitation had been extended to General Grant to visit St. Petersburg today on the occasion of the Grecian Day entertainment, but he was unable to do so and expressed his appreciation of the invitation carried to him by Captain Clark. His stay in Florida has been mainly with Mrs. Potter Palmer, Mrs. Grant’s sister, at Sarasota, but he has made a few short visits in other cities and he is highly pleased with his visit to the state and expressed the wish that he might have been privileged to make a longer stay before returning north, where he has headquarters on Governors Island. He was accompanied by his wife and her mother.

Those who have been privileged to see the distinguished soldier as well as his father, state that the resemblance between them is remarkable, and that had they lived in the same time and both been the same age they could not easily be distinguished. The General has received a cordial reception by Floridians.

St. Petersburg Independent

(photo credit: Sarasota County History Center)

The Belle Haven Apartments Poll Results

In our last issue of our e-Newsletter, we ran a straw-poll on the fate of the Belle Haven Apartments. It was ironical that on the day of the poll, Dr. Clifford Smith, Senior Planner for the City of Sarasota, mentioned to your editor that he had another conversation with the management company responsible for the upkeep of the historic structure.

Our poll helped make the company realize that many Sarasotans are keeping an eye on that building and do not want it to meet the same fate as other historic landmarks in our community. Fortunately, the City of Sarasota is on top of the conditon of the Belle Haven, and is continually addressing each concern of neglect with the company representing the owner.

To view the results of our poll, Click here.

Do you like Saints or Sinners?

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 visit us online or give us a call 951-7727.

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.

Honor Parkway Memorial has Long Been Forgotten

In 1943, when war news was often bleak, the list of allied causalities long and the outcome of World War II far from certain, the Founders Circle of the Sarasota Garden Club appointed a committee to determine a suitable memorial to honor the men and women of Sarasota County who had heeded the call to arms and were overseas fighting for their country.

Mrs. Edward W. Pinkham who chaired the committee came up with the notion of Honor Parkway; a living memorial of Cocos Plumosas trees on Bayfront Park, south of the Municipal Auditorium to pay homage to those who would be lost in battle and also to those lucky enough to return home.

To raise money for the project, the club held benefits and accepted over $4,000 in unsolicited donations from an appreciative community.

On a bright January day in 1947, nearly a year and a half after the war ended, the club’s hard work was realized and formally dedicated. Members of the American Legion, an AMVETS color guard, the Sarasota High School marching band and grateful citizens joined together to recall the difficult war years, listen to speeches, offer prayers and most importantly to thank and pay their respects to their hometown heroes. Each of the trees was decorated with a green and white wreath.

Master of Ceremonies Frank Evans, a World War II naval officer introduced the speakers. Founder Circle President Mrs. Walter G. Frauenheim told the audience that the parkway would be “a place of sanctity…in our busy little city and that the city and the public (would) assist in maintaining it as such.”

Civic Leader Karl Bickel reminded, “We must as a community never forget that a living memorial involves a keen and sensitive sense of community responsibility.” Read more...

(photo credit: Sarasota County History Center)

Yesterday's Sarasota Calendar

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 homepage to find out what occured today.

Also, be sure and check out Whit's website at: www.ChickenHillNC.com.

Today in 1967, Sarasota's first retirement condominium opened. Plymouth Harbor, designed by Frank Folsom Smith, was the tallest building in Sarasota, and, at the time, was the tallest of all residential buildings in the state. It cost $6,000,000 to construct.

(photo credit: Sarasota County History Center)

Ain't Life Grand?

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.

Okay, I know we are all grateful for a parade, especially like the one's we used to have downtown, during the Sara De Soto Pageant. But, in case you haven't heard, this is not a great costume at any age when being paraded buck-naked down Main Street with just a fig leaf, and in broad daylight! I won't mention these kids names, who are supposed to be Adam and Eve, however, I wonder if they are still in therapy.

(photo credit: Sarasota County History Center)

History Locator

Today we are honoring the Judah P. Benjamin marker. It reads:

Judah P. Benjamin, later considered "the Brains of the Confederacy," was an American lawyer and statesman. He was born on Saint Croix Island in 1811, grew up in South Carolina, and was educated at Yale College. He practiced law in New Orleans, Louisiana, and became prominent in politics, serving first with the Whigs and afterward with the Democrats. He represented Louisiana in the U.S. Senate from 1853 until that state seceded from the Union in 1861. Confederate President Jefferson Davis first appointed Benjamin as Attorney General. Later in 1861, Davis named him Secretary of War and, four months later, Secretary of State.

With invasion of the Confederate capitol by Union forces imminent, President Davis and his cabinet fled south from Richmond, Virginia, on April 2, 1865. When they reached Charlotte, North Carolina, news arrived of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln on April 14. In north Georgia, Davis, Benjamin, and other cabinet members, parted company.

Sometime in May, Captain Leroy Lesley and Captain James McKay successfully secreted Benjamin first to Lesley's home in Brooksville, Florida, then later to McKay's home in Tampa. Read reverse side...

(photo credit: Greg Best)

Where Was I?

The winner from our last quiz was Dwight Ash. 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:

Obviously, I am the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. However, I was not always located on Fruitville Road. Ah, my location in this photo was a gorgeous spot, and it was even a bit romantic to get to me. Your task is to figure out where exactly I am, and keep in mind I am near an arch. To collect your prize, name the building that contained the arch and my location.

(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?

Mrs. Potter Palmer's 161st Birthday Tea

The DAR Chapter House in historic Pioneer Park, hosted a fashionable fundraising tea to celebrate Bertha Honore Palmer’s 161st birthday on Saturday, May 20, 2010. Proceeds benefited the DAR’s Grandma Moses Scholarship for Mature Women.

Judith Leipold portrayed the venerable Mrs. Potter Palmer. Period piano selections were presented by Chrystalle Maria DeLuca. Many in attendance showed off their hats and gloves, and some even appeared in period attire. The photo to the right shows the suptuous refreshments enjoyed by all. Happy Birthday, Bertha!

Historic Preservation Month Celebrations Honored Many Recipients

Between the City of Sarasota and Sarasota County, last week was busy time for preservationists. On May 20, 2010, the city awarded historic designation plaques to Sarasota School of Architecture marvels, the Blue Pagoda Building, the Umbrella House, the Sarasota Garden Club, and Sarasota City Hall. In addition, the Federal Building, the Chidsey Building, and the Bayfront Historic District also were awarded the coveted bronze plaques. Pictured in the photo from left to right is: City Commissioner Susan Atwell, former Mayor Lou Ann Palmer, Senior Planner Dr. Clifford Smith, and City Commissioner, Richard Clapp.

Two days later, Sarasota County celebrated their Preservation Day ceremonies at the historic Venice-Nokomis Bank property that has been recently restored by Dan and Sandra Simic. Honored at this event was; the Ness House, Wm. H. Parsons House, Wm. and Ethel Trahan House, the Eagle Point Cottages, Dr. C.B. Wilson Residence (Urfer Family Park), a the Mediterranean Revival-Style House in Nokomis. Pictured in the photo from left to right is: Kevin Bruning, Chairman of the Historic Preservation Board, Dagan and Gabriella McCann, and a wee preservationist (their daughter).

"Sarasota History Alive!" is a part of the "Florida History Alive!" network

Return to Sarasota History Alive