The City Waterworks Building - Bond Issue had Unanimous Approval

Imagine the delight with which today's government officials would receive news of the unanimous approval of a bond issue for public improvements. Such was the case in January 1925, when a $150,000 bond issue for the improvement and extension of the City of Sarasota's water system was approved by Sarasota voters. Part of this funding was used to construct the City Waterworks Building, set back from the northwest corner of Orange Avenue and 10th Street at 1015 North Orange Avenue.

According to Karl Grismer in "The Story of Sarasota," construction of the City Waterworks Building was a major step forward in Sarasota's struggle for an adequate water supply. When the town of Sarasota was incorporated in 1902, it did not have an authorized water system. Water was provided by wells or water cisterns. A successful bond issue providing for the building of a water works and sewage system was passed in a referendum April 4, 1909, and subsequently a contract was awarded for the drilling of an artesian well and the laying of both sewage and water mains. However, the need for further improvements to the water system soon became apparent. More water was needed not only for consumption, but also to provide adequate water pressure to fight fires, such as the major fire that destroyed many commercial buildings on lower Main Street in March, 1915.

Built in 1926, the City Waterworks Building is divided into two parts: Read more...

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.

For example, today in 1922, ground was broken on the Mira Mar Apartments in what may be a record for any large building in this part of the state. The entire building was finished in exactly sixty days. The "Sixty-Day-Wonder," as it was called, was the product of 24 hour a day efforts of developrer Andrew McAnsh and his contractor's crews. The more you know...

The 'Velvet Highway'

(Editors Note: With all the negative comments I either hear or read about our roads in need of repair, I would like to say something in appreciation of our road crews. I live off of U.S. 41, and recently the highway was resurfaced between Bee Ridge Road and Bay Street, just north of Sarasota High School. What impressed me was how quickly this undertaking was accomplished, with little inconvenience to the thousands of travelers per day who use that stretch of highway. The work was done at night, and it amazes me how driving on it now feels like "velvet". The real 'Velvet Highway' article follows.)

In the early years of this century, travel between communities in the Sarasota area was difficult at best. Sand roadways were vulnerable to flooding in the rainy season and deep ruts at other times. In the 1910s, to remedy the situation, businessmen led the movement to create a special road district and issue bonds to construct good roads between Sarasota and Venice, Bee Ridge and Fruitville. In March 1915, voters approved a $250,000 bond issue to build 34 miles of hard surfaced roads.

Building a good road between Sarasota and Venice was a difficult process. A major challenge was the removal of dense palmetto growth. Traditionally, it was removed by hand, with the use of a grubbing hoe. By late spring 1918, however, a newly patented cutting plow was brought to the site. Designed by black inventor Henry C. Webb of Bradenton, the plow cut the palmetto roots and trunks, facilitating their removal from the roadway. Then a grader prepared the roadbed and a tractor served as a roller to compact the soil. Wooden forms were set along the sides of the roadway for the pouring of concrete curbs. Hot mix asphalt arrived in Model-T dump trucks, to be spread by hand.

In "One Man's Family," A.K. Whitaker describes the few months he and a friend were employed to operate Whitaker's father's tractor on the road project: "Up at five - breakfast - clean up camp - at work by seven - a sandwich for lunch - work until five - a bath in a nearby creek - supper - by dark into bed under mosquito bars to keep from being eaten alive." More than a dozen of Whitaker's photographs survived to give a glimpse of the road work. This image shows the cutting plow invented by Henry Webb.

When finished, the road was a vast improvement over the rutted trails that previously connected Sarasota with Venice. Although the pavement was only nine feet wide, requiring one of two passing vehicles to pull off the road, the users were impressed enough that they called it the "Velvet Highway".

(photo credit: Sarasota County History Center) 

The Big Sit - 24 Hour Bird Marathon

This Saturday, at midinight October the 12th to midnight October the 13th, the Crowley Museum and Nature Center is having a big sit-in. Join in this wild bird count in a historic setting, and help our natural environment. Call Matt Homan at the Wild Bird Center to register. His number is: 941-351-9500.

D.A.R. Hosts Clarissa Thomasson

The Sara DeSoto Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution hosted author Clarissa Thomasson in their membership meeting on October the 1st at their clubhouse. She presented the group with a very interesting account from DeSoto's conquering of Florida, the Seminole Wars, and the development of our area up until the Florida Land Boom bust. Thomasson has authored several books, including, "Lorinda's Legacy", "Defending Hillsborough", and "Reconstructiing Hillsborough".