Sarasota History Alive - Where history happens every day!

Sarasota History Tour

Sarasota has a story to tell. A tale of Saints and Sinners that spans a time from our 'fishing village' days up to our recent colorful past. Along this unique journey you'll meet moguls, murderers, and men who gave up everything to have it all on Florida's gulf coast.

Our professionally guided two hour tour explores our community's heritage and also shows you what we have to offer today. You'll not only speculate how Sarasota got its romantic name, but where to adventure on your own, once the excursion is over.

Popular Sarasota, Florida Videos

	Bungalow Hill In 1916 the city of Sarasota was rebuffed by the neighborhood of Bungalow Hill. They rejected taxation without representation by incorporating into the community of Sarasota Heights.	Watch video »

	Owen Burns Host Lee Gaines takes you on a journey of how this remarkable man managed to develop land, build the Ringling Causeway, Ca'd'Zan, Burns Court, the Herald Square Building, the El Vernona Hotel (later known as John Ringling Towers), Burns Realty (later the home of Karl Bickel), downtown seawalls, and substantial homes prior to the Great Depression.	Watch video »

	Crocker Memorial Church The history of the Crocker Memorial Church begins with Peter Crocker, a Civil War veteran born in Wheeler, New York, who became a lighthouse keeper in Key West, Florida, and who, with his wife Sophia, came to the Sara Sota area of Manatee County in 1873 where he purchased 20 acres southwest of Bay and Bee Ridge Roads.	Watch video »