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Sarasota Magazine

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Sarasota County Historical Resources

Saving the Colson

A Black Landmark From the Days of Segregation Is Being Reborn as a Civic and Cultural Hub

The Colson was more than a boarding house. For the city’s Black residents and visitors during segregation, it offered something rare and profound: safety, dignity and belonging.

12/02/2025

School Style

Architect M. Leo Elliott Designed Four Iconic Sarasota Schools in 1926 and 1927

Elliott was a well-known Tampa architect.

11/03/2025 By Jeff LaHurd

Black History

In the 1920s, Sarasota Was Small, Southern and Segregated

But the very inequities meant to contain the Black community spurred a parallel world—self-sustaining, rooted and determined to endure.

11/03/2025 By Kim Doleatto

Circle of Dreams

John Ringling's Vision of St. Armands Circle Lives on Today

Ringling planned to turn the tiny, isolated archipelago into a grandiose European-style residential and shopping destination.

11/03/2025 By Jeff LaHurd

The 1920s

The Land Boom Decade That Changed Sarasota Forever

Promises of paradise, get-rich-quick promotions, buying, developing and reselling are the threads that weave throughout the entirety of the Sunshine State’s history, including Sarasota’s.

11/03/2025 By Jeff LaHurd

🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎

Black Stallion Author Walter Farley Built a Vibrant Life in Venice

The author of the beloved books about protagonist Alec Ramsey and his horse moved to south Sarasota County in 1950 and spent the rest of his life there.

08/14/2024 By Clayton Trutor

Overtown

Sarasota Historic Preservation Board Denies Permit to Demolish Historic Hotel Built During Segregation

The 1926-built Colson Hotel in the Rosemary District has been spared for now.

04/10/2024 By Kim Doleatto

Black History Month

The Story of Jeffery Bolding, Sarasota's First Enslaved Man

A rediscovered photo sheds light—and darkness—on our history.

02/13/2023 By John McCarthy

Flashback

The Longboat Key Ritz-Carlton, 1926-1963

John Ringling's hotel broke ground in 1926 but was never finished or occupied, and was eventually demolished in 1963.

01/20/2023 By Bethany Ritz

Centennial Celebrations

County Sets Week of Celebrations to Mark the Sarasota Centennial

Several local partnerships will commemorate the occasion.

06/28/2021 By Staff

Centennial Celebrations

Sarasota Centennial App Adds New Auto Tours

The five unique tours offer turn-by-turn directions and expert historical narration.

04/19/2021 By Staff

100 Days for 100 Years

Sarasota County Marks Its Centennial This Year

On July 1, 1921, Sarasota County was officially formed. A Centennial initiative will kick off March 23.

03/06/2021 By Ilene Denton

Wish They Were Here

Six Sarasota Tourist Attractions From the Past

Let's take a look at these long-gone favorites and try to discover what they say about our town and its history.

03/06/2021 By Robert Plunket

Pop Quiz

Are You a Real Sarasotan?

Prove your insider chops with our quiz.

12/01/2020 By Ilene Denton and Kay Kipling

Weather Report

How Weather Shaped Our History

Pam Daniel and Robert Plunket consider the sunshine factor, hurricane havoc, fatal freezes—and more.

06/27/2018 By Pam Daniel and Robert Plunket

Sunshine Memories

Life Wasn't Easy for Sarasota's Early Pioneers

But tourists came here from almost the very beginning.

12/28/2016 Edited by Kay Kipling and Bob Plunket

At Sarasota Magazine, we celebrate Sarasota’s vibrant culture, rich history, and bright future with award-winning, high-quality content that captures the spirit of our community.

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