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

A Tasteful Facelift

The Van Wezel Estate Gets a New Life Following a Full Restoration

Take a peek into the historic home of the couple behind Sarasota's premier performing arts hall.

03/20/2024 By Emma Moneuse

Hello, History

Check Out the Winners of This Year's Sarasota County Heritage Awards

The winners are champions of local historic preservation and adaptive reuse, historical research, archaeological conservancy and more.

02/22/2024 By Kim Doleatto

Flashback

Did You Know That in the 1940s, Sarasota Had an Indoor Croquet Court?

This old-school Sarasota image by Joseph Janney Steinmetz set off a hunt to identify where it was taken.

02/15/2024 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Written in Bronze

A Bronze Statue Commemorating Dr. Eugenie Clark Is Planned for Sarasota

It's the first of what Sarasota's Public Art Committee hopes will be many similar statues honoring trailblazing local women.

02/08/2024 By Kim Doleatto

Vintage Venice

This Almost Century-Old Home Was One of the First Built on Venice Island

This 1926 Mediterranean-Revival home has been well-loved by its owner for more than 20 years. Now it's on the market and seeking its next steward.

01/19/2024 By Kim Doleatto

Old Gems

Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation Names Its 2023 'Six to Save'

The initiative highlights local historic buildings that may be under threat.

11/17/2023 By Kim Doleatto

48 Hours in Sarasota

The History Buff's Guide to a Weekend in Sarasota County

From its famous residents to its signature architecture, there's so much for history lovers to explore.

11/06/2023 By Lauren Jackson

Good Bones

The Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation Wants to Save More Old Homes

A new home loan program will help owners manage repair and restoration work and ensure preservation standards.

10/25/2023 By Kim Doleatto

Historic Home

The Historic McAlpin Home, Part of a Major Downtown Sale, Stays Where It Is—for Now

City of Sarasota Commissioners voted yesterday for a continuance in an appeal by the developer to demolish the 1912 George McAlpin home, known for its rare and pre-cast rusticated block.

10/03/2023 By Kim Doleatto

Flashback

Sarasota Native Lois Duncan Wrote 'I Know What You Did Last Summer'

The book went on to become a popular slasher film in 1997.

09/19/2023 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Home View

The Fascinating History of Laurel Park's John L. Early Home

If you’ve ever strolled through the neighborhood, it’s likely you’ve stopped to admire the oaks and flowers that precede the Dutch colonial facade. 

09/05/2023 By Kim Doleatto

Sarasota Sisterhood

How the Sarasota Woman's Club Transformed Our City

"Almost from the moment Sarasota was settled, women were playing a major role.”

08/02/2023 By Elizabeth Djinis

The Purple Cow

Van Wezel Included on Florida Trust for Historic Preservation's '11 to Save' List

The initiative highlights endangered historic sites throughout Florida, advocating for their preservation.

07/31/2023 By Staff

Flashback

Photo: Renowned Clown Emmett Kelly as 'Weary Willie,' Circa 1955

Who remembers this iconic photo?

06/23/2023 By Bethany Ritz

Look up

A New Mural in the Rosemary District Pays Homage to Leonard Reid, One of Sarasota's Most Important Black Leaders

A large image of Reid, the "right-hand man" of Sarasota's first mayor, is now displayed on the side of The Sarasota Modern hotel in the Rosemary District.

06/16/2023 By Kim Doleatto

Flashback

Photo: A Young Father Pushing a Baby Stroller Through Sarasota Trailer Park, 1946

Post-Depression years in Sarasota didn't look bad at all for this young family, thanks in part to the Tin Can Tourist Convention of 1938.

06/16/2023 By Bethany Ritz

Flashback

Photo: An Aerial View of the John Ringling Causeway, 1946

A look back on a bridge that changed Sarasota's keys—and has been rebuilt twice since its first construction in 1926.

06/09/2023 By Bethany Ritz

Flashback

Photo: A Sarasota Beach Bathhouse, Circa 1925

This private bathhouse was owned by the Edson Keith family, who were part of the elite Chicagoan clique migrating to Sarasota at the time.

05/25/2023 By Bethany Ritz

Flashback

Myakka River State Park, Circa 1950

One of the first protected lands in our area, the park opened in 1942.

05/18/2023 By Bethany Ritz