By Paul Roat January has historically been a month of grand openings for Sarasota. Two of the area’s premiere performing arts venues opened to the public just after the first of the year. On Jan. 5, 1970, the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall opened to critical acclaim with a production of “Fiddler On the Roof.” […]
By Paul Roat Sarasotans have had a long-term love affair of damaging nature. We’ve scraped, scoured, cleared, filled, circumvented, and paved Mother Nature to the point that she can barely pick herself off the ground without help — and while she’s down, we keep kicking away at her. While we lament past destruction, and point […]
By Paul Roat November appears to be an anniversary month for Siesta Key. From what passes for city government celebrates it's 65th anniversary this month. Two restaurants have their “birthdays” this month, and there is also a solemn anniversary of the demolition of a popular Gulffront home, torn down due to the ravages of waves […]
By Diana Colson In 2006, the judges of the 12th Circuit District Court voted unanimously to rename the Sarasota County Courthouse the “Lynn N. Silvertooth Justice Center.” It was a tribute to a remarkable elder statesman. Now in his 90’s, this distinguished judge and his wife Betty live with their magnificent orange cat at […]
By Paul Roat Col. John Hamilton Gillespie took office as Sarasota’s first mayor Oct. 14, 1902. By all accounts, he was one helluva man. Gillespie was born in Scotland and came to Sarasota in 1886 to salvage what was left of his father’s land development company, the Florida Mortgage & Investment Co., Ltd. The company […]
By Paul Roat Bill Whitaker embarked on a great adventure throughout his life. Much of his Tom Sawyer-esque experiences took place in Sarasota as the eventual town’s first white settler. He first made ends meet through the bounty of the bays. Cuban traders plied the Southwest coast of Florida buying dried, salted fish, paying upwards […]
By Diana Colson A remarkable artist lives here in Sarasota: a creative historian, musician, and folklorist with a passion for America’s past. Bill Schustik is his name, and he has been on a lifetime adventure performing all over the world to captivate audiences with his boundless energy and skill. A true troubadour, he unpacks his […]
By Paul Roat An ambitious 50-year project to renourish sand to the beaches of Lido Key is on its way to have preliminary plans presented to the public, hopefully by October or November. The project is estimated at an initial $20 million to bring about 1 million cubic yards of sand on shore. Also included […]
By Paul Roat William H. Whitaker, the first white settler of Sarasota, was born Aug. 1, 1821. He brought the first cattle, oranges, guava, and a semblance of settlement to the frontier that later became the arts nexus of Florida. Whitaker was very much akin to a character in a Mark Twain novel. He ran […]
Selby Gardens opening anniversary July 7 By Paul Roat It seems somehow ironic that the iconic Selby name today is renown in Sarasota history, yet historically Bill and Marie Selby were virtually unknown during their 60-plus years in the city. The Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, an 11-acre tract of lush landscaping on Sarasota Bay just […]
By Jaye Clements Photos by Sarasota Photography Sarasota is known for its magnificent cultural experiences. The best of the best performances! We have it all…Opera, Symphonies, Theatre, Ballet, and more. It’s a mecca for the arts! We’ve covered the arts all season long. What’s going on when the snowbirds head home and many of the […]
Power to people in Sarasota had flickering history By Paul Roat As summer temperatures surge and Sarasota’s residents and visitors start to wilt in the heat, air-conditioners and the electricity needed to run them today is a foregone conclusion. It wasn’t always that way. Not by a long shot. Sarasota’s first electric light system operated […]
