Digital Exhibits

100 Years of Residents

Over the last 100 years, many Sarasota County residents have led interesting and exciting lives. This exhibit shares some of these stories to help current residents and visitors discover the importance of local stories and local individuals.

100 Years of Sites and Structures

Sarasota County's history is full of important and beautiful sites and structures. From archaeological sites to bridges and buildings, Sarasota County's history sets us apart from the rest of Florida. This exhibit shares some of these sites and structures to help current residents and visitors discover these local gems and appreciate the historic areas in their own backyards. 

Colonel Gillespie and Golf in Sarasota: An Interactive Map

John Hamilton Gillespie was instrumental in establishing the town of Sarasota. He served as its first mayor when the town incorporated in 1902, and he invested heavily in improvements that made Sarasota a more attractive place to live and do business. He was also an avid golfer. Use this interactive map to explore Sarasota's first golf course, which Gillespie designed, as well as related historical photos and documents.

 

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Around the County

The Man with the Little Black Bag:  Two Doctors for One of Sarasota’s Pioneer Families

This exhibit features books, medical equipment and photographs from the Whitaker Family Collection at the Sarasota County History Center. Furman Chairs Whitaker and Harper Elliott Whitaker were two native sons of Sarasota who practiced medicine during an era of rapid change. When Furman started his career as a doctor in the late 1890s, house calls were still the norm, surgery was primitive and professionally made medicines had to compete with dubious tonics and elixirs that promised cures for practically everything. By the time Furman’s son Harper retired from practicing medicine in the mid-20^th century, vaccines were controlling many of the world’s most serious diseases, doctors were becoming highly specialized, and organ transplants were becoming a reality.

Now on display at Osprey Library (337 N Tamiami Trail, Osprey).

No Grass Stains, No Glory: Spring Training in Sarasota

Sarasota County has a rich and vibrant history of involvement with America’s favorite pastime—baseball. Let’s take a walk down memory lane and explore the history of the local facilities that have hosted Major League Baseball teams for spring training since 1924.

Coming in March 2024 to Fruitville Library (100 Apex Road, Sarasota).
View the 100 Years of Spring Training page.

What’s Cookin’, Sarasota?

Recipes and cookbooks give us much more than the instructions to whip up a batch of cookies or a delicious soup. Studying what our forebears ate and how they prepared their meals can tell us a lot about their world—the ingredients they had available, the cooking technology they used, and even the traditions they celebrated through food. This exhibit features recipes and cookbooks from the collections of the Sarasota County History Center, each one a unique window into our community’s vibrant past.

Now on display at the Sarasota County Administration Center (1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota) through March 2024.