Outreach

The Sarasota County History Center offers a wide variety of presentations and research tutorials throughout the year. Some are scheduled by History Center staff at public venues around the county, but organizations may also request a presentation for their members. Most presentations can be offered either virtually or in person. There is no charge for this service, but it is subject to staff and resource availability. To request a presentation, contact us by phone at 941-861-6090 or by email at historycenter@scgov.net.

Researching a Historic Business – We see them in old photographs, phone books, receipts from our grandparents’ papers, and references in letters—traces of businesses large and small that once thrived but are now defunct and gone. Whether you’re researching a business owned by your ancestors or just one you’ve seen referenced in records, there are many tools you can use the trace the life cycle of a historic business. Join the staff of the Sarasota County History Center for a workshop exploring these tools. We’ll use Florida examples for this program, but many of the concepts will work just fine for researching historic businesses in other states. (Length: 1 hour)

Researching the Lives of Enslaved Ancestors – Genealogists hit all sorts of “brick walls” when tracing a family tree, but researching the lives of people who were enslaved can be especially difficult. Many of the usual genealogical sources are not available for enslaved persons because they were mostly documented as property rather than people prior to Emancipation. Also, once slavery came to an end in the 1860s, many formerly enslaved individuals moved, married, or changed their names, making the research process even more complex. Join the staff of the Sarasota County History Center for a workshop exploring some of the best sources and strategies for documenting the lives of formerly enslaved people. (Length: 1 ½ hours)

Researching Lost Communities – Florida currently has more than 400 incorporated towns and cities, but those are far from being the only ones that have ever existed in the state. Communities emerge and disappear for all kinds of reasons, and Florida certainly has its share of “lost” communities—settlements that once grew and thrived but now exist only in memory or historical records, or have been absorbed into larger cities. Join the staff of the Sarasota County History Center for a presentation discussing some of Florida’s most unusual lost communities, including a few in our area. We’ll also share tips and tricks for researching the history and exact locations of these places. (Length: 1 hour, 15 minutes)

The Sarasota County History Center: What Will You Discover? – The Sarasota County History Center holds the largest collection available of archival records, artifacts, and reference materials documenting the history and culture of Sarasota County. But how do you get access to this collection, and what can you learn from it? Join the staff for a workshop outlining the History Center’s holdings and showing off some of our most interesting artifacts. We’ll also discuss ways you can help us achieve our mission by donating relevant materials or volunteering. (Length: 45 minutes)

Using Land Records for Family History Research – There’s no feeling quite like being able to put your own two feet on a plot of land your ancestor once called home. Achieving this can be easier than you think, thanks to public land records. A growing number of these records are even available online! Join the staff of the Sarasota County History Center for a workshop exploring how to find and use the most common types of federal, state, and local land records. (Length: 1 ½ hours)

Preserving and Commemorating Historical Resources

Ad Valorem Tax Exemptions for Historic Properties in Sarasota County – Sarasota County offers a valuable incentive for property owners who invest in improving their historic homes. Owners may apply for a ten-year 100% exemption on county ad valorem taxes levied on qualifying rehabilitation or restoration work. Learn more about the requirements and the application process in this tutorial from the staff of the Sarasota County History Center. (Length: 45 minutes – 1 hour)

Historical Markers 101 – Sarasota County has erected more than 70 historical markers since the program began back in the 1970s. Anyone can propose a new historical marker, but how do you get started? What kinds of information are needed for the application, and how does it get approved? Join the staff of the Sarasota County History Center for a step-by-step explanation of the historical marker approval process, plus a brief history of the program itself. (Length: 30-45 minutes)

Historic Preservation Basics – Sarasota County has several valuable tools for recognizing and protecting historic properties, including a local register of historic places and an approval process for making certain kinds of alterations to properties on the list. Join the staff of the Sarasota County History Center for an overview of the county’s historic preservation programs, including the right steps to take to protect a historic property of your own. (Length: 1 hour)

Preserving Family Treasures at Home – Family photographs, home movies, scrapbooks, and heirlooms provide lots of joy, but as they get older it is essential that they be cared for properly to prevent damage or loss. To complicate matters, many store-bought photo albums, storage boxes and display products are made of materials that can actually harm these priceless objects. Join the staff of the Sarasota County History Center for a tutorial on best practices for preserving your family collections at home. We’ll discuss strategies for providing the best possible environment for your keepsakes and using the best possible storage materials to ensure their longevity. We’ll focus on photographs, film, paper documents, and computer files, but there will be time to discuss other kinds of artifacts as desired. (1 hour)

Local History
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A Bit of the Old World in the New: Mediterranean Revival Architecture in Sarasota County – Many of the oldest buildings in Sarasota County feature charming references to Spanish and Italian themes—stucco walls, archways, barrel-tile roofs, and elaborate ornamentation. But where did this fascination with the Old World come from, and how did it arrive in our area? There’s more to it than just the venerable beauty of the buildings—this Mediterranean Revival style of architecture has a uniquely Floridian backstory. Join the staff of the Sarasota County History Center for an exploration of the history of Mediterranean Revival architecture and its role in building the Sarasota County we know today. (Length: 1 hour)

Designing for the Sunshine State: How Creative Architecture Made Florida More Livable - Florida lives in most American imaginations as a place with sunny weather, luxurious beachfront homes and endless fun and ease. The reality isn’t too far from that, but there are some trade-offs. Florida’s climate can be hot, humid and stormy at times, not to mention the occasional threat of thunderstorms, hurricanes and forest fires. For centuries, builders have found creative ways to account for these conditions in their designs, evidence of which is still visible today if you know where to look! Join the staff of the Sarasota County History Center for a closer look at how Florida’s unique environment has influenced its architecture over the years.

How Florida Got Its Shape - Of the fifty states, Florida has one of the most distinctive and widely recognized shapes. But how did that familiar shape come to exist? Obviously the state's 1,350-mile coastline defines the majority of it, but what about its borders to the north and west? It might surprise you to learn that "Florida" has at various times stretched as far north as present-day Virginia and as far west as the Mississippi River. The current shape of Florida was settled during a fascinating era before the region was a U.S. state. In those days, Florida was actually an international borderland. Join the staff of the Sarasota County History Center for a brief journey into that era--illustrated with maps and records explaining exactly how and why Florida acquired its well-known shape. (Length: 1 hour)

John Hamilton Gillespie and Golf in Sarasota – John Hamilton Gillespie was a man of many talents. He first arrived in Sarasota in 1886 to help rescue the fledgling community after his father’s company struggled to establish a colony of Scottish settlers. He went on to become a prominent developer and one of Sarasota’s staunchest promoters. He even served as the town’s first mayor when it incorporated in 1902. He is probably best remembered, however, for his role in getting Sarasota and the surrounding region hooked on the game of golf. A golfer since the age of eight, Gillespie designed courses all around Florida, but he put special effort into making Sarasota a golfing destination. Join the staff of the Sarasota County History Center for a closer look at the fascinating life of John Hamilton Gillespie and his impact on the game of golf in our region. The presentation will feature a variety of documents, photographs, and historical artifacts from the History Center’s collections relating to Gillespie and his golfing career. (Length: 1 hour)

The History of Florida Mullet – At first blush, most folks wouldn't think of mullet as a very interesting fish. Some may not even be aware that a mullet is a fish and not just a hairstyle! All jokes aside, this peculiar jumping fish has a fascinating history in Florida. From the days when the mighty Calusa Indians ruled our region up through our own era, mullet resurface again and again to play a role in some of the most fascinating and unusual stories in our state's past. Join the staff of the Sarasota County History Center for a REAL fishing story about this unique Florida mainstay. Seriously, it's all true! (Length: 1 hour)

The Leading Ladies of Sarasota County – Sarasota County has been profoundly shaped by the contributions of local women in business, education, philanthropy, and political leadership. In this program, we’ll explore the stories of some of the county’s most inspiring leading ladies, ranging from newspaper editor Rose Phillips Wilson to educators Emma Booker and Eugenie Clark to philanthropists Marie Selby and Mable Ringling, and of course the innovative businesswoman and developer Bertha Palmer. We’ll use photographs, correspondence, and other archival records from the collections of the Sarasota County History Center to help illuminate the lives of these remarkable citizens. (Length: 1 hour)

The Many Origins of Sarasota – How old is Sarasota? That depends on what you're asking. Sarasota is a city, a county, and a bay - each with its own origin story. Join the staff of the Sarasota County History Center for a closer look at the history of Sarasota in all its forms, a story that stretches back to the Spanish colonial era and ties in with some of the most exciting developments of Florida's fascinating past. The program will feature maps, photographs, and archival records from the History Center's collections. (Length: 1 hour)

The Ormiston Colony and the Scottish Origins of the Town of Sarasota – With all the Mediterranean architecture in Sarasota, who would have guessed that many of the town’s first settlers were Scottish?  It all started when the Florida Mortgage and Investment Company acquired a hefty chunk of Florida real estate and began marketing it to both Americans and Europeans in the 1880s. A group of more than 50 would-be colonists sailed from Glasgow in 1885 to make their fortunes in Sarasota, but what they found when they arrived didn’t exactly match the description in the brochure! Join the staff of the Sarasota County History Center for a closer look at Sarasota’s fascinating Scottish origins. The program will incorporate archival materials from the History Center’s collections, including an original 1886 plat of the town of Sarasota. (Length: 1 hour)

Sarasota County during World War II

World War II impacted virtually every aspect of daily life in Sarasota County. There was a large military presence at the air bases in Sarasota and Venice, of course, but the changes didn’t stop there. Everyday citizens rose to the occasion and made countless contributions to the war effort. Civil defense committees coordinated the work of hundreds of local volunteers, and households from Englewood to Miakka helped by rationing their food and fuel, buying war bonds, and planting Victory Gardens. Join the staff of the Sarasota County History Center for a deep dive into the massive impact of World War II on Sarasota County as seen in historical photographs, correspondence, artifacts, and even film from the History Center’s collection.  (Length: 1 hour)

The Tamiami Trail and the Development of Florida’s Gulf Coast in the 1920s – The 275-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 41 between Tampa and Miami is called the Tamiami Trail. To the casual observer it looks like every other major highway in the area, but this strip of pavement played a big role in the development of Florida’s Gulf coast. Because of its route through the Everglades, it was in many ways an engineering marvel of its time, and it even resulted in the creation of a new county! Join the staff of the Sarasota County History Center for a closer look at the fascinating history of this iconic scenic Florida byway and its impact on the Gulf coast. (Length: 1 hour)

Tin Can Tourism in Florida – In the early 1900s, tourists visiting Florida by automobile had fewer choices for lodging and services, which led many of them to camp at their destination in tents or homemade trailers. These so-called “tin can tourists” were a resourceful bunch, building seasonal communities in towns all over the state, including Sarasota. Join the staff of the Sarasota County History Center for a deeper dive into the history of tin can tourism in our area, featuring items from the History Center’s extensive collection of records and artifacts. (Length: 1 hour)