Facts - Division of Historical Resources

Florida's History Through Its Places

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Sarasota County

Miakka MIAKKA SCHOOLHOUSE Miakka and Wilson Rds. 1914. Frame Vernacular. 1 story, pyramidal-roofed bell tower. Only example in the county of a simple rural schoolhouse. The only educational facility in area for 30 years, and first school in the county built under a bond issue. Public. N.R. 1986.

Osprey OSPREY SCHOOL 1926. Masonry Vernacular. M. Leo Elliott, architect. 1 story. The school features an ornate entrance bay flanked by symmetrical classroom wings. Presently vacant. Public. N.R. 1994.

Sarasota BURNS COURT HISTORIC DISTRICT 1924-1925. 15 buildings within 1 block. Homes of Mediterranean Revival style with Spanish Colonial Revival and Mission Revival motifs. 15 1-story, stuccoed bungalows, all in the same style, designed by Thomas Reed Martin. Built as Sarasota's first "cooperative home subdivision," the 15 bungalows with garages are remarkably intact. N.R. 1984.

Sarasota CAPLES'-RINGLINGS' ESTATES HISTORIC DISTRICT 1920s. 3 large estates and a museum on approximately 150 acres. Mediterranean Revival. The John Ringling residence Ca'd'Zan, Dwight James Baum, architect, is a notable structure. Said to have been inspired by the Doges Palace in Venice, Italy. District composed of the contiguous, former estates of John and Charles Ringling, two of the five brothers who owned the famous circus, and Ralph Caples, Sarasota developer who was their friend. Private. N.R. 1982.

Sarasota CORRIGAN HOUSE (Nagirroc) 463 Sapphire Dr. 1926. Mission Revival. Stuccoed hollow-clay-tile exterior. The house was designed and constructed to comply to rigid guidelines of the subdivision. Corrigan retired to Sarasota from New York. The house name is his name spelled backward. Private. N.R. 1994.

Sarasota DR. JOSEPH D. HALTON HOUSE 308 Cocoanut Ave. 1910. Transitional Queen Anne. Joseph S. Maus, architect. 2 stories, artificial stone facade. Home of one of Sarasota's early physicians. House illustrates an early local use of pressed or artificial stone in construction. Private. N.R. 1984.

Sarasota EL VERNONA-BROADWAY APARTMENTS 1133 4th St. 1926. Mediterranean Revival. Dwight James Baum, architect. 3 stories, masonry, stuccoed, oval octagonal tower, barrel-tile polygonal roof. Significant for architectural design and association with nationally renowned architect Baum. Private. N.R. 1984.

Sarasota FRANCES-CARLTON APARTMENTS 1221-1227 N. Palm Ave. 1924. Mediterranean Revival. Alex Browning and Francis James, architects. 3 stories, masonry, stuccoed, 4 blocks, 1 wedge-shaped, the others rectangular; domed observatory and a mirador. Early apartment house notable for its design that took advantage of Sarasota Bay's views and winds. Private. N.R. 1984.

Sarasota RIGBY'S "LA PLAZA" HISTORIC DISTRICT 1926. 9 buildings, 8 of historic interest. Mediterranean Revival. 5 of the 8 buildings of historic interest are 1 story, the other 3 are 2 story. All are concrete block. Designed by T. Miller Bryan, the area was developed by Harry Rigby during the land boom as a rental complex. Private. N.R. 1994.

Sarasota ROTH CIGAR FACTORY 30 Mira Mar Ct. 1923. Mission Revival. Thomas Reed Martin, architect. 2 stories, masonry, stuccoed, roof parapet topped by scrolled and foliated cartouche, metal grille on balcony. Designed to integrate architecturally with the nearby Mira Mar Hotel and Apartment complex. Factory produced cigars for local consumption. Private. N.R. 1984.

Sarasota SARASOTA COUNTY COURTHOUSE 2000 Main St. 1927. Mediterranean Revival. Dwight James Baum, architect. 2 story, masonry, stuccoed, 2 wings with central multistory campanile, barrel-tile roof. A notable example of Baum's work. Design is a synthesis of Spanish Colonial Revival, Spanish Renaissance, with Baroque and Roccoco elements. Public. N.R. 1984.

Sarasota SOUTHSIDE SCHOOL 1901 Webber St. 1926. Mediterranean Revival. M. Leo Elliot, architect. 2 stories, masonry, stuccoed and cast stone, central courtyard, entrance decorated with a cast-stone ornamentation, 3-bay loggia at main entrance. Public. N.R. 1984.

Sarasota THOMAS HOUSE 5030 Bay Shore Rd. 1926. Mission and Mediterranean Revival. Fred J. Orr, architect. 2 stories. Outstanding example of its architectural style. Private. N.R. 1994.

Venice ARMADA ROAD MULTI-FAMILY DISTRICT 1925-1928. 20 buildings, 12 of historical interest. Mediterranean Revival. The district is comprised of 2-story apartment houses of similar style. The district was part of the original plan for Venice and was to be a buffer between the commercial center and a single-family residential neighborhood. Private. N.R. 1989.

Venice EAGLE POINT HISTORIC DISTRICT 1916. 31 buildings, 22 of historical interest. Frame Vernacular. Developed as a seasonal hunting resort for wealthy Northerners. Buildings were designed to create a rustic "close-to-nature" atmosphere. Presently vacant. Pre-Historic archaeological sites on the property. Private. N.R. 1991.

Venice VENEZIA PARK HISTORIC DISTRICT 1925-1928. 48 buildings, 37 of historical interest. Mediterranean Revival. Designed around a large trapezoidal-shaped park. Houses are 1- and 2-story hollow clay tile and stucco with barrel-tile roofs. Developed as part of the plan of early Venice. N.R. 1989.

Vicinity of Venice WARM MINERAL SPRINGS About 12 mi. SE of Venice on U.S. 41. c. 8000 B.C. Paleo-lndian, Archaic, Formative, and Historic periods. Large free-flowing mineral spring. A number of ledges around the basin contain shallow caves which were Indian burial sites when sea level was much lower. Private. N.R. 1977.

Englewood LEMON BAY WOMAN'S CLUB 51 N. Maple St. 1926. Prairie School. Thomas Reed Martin and Clare C. Hosmer, architects. 1 story. Club was organized in 1918 as the Lemon Bay Mother's Club. The club became a leading force in the civic life of Englewood. Still used as a clubhouse. Private. N.R. 1988.

Sarasota BACHELLER-BREWER MODEL HOME ESTATE 1926. 1903 Lincoln Dr. 6 buildings, 4 of historical interest. The district contains a 2-story main house in Mediterranean Revival style, servants quarters, fishing pier, seawall and boat landing. Private. N.R. 1992.

Sarasota BAY HAVEN SCHOOL 2901 W. Tamiami Cr. 1926. Mediterranean Revival. M. Leo Elliott, architect. 2 stories, masonry, stuccoed, central courtyard, exterior open corridors, 3-bay open loggia at entrance. One of several local schools designed by Tampa architect M. Leo Elliott. Public. N.R. 1984.

Sarasota CITY WATER WORKS 1015 N. Orange Ave. 1926. Mediterranean Revival. 2 stories, red brick, barrel-tile hipped roof. Public. N.R. 1984.

Sarasota DEMARCAY HOTEL S. Palm Ave. 1922. Mission Style. 2 stories, masonry, stuccoed, 5 bays, ogee-arch windows above 1st and 5th bay on 2nd floor. Part of a complex which included the Mira Mar Hotel and Apartment complex. Private. N.R. 1984.

Sarasota DR. C.B. WILSON HOUSE 235 S. Orange Ave. c. 1906, addition 1913. Shingle Vernacular. 2 stories, pressed stone, gabled and dormered ends clad in wood shingles. Residence of early Sarasota families. Later the home of C.B. Wilson, prominent local physician. Private. N.R. 1984.

Sarasota DR. WALTER KENNEDY HOUSE 1876 Oak St. 1926. Mediterranean Revival. Dwight James Baum, architect. 2 stories. Barrel-tile roof, detached garage and servants' quarters. Kennedy was a local optometrist. Private. N.R. 1994.

Sarasota EARLE HOUSE 1924. Classical Revival. Alfred C. Clas, architect. 2 stories. Owner was a winter resident from New York who eventually retired to Sarasota. Private. N.R. 1993.

Sarasota EDSON KEITH ESTATE 5500 S. Tamiami Trail. 1916. 7 buildings, 4 of historical interest. 60-acre estate. 2-story main house is Italian Renaissance designed by Otis and Clark. Contains middens with artifacts from 500 B.C. to a.d 800. Since 1987 the property has been a public park. Public. N.R. 1991.

Sarasota EDWARDS THEATER 57 N. Pineapple Ave. 1926. Mediterranean Revival. Roy A. Benjamin, architect. 4 and a half stories, steel frame, masonry, stuccoed. Auditorium has plaster and beamed ceiling, ornamental plaster cartouches. Building included shops and apartments, but the 1500-seat auditorium was its most famous component. Called "The Temple of Silent Art and Make Believe." Private. N.R. 1984.

Sarasota EL PATIO 500 N. Audubon Place. 1926. Mediterranean Revival. Lillias Piper, architect. 2 stories. U-shaped building with stuccoed exterior. Built during land boom, it was restored in 1991. Private. N.R. 1993.

Sarasota F.A. DECANIZARES HOUSE. 1215 N. Palm Ave. 1925 and earlier. Mediterranean Revival. 2 stories, wood frame, later covered with stucco facade. Original wood-frame house moved to the site and later a stucco facade applied in the Mediterranean Revival style. Private. N.R. 1984.

Sarasota FIELD ESTATE Field Rd. and Camino Real. 1925-1927. Mediterranean Revival. David Adler, architect. 2 stories, masonry, stuccoed, tile roof (main building). A 16-acre estate with 4 historic buildings: the main house, the bathhouse, a gatehouse, and an art studio. It was the home of the philanthropic Field and Palmer families who contributed much to making the city a winter resort. Private. N.R. 1986.

Sarasota H.B. WILLIAMS HOUSE 1509 S. Orange Ave. 1926. Mediterranean Revival. Thomas Reed Martin, architect. 2 stories, masonry, stuccoed, built around interior patio, barrel-tile roof, metal window grilles and balcony rails, Sullivanesque cornice frieze. The house is significant in design, craftsmanship, and association with a prominent local architect. Private. N.R. 1984.

Sarasota J.G. WHITFIELD ESTATE 704 Bayshore Rd. 1925. Mediterranean Revival. Dwight James Baum, architect. 2 stories, masonry, stuccoed, built around interior patio, barrel-tile roof, metal window grilles and balcony rails, Sullivanesque cornice frieze. The house is significant in design, craftsmanship, and association with a prominent local architect. Private. N.R. 1984.

Sarasota KARL BICKEL HOUSE 101 N. Tamiami Trail. 1925. Mediterranean Revival. Dwight James Baum, architect. 2 stories. 2-story center structure with 2 1-story wings. Originally built as the office of a realty company. Converted into a private residence in 1933 for Karl Bickel, then owner of United Press. Private. N.R. 1994.

Sarasota L.D. REAGIN HOUSE 1213 N. Palm Ave. 1926. Mediterranean Revival. Thomas Reed Martin, architect. 1 and a half stories, masonry, stuccoed, 3 contiguous 1-story blocks with a 2-story rear elevation. L.D. Reagin was an early editor of the Sarasota Times. Private. N.R. 1984.

Sarasota S.H. KRESS BUILDING 1442 Main St. 1932. Art Deco style. 3 stories, concrete, Art Deco front facade, buff tile, and polychrome terra-cotta with extensive ornamentation. Important local example of the Art Deco style. Private-Public. N.R. 1984.

Sarasota SARASOTA HERALD BUILDING 539 S. Orange Ave. 1925. Mediterranean Revival with Spanish Mission overtone. 1 story, masonry, stuccoed, barrel-tile roof, rejas (window grilles). An early use of Mediterranean Revival for an industrial structure. Private. N.R. 1984.

Sarasota SARASOTA HIGH SCHOOL 1001 S. Tamiami Trail. 1926. Collegiate Gothic. M. Leo Elliott, architect. 3 stories with 4 and a half-story entrance, red brick, glazed terra-cotta detail, Gothic Revival colonettes. One of 3 educational buildings in Sarasota designed by Elliott. Public. N.R. 1984.

Sarasota SARASOTA MULTIPLE RESOURCE AREA. 1884-1935. Approximately 70 buildings scattered throughout city. Predominant styles are Frame Vernacular, Mediterranean Revival, Classical Revival, Bungalow, Queen Anne, and Mission Revival. Works of Dwight James Baum, M. Leo Elliott, and Thomas Reed Martin found in area. The properties reflect the historical and architectural development of the city. N.R. 1984.

Sarasota SARASOTA TIMES BUILDING 1214-1216 1st St. 1926. Mediterranean Revival. Dwight James Baum, architect. 3 stories, masonry, stuccoed, cast-stone facade. An outstanding example of the architect's application of Mediterranean Revival to an industrial structure. Private. N.R. 1984.

Sarasota SARASOTA WOMAN'S CLUB (Florida State Theatre). 1241 N. Palm Ave. 1915. Jacobethan Revival. H.N. Hall, architect. 1 and a half stories, wood frame, half-timbered and parget facade. Home until 1979 of the Woman's Club, which has been responsible for many civic improvements in the community. Private. N.R. 1985.

Sarasota U.S. POST OFFICE-FEDERAL BUILDING 111 S. Orange Ave. 1934. Classical Revival. George Albee Freeman and Louis A. Simon, architects. 2 stories, steel frame, bounded by a balustrated stone railing, central colonnade at main entrance with 8 Corinthian columns. Believed to be the last executed monumental design of nationally renowned architect Freeman. Public. N.R. 1984.

Venice VENICE MULTIPLE PROPERTY GROUP. 1925-1927. Mediterranean Revival. 1 and 2 stories. 4 buildings, all the same style within a neighborhood designed for high-income families. Senator Copeland House (1925), 710 Armada Rd. S; Levillain-Letton House (1926), 229 S. Harbor Dr.; Blalock House (c. 1926), 241 S. Harbor Dr.; Venice Railroad Depot (1927), 303 E. Venice Ave. Private. N.R. 1989.

Venice ENGLEWOOD HISTORIC DISTRICT 1925-1928. 42 buildings, 36 of historical interest. Mediterranean and Colonial Revival. The only collection of small-sized Mediterranean-Revival-style residences in community. It was a successful attempt by the early city planners to develop a district of modest housing conforming to the city's architectural goals. Private. N.R. 1989.

Venice HOTEL VENICE 200 N. Nassau St. 1927. Mediterranean Revival. Leon Gillette, architect. 3 stories, U-shaped, stuccoed, modillioned cornice, 2 4-story towers, lobby has 2 ranks of square columns. Served as the central focus of Venice, a planned community developed in its entirety by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. Private. N.R. 1984.

Vicinity of North Port Charlotte LITTLE SALT SPRINGS Off U.S. 41N. 5000 B.C. and earlier. Archaic period. Limestone sinkhole 250 feet wide surrounded by dense subtropical vegetation. Numerous skeletal remains and artifacts found within sinkhole. Private. N.R. 1979.

Vicinity of Osprey OSPREY ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORIC SITE North of Osprey on Little Sarasota Bay. 2150 B.C.-A.D. 1900. Weeden Island, Englewood, and Safety Harbor periods. Coastal hardwood hammock. Site consists of 3 extensive shell middens and a burial mound as well as several 19th-century structures. Private. N.R. 1975.

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