As in many places in Florida, Native Americans were Sarasota's first inhabitants. Evidence of prehistoric mounds and middens peppers the coastline and keys.

Treasure-seeking explorers and conquistadors were the first Europeans to venture into the area, including Hernando de Soto - and legend has it Sarasota was named after his daughter Sara.

Sarasota first became a “modern” town in the 1880s when the town was promoted in Scotland by the Florida Mortgage and Investment Company in 1885. It was a breath of fresh air, promising an abundance of fertile land, plentiful citrus groves, and affordable housing. Scottish families looking for a new start boarded steamer ships and set sail for Sarasota. Unfortunately, upon their arrival, the town was little more than a frontier camp. Needless to say, most of them left. But among the hardy souls who stayed to complete their dream was John Hamilton Gillespie, a Scottish aristocrat, lawyer, and member of the Queen’s Bodyguard for Scotland. It was this man who is believed to have built America’s first golf course, right here in Sarasota. Quite an entrepreneur, Mr. Gillespie also built the upscale DeSoto Hotel on Main Street for tourists and prospective investors. For his efforts, he was later elected as Sarasota’s first mayor in 1902.

Scottish influence remains evident through the annual Sarasota Highland Games and Festival and the Riverview High Kiltie band, which wears authentic kilts and features bagpipers and Highland dancers. The Crowley Museum and Nature Center in eastern Sarasota vividly demonstrates what life was like for Sarasota's first settlers in the late 19th century.

A “Paradise for the Pampered” as early as the 1910s, Sarasota began attracting some of America’s most wealthy, who, with their own style, helped to define the county of Sarasota. Today’s Historic Spanish Point was once the posh waterfront winter estate and gardens of Bertha Palmer, widow of Chicago developer Potter Palmer. That’s not all—what is now Myakka River State Park was once Palmer’s 30,000-acre ranch in eastern Sarasota, called Meadowsweet Pastures.

Sarasota - the Circus Town
John Ringling, of Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, made his mark on the community with much more flair. Not only did he and his wife Mable build a magnificent Venetian-style mansion on Sarasota Bay, named Cà d’Zan (house of John), but they went a few steps further in positioning Sarasota as “Florida’s Cultural Coast.” John and Mable needed a place to house their ever-growing collection of works by Peter Paul Reubens and other masters of 17th-century Italian and Flemish art. We know that collection today as the John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art, one of America’s most famous art museums.

Ringling’s influence didn’t stop there. As a developer and dreamer, Ringling used his circus elephants to help build the first bridge from the mainland to St. Armands Key, which he developed as a commercial and residential center. In 1927, the circus’ winter quarters were moved to Sarasota—branding the area as a “ circus town.”

Historical information compiled from: “Sarasota Over My Shoulder,” by Janet Snyder Matthews and the Sarasota County Department of Historical Resources.

Beautiful Bradenton, named after explorer Joseph Braden, is a historic community nestled snuggly along the southern shore of the Manatee River at the southern tip of Tampa Bay.

Bradenton and the surrounding Manatee River area has a rich history starting with large Indian settlements to the arrival in 1539 of Spanish explorer Hernndo DeSoto. By the 1850's sugar plantations lined the River and homesteaders like Josiah Gates started a town of Manatee. The Civil War could not curtail the agricultural benefits of the region and the coming of the railroad boomed the port town.

Manatee County is comprised of six distinctive and unique communities. Bradenton and Palmetto are the largest and are situated on the mainland facing each other across the Manatee River. Manatee County’s barrier islands are home to the other four communities, including Longboat Key, Anna Maria, Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach.

Anna Maria, Holmes Beach & Bradenton Beach

Bordered by three bodies of water, Anna Maria Island lies just south of Tampa Bay. Touching the Gulf of Mexico on its western shore and Sarasota Bay and Anna Maria bays on its eastern shore, the island is the northernmost of a string of barrier islands that continue in a southerly direction similar to the Florida Keys. This seven-mile long island is home to three cities, Anna Maria, Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach. The “Old Florida” heritage, preserved by the island’s governmental bodies through the years, affords continuity in the aesthetic beauty of the tropical scenery with only two of the island’s buildings standing more than three stories high.

The city of Anna Maria is found along the island’s northernmost shore. It’s original inhabitants were Timucan and Caloosan American Indian tribes, with recorded history dating back five centuries. Homesteaded in the late 1800’s, George Emerson Bean is credited with laying out its street and water systems. The first church built on the island by the creator of the Fig Newton, George Roser, still stands and serves the community. The city has approximately 1,800 permanent residents who enjoy the idyllic setting alongside the beachgoers, anglers, and seafood lovers.

Also homesteaded in the late 1800s, Holmes Beach began as the 160-acre residence of Sam and Ann Cobb and embodied acreage from the Gulf of Mexico to Tampa Bay. Although the Cobbs were its first residents, the community was named after its developer, Jack Holmes. Mr. Holmes is credited with creating this 600-acre community nestled in the center of Anna Maria Island. Today, it’s 5,000 residents take time to relax on the county’s only public beach, wander through the eclectic shops, and dine in its great restaurants. As the island’s largest community, Holmes Beach also offers the greatest assortment of motels, rental condominiums, and marinas.

The newer community of Bradenton Beach was incorporated in 1953 and boasts 1,700 permanent residents. In 1921, a wooden bridge provided access between Anna Maria Island and the mainland. When replaced by a newer bridge, the western portion of that original bridge was retained to provide great fishing and is now known as the Bradenton Beach Fishing Pier. The community’s quaint seaside inns, charming motels, and shoreline condominiums house vacationers and natives alike as the community offers a selection of waterfront dining opportunities, a 96-acre beach nearby, and a newly refurbished downtown through which to stroll.

Bradenton, Longboat Key and Palmetto
Bradenton, the largest of Manatee County’s cities, has a history that dates back to the 1840s. Originally knows as the Village of Manatee, it was later named after the sugar magnate, Joseph Braden, whose industrial entrepreneurship continues to make Bradenton a commercial mecca. For over 100 years, Tropicana Products has produced its juice products in the city, and Champs Sports is following suit. Bradenton epitomizes the alluring charm of melding nostalgic beauty with modern convenience. Stretching along the southern bank of the Manatee River, this city is called home by some 50,000 residents, and extends homebuyers and renters a variety of housing options in established neighborhoods as well as newer communities. The quaint downtown district is a thriving hub where county government, industry, healthcare, and the arts are conducted. The city also plays host to the Pittsburgh Pirates’ spring training.

Situated just south of Anna Maria Island, bordered on the west by the Gulf of Mexico and the east by Sarasota Bay, is the barrier island community of Longboat Key which is home to nearly 8,000 permanent residents. This 12-mile long island is especially popular to retirees, and second-home owners who seasonally boost the population to as many as 20,000 in the peak season. The quiet beaches of Longboat Key are also appealing to the many resort seekers who visit each year. Well after the legendary landing of Hernando DeSoto in 1539, the debut of homes on this island began in the early 1900s and some of these homes still remain today. Incorporated in 1955, the development of this community became especially active in the 60s and 70s when the first of the key’s condominiums was built. Superb shopping and dining, full-service luxury resorts and marinas, as well as championship golf and tennis have made Longboat Key one of Manatee County’s most popular destinations.

Home to some 10,000 residents, Palmetto is situated just north of Bradenton across the Manatee River. Palmetto takes pride in its presentation of one of Florida’s most notable collections of historic buildings, with more than 160 buildings listed on the National Register. One of those buildings is Carnegie Library, built in 1912, which currently houses a host of historical artifacts. Another credit to the city’s appreciation and dedication to maintaining its rich heritage is the post office that dates back to the 1880s. The county’s only agricultural museum can also be found in Palmetto, along with the County Fairgrounds. Fun and celebration abound when two of the county’s major events are held in Palmetto, the 4th of July Celebration and the 2-day long Tomato Festival. Palmetto continues to grow as new businesses are discovering the small town appeal its residents – from families to retirees – have loved about it for generations.

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