Sarasota Florida Information

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.

In 1843, a young adventurer named William Whittaker settled in the Sarasota area, and gradually the area was built up by hardy colonists, including a ship of settlers from Scotland. Among these was a man named John Hamilton Gillespie - who later introduced golf to Sarasota, building Florida's first golf course.

An influx of wealthy socialites settled the area starting in 1910, setting the tone for Sarasota as a winter location for the cultured crowd which continues year-round to this day. In fact, the performing and visual arts in Sarasota had been established before most Florida cities even had post offices.

During a real estate boom in the '20s, circus magnate John Ringling and his wife Mable constructed their magnificent winter residence "Ca'd'Zan" ("House of John"), and a museum to house their extensive art collection. The mansion, modeled after the Dode's Palace in Venice reflects Ringling's interest in Italian Art & Architecture and the museum has one of the largest Baroque collections in the world. Ringling also made Sarasota the winter headquarters of his world-renowned Ringling Brothers Barnum & Baily Circus.