This year’s annual review of all the ways Sarasota County serves
its citizens was designed in conjunction with the county’s year-long
centennial celebration. Originally known as the Sarasota district of
Manatee County, Sarasota became a county by its own right after
approval by the state legislature on May 11, 1921. After citizens voted
to approve the change, Sarasota offi cially became Florida’s 60th
county on July 1, 1921.
Despite our relative youth, we have a rich history of circus magnates,
Chicago debutantes, cinema, groundbreaking architecture and even
baseball. We also share a history of commitment to community
service, which is why the 2021 Year in Review was designed with a
nod to this year’s official centennial website.
Most of the images you see on this page, in the rotating web banner
and sprinkled throughout this website are part of the county’s Historical
Resources collection.
Historical Resources staff has been collecting, preserving and providing
educational access to our historical collections for over 40 years. Its
collections are comprised almost entirely of items donated by members
of the public and local organizations: letters, scrapbooks, photographs,
legal records, maps, artwork, archaeological artifacts, furniture,
clothing, tools and other memorabilia.
So after you learn about the county’s accomplishments over the
previous year, we hope you’ll take some time to learn something
extra about, for example, our ties to the citrus industry or why Bertha
Palmer had such an extravagant birdcage.
Explore your local history center at 6062 Porter Way, Sarasota, from
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday and Wednesday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tuesday and Thursday. Closed Friday.
Visitors are encouraged to call 941-861-5000 for an appointment to
ensure that appropriate staff and resources are available.
If you have any questions about our collections or have a collection of your own you would like to discuss, reach out to the county at 941-861-5000 or to the collection curator at 941-861-6891.
Learn more at scgov.net/government/historical-resources.
