Author: saradesota

by

Heroes are Forever. Just like diamonds.

Michael Saunders, our 2019 Hero of History, has stepped forward this holiday season and has issued a challenge to the community to help the Historical Society raise the final $50,000 of the total $100,000 needed to preserve and protect the Crocker Memorial Church. She has graciously offered $25,000 to match your donation one-for-one, allowing us to begin the lengthy and pain-staking job of getting this historic building repaired and restored.

We were so proud to have March 20, 2019 proclaimed as Michael Saunders, Hero of History, Day. But she’s not a one-day hero: Like diamonds, Michael Saunders is a Forever Hero. With her support of our historic building, she continues her century-long family legacy, contributing to the development of Sarasota and Manatee Counties. Ms. Saunder’s love of Southwest Florida shines on.

 

 

Ms. Saunders has served on community boards including The Argus Foundation, The Gulf Coast Community Foundation, The Bradenton Area EDC, the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, The Education Foundation of Sarasota County, SCOPE, Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, Tampa Bay Partnership, and The John & Mable Ringling Museum. She chaired the Capital Campaign to restore Ca’ d’Zan.

Ms. Saunders has made it her life’s work to connect new people coming to our region with homes, neighborhoods and the wider community while also connecting them with the area’s rich history. She has brought countless people to her hometown ready to secure their own future in paradise.

In addition, she has developed corporate philanthropy through the establishment of the MSC Foundation, giving the company’s associates, staff and leadership an opportunity to join together and support local charitable organizations through the company’s regional network of 24 full-service real estate offices and a team of over 900 professionals.

As our President, Marsha Fottler, wrote on the occasion: Michael Saunders has made it her life’s work to connect new people coming to our region with homes and neighborhoods while also connecting them with the area’s rich history. Her passion for the environment led her to serve on the board of Mote Marine Laboratory and The Marie Selby Botanical Gardens for eighteen years, where she was instrumental in the inception of the Children’s Rainforest Garden. This Hero of History has spent her life in Southwest Florida and she has provided exemplary stewardship of history and demonstrates giving back to the community. Her foundation’s philanthropy to children and families in need has made her a hero to all.

Please join Michael Saunders, a Hero Forever, with your donation to keep the Crocker Memorial Church an ongoing community gathering place so that our children and our children’s children will honor as a tangible link to the pioneer spirit that has built Sarasota County into the community we are proud to call home.

Ms. Saunders has put the final support beam in place to finish our fundraising to Save The Crocker Church, if you will help us to our final $100,000 goal.

Please donate today. Your contribution will go twice as far with Michael Saunders’ generous challenge. You may donate securely online or, if you prefer, mail a check to the Historical Society of Sarasota County, 1260 12th Street, Sarasota FL 34236. For more information, email Linda Garcia at hsosc1@gmail.com or call her during our curtailed pandemic hours, Tuesdays and Fridays from 10am to 2pm at  941-364-9076.

 

UPDATE JANUARY 17 2021: A Message from our President:

Michael’s Match Met!

A short time ago Hero of History Michael Saunders notified the Historical Society that she wanted to help with the Save The Crocker Church project. We were $50,000 short of our goal to raise the $100,000 needed for our contractor to be able to pull the permits and get started on shoring up the building and then making the foundation sound with a new foundation beam. From there, we could move on to all the urgent repairs that will rejuvenate this 1901 historical icon that has been so intrinsically woven into the everyday past and present lives.

Michael immediately came up with a plan. “If you can raise $25,000 from our community,” she said on an early morning phone call, “I will match it with a check for $25,000.” We put out the word and friends of history all over responded. With checks came handwritten notes saying they wanted to be part of Michael’s Match and saying what a great idea this was. In two weeks, HSOSC collected $25,000 in donations, both online and through the mail. Some people brought their donation the Historical Society in person. Michael’s Match has been an unqualified success. Our heartfelt gratitude to Michael Saunders and to all the wonderful donors who stepped up to be a part of this fundraising project with her. What you’ve done is history making.

Marsha Fottler, President HSOSC

by

What a wonderful holiday it’s been

There’s just SO many holiday wishes we here at the Historical Society want to send you, we decided we’d send you one every day this week! Hope that means your festivities will be seven times as merry… even if perhaps, the pandemic has cramped your style. Here’s to looking forward to seeing this corona virus be history soon.  Happy Holidays from the Historical Society of Sarasota County

by

May your day be merry and bright

There’s just SO many holiday wishes we here at the Historical Society want to send you, we decided we’d send you one every day this week! Hope that means your festivities will be seven times as merry… even if perhaps, the pandemic has cramped your style. Here’s to looking forward to seeing this corona virus be history soon.

That’s the tree in the parlor of the Bidwell-Wood house. Isn’t it pretty? But this next one will make you laugh, and everyone needs at least TWO Christmas trees in their life.

Her tinsel’s not even in a tangle.

 

by

Where sunshine drives away the gloom…

There’s just SO many holiday wishes we here at the Historical Society want to send you, we decided we’d send you one every day this week! Hope that means your festivities will be seven times as merry… even if perhaps, the pandemic has cramped your style. Here’s to looking forward to seeing this corona virus be history soon.

by

Christmas Virtual Reality, 1889 style…

There’s just SO many holiday wishes we here at the Historical Society want to send you, we decided we’d send you one every day this week! Hope that means your festivities will be seven times as merry… even if perhaps, the pandemic has cramped your style. Here’s to looking forward to seeing this corona virus be history soon.

If you were a good little child and Santa had a stereopticon for you in his sack, you could see scenes like this in 3D!

 

by

Joy to the world!

There’s just SO many holiday wishes we here at the Historical Society want to send you, we decided we’d send you one every day this week! Hope that means your festivities will be seven times as merry… even if perhaps, the pandemic has cramped your style. Here’s to looking forward to seeing this corona virus be history soon.

by

Christmas Card from Sarasota 1936

There’s just SO many holiday wishes we here at the Historical Society want to send you, we decided we’d send you one every day this week! Hope that means your festivities will be seven times as merry… even if perhaps, the pandemic has cramped your style. Here’s to looking forward to seeing this corona virus be history soon.

So here’s our first holiday wish, one sent by an esteemed Sarasota resident:

More about Joe Steinmetz from Sarasota History Alive.

And Joe, back in the 1950’s when folks posed with that which they loved.

by

There goes the neighborhood.

Boatload of fish

After all, this much fish is way too much for dinner tonight. (Photo from Florida Memory.)

On this day in history, December 12, 1902, the Sarasota Ice, Fish, and Power Company was granted the first permit to construct a commercial plant smack dab in town. (It was located, according to one source, near Lemon Avenue and State Street.) Sarasota had been a town for less than 2 months at that point.

SIFP generated electricity to make ice to keep the catch fresh. It wasn’t for seven more years that Sarasota got street lights (2, count ’em, 2) and from that point on, there was nothing but progress progress progress. (Well, except for the Bust. Another tale to tell.)

We’re happy to announce that this fishy Day in History is dedicated to Elisabeth Waters,

who was gifted with a “Claim Your Day” by Alexandra Jupin in our effort to keep our head above water in this economically-challenging pandemic time. If you’d like us to find an appropriate Day in History for you to claim, you can get the details here.

 

by

How to Save a Hundred-year-old Wooden Building

There are five crucial steps to saving this building. And five good reasons for doing so.

The Crocker Memorial Church has withstood hurricanes, scorching sun and high winds, termites, and the wear and tear of an old wooden building in constant use. The Crocker has been moved three times to elude demolition and in 2006 this historic building came to rest in Pioneer Park under the curatorship of HSOSC. We are stewards of living history and are honored to protect and maintain this link with Florida’s past.

We have raised half the cost of the needed repairs but nothing can start until we have it all at hand. Even with the pandemic forcing us to make difficult financial decisions, and eliminating the ability to raise funds through rental fees, meeting admissions and in-person donations, we have kept those funds sacrosanct and are asking for the community to help us obtain the full cost of keeping this building from ruin.

Here’s what we are looking at:

The 5 Crucial Steps

1. Replace the foundation retaining wall and perimeter beam supporting the west side of the building. This also includes re-grading from the west wall to the parking lot to ensure proper drainage. This foundation project is the most complex, costly and crucial part of the entire rescue project and must be done before anything else.
2. Repair or replace all damaged floor joists.
3. Repair or replace all wood siding as needed.
4. Paint exterior west side of the Crocker Memorial Church.
5. Repair and re-install the six windows on the west side of the building.

Why would we care to protect, preserve, and present a 100-year-old building in Sarasota County?

The 5 Good Reasons

1. The Crocker Memorial Church is a heritage building. Peter Crocker built his home here. Shortly thereafter, he built a church as a meeting place, hand-constructing the pews we still use for seating.
2. This building is so important that it was moved a number of times as our community grew, to save it from destruction. It now rests comfortably in Pioneer Park, giving a glimpse of another time to our 21st-century residents and visitors.
3. This building tells the tale of the importance of gathering together even when the community numbered less than a thousand people.
4. Our community uses this building for gatherings, meetings, and celebrations year-round.
5. This building helps the Historical Society receive income to keep both it and the Bidwell-Wood House safe for future generations.

Update January 9 2021: We are thrilled to announce that our goal is almost met! If you’ve hesitated because it seems like we’ll never be able to Save the Crocker, take us over the top with your participation. Click here and be PROUD it was your dollars that saved Sarasota history.

Please demonstrate your support for this massive renewal of the Crocker Memorial Church so that it can continue to serve our community for another century and beyond. We’ve highlighted the priority items above, but it’s not the whole story. A detailed list of what this massive rescue project entails is available at HSOSC. Construction and materials costs rise every day that we delay. 

Remember, we have already raised half of the $100,000 needed to preserve our heritage as a community. Your donation will absolutely make a difference in a rescue mission that is within our reach. You can donate via check to us at 1260 12th Street, Sarasota FL 34230, call our Site Manager Linda Garcia during her covid-curtailed office hours of 10-2 Tuesdays and Fridays to use a credit card, or use Paypal right now. You can even pledge a comfortable monthly donation there if you like.

by

Preserving History: You CAN do it! Other

We’ve covered a lot of material goods in this series, but there’s lots more, of course. So our concluding post is the other stuff you cherish. What have we missed? Tell us in the comments below.

We’ve gathered up some final resources about preserving other stuff. Toys and dolls and paintings and even swords.  Check it out, and see the other categories we’ve covered.

Rosie the History Riveter

Our Rosie thinks history is riveting!

Saving toys.

And dolls.

Paintings.

Those ivory bits and bobs Grandpa collected.

And metal stuff. Like that VMA dress sword Great-Uncle James wore when he was attending the Venice campus. 

If you have sources and links to share, thoughts to add, stories to tell, comment below. We LOVE to get conversations going, so chime in!

Click each topic in this series to view: Photographs/ Papers/ Furniture/ Fabric.

Where to get archival supplies: Gaylord, Talas, and University Products.

And, as always, we can count on the Library of Congress to guide us to deeper knowledge.

(The “real” Rosie the Riveter: Who was she? And the well-preserved model for our meme? She’s real too.)

by

Preserving History: You CAN do it! Furniture

You can do much to preserve valuables without going to extreme efforts and expenses, just by keeping some basic things in mind. We’ve gathered up some resources for you in our series. If you have other sources and links to share, thoughts to add, stories to tell, comment below. We LOVE to get conversations going, so chime in!

Rosie the History Riveter

Our Rosie thinks history is riveting!

Antiques and inherited furniture

This is the topic that got us started on this series. A Facebook friend posted a photo of a graceful cherry dining table with multiple leaves, asking Continue reading →

by

Preserving History: You CAN do it! Fabrics

Why care about old stuff? Because preserving artifacts from historical events, or even just times, helps us and future generations learn about, remember, and honor the people and ideas that went before. Maybe you just want to be able to show the great-grandkids your grandmother’s wedding veil (the one with wax orange blossoms), or maybe you love the vintage baby blanket you found in an antique shop on some back road somewhere.

We’ve gathered up some resources for you in a small series. If you have sources and links to share, thoughts to add, stories to tell, comment below. We LOVE to get conversations going, so chime in! Today? Fabrics and soft goods.

Rosie the History Riveter

Our Rosie thinks history is riveting!

From handed-down quilts to your first apartment’s barkcloth curtains to Continue reading →

by

Preserving History: You CAN do it! Papers

The second in our series: Today, preserving papers and letters.

You can do much to preserve such valuables without going to extreme efforts and expenses, just by keeping some basic things in mind. We’ve gathered up some resources for you which we’ll be presenting in a small series. If you have other sources and links to share, thoughts to add, stories to tell, comment below. We LOVE to get conversations going, so chime in!

Rosie the History Riveter

Our Rosie thinks history is riveting!

Papers and letters

Well, the first tip, “don’t store them in your basement”, doesn’t really apply to us Floridians (although it’s amazing how many folks give no thought to sticking things in that 130-degree attic including your editor) but the rest of this post from Minnesota is useful.

Oh, those photos from the fair and Uncle John’s promotion at work. You might well ask “How do I save a newspaper clipping?” and here’s what we’d say:

  • If newspaper clippings are being kept for the content as distinct from keeping the original paper as an artifact, photocopy onto acid-free paper, which will last much longer than the original.
  • If the original clipping is being kept as an artifact, store in an acid-free envelope, folder or sleeve.

To keep those family letters folded in their envelopes, that is the next question. Here’s the answer from My Heritage. And who would know better how to safeguard those old discharge papers and report cards than the National Archives here.

Tune into tomorrow for another riveting episode of Preserving History.

Where to get archival supplies: Gaylord, Talas, and University Products.

And, as always, we can count on the Library of Congress to guide us to deeper knowledge.

(The “real” Rosie the Riveter: Who was she? And the well-preserved model for our meme? She’s real too.)

by

Preserving History: You CAN do it! A HSoSC mini-series

Why care about old stuff? Because preserving artifacts from historical events, or even just times, helps us and future generations learn about, remember, and honor the people and ideas that went before. Maybe you just want to be able to show the great-grandkids what you looked like as a newly-wed, or maybe you like old furniture and want to keep it in working shape.

You can do much to preserve such valuables without going to extreme efforts and expenses, just by keeping some basic things in mind. We’ve gathered up some resources for you which we’ll be presenting in a small series. If you have other sources and links to share, thoughts to add, stories to tell, comment below. We LOVE to get conversations going, so chime in!

Rosie the History Riveter

Our Rosie thinks history is riveting!

First, there’s photographs. Oh so many photographs.

Those folks up in Minnesota tell us how to preserve old photographs.

AARP knows what you need to know. (Heck, they even have some thoughts on how to date old photos.)

If you’re more concerned with saving digital photos, The Atlantic Monthly talks about options. So does the Library of Congress.

Tune in tomorrow for more resources to help you preserve the past.

Where to get archival supplies: Gaylord, Talas, and University Products.

And, as always, we can count on the Library of Congress to guide us to deeper knowledge.

(The “real” Rosie the Riveter: Who was she? And the well-preserved model for our meme? She’s real too.)