UPDATE APRIL 2022: We have completed the preservation and repair of the west wall of the Church with your financial help and hard work by our supporters and talented craftsmen. We even managed to help our Eagle Scout-to-be get in there and create an additional handicap space, and straightened the steeple while we were at it. Now, in 2022, we are facing the task of working on the east wall. You know the saying: “After 100, it’s patch, patch, patch.” Won’t you help us preserve, protect, and present this building which has been a community gathering spot for over 100 years? There’s a donation button here, where you can even pledge a monthly amount to help. Thank you in advance!
The Historical Society and indeed, our whole county, can be proud that we have preserved the Crocker Memorial Church for continual use as a gathering place for our community.
Other communities have not been so fortunate. On the left, below, Island Grove Church as seen on Abandoned Florida and on the right, our vibrant, attractive Crocker Memorial Church at 1260 12th Street in Sarasota.
Inside, this is what Island Grove looks like, compared to ours.
But old wooden buildings don’t stay pristine forever, especially in our climate. Thank goodness we have the expertise and the ability to make sure that the issues with our beloved Crocker Memorial Church, which unfortunately include replacing the major support beam under the west wall, can be historically corrected. Here’s where we are today, awaiting the raising of funds.
Learn more about the challenge we face.
As you can imagine, replacing the support beam and refreshing the siding and reinstalling the (carefully stored for now) original windows on the west wall of the building will take a lot of money, all of which must be raised by the Historical Society.
Please support the new structural support beam.
You can send a check to HSoSC at 1260 12th Street, Sarasota FL 34236, or donate instantly with your credit card via our secure “Donate” button on our sidebar. You can even pledge a monthly amount if you choose. Thank you for helping keep the Crocker Memorial Church whole and healthy for today, and for all the tomorrows.
Presenting the life, times and achievements of Bertha Palmer is Frank Cassell, the award-winning author of Suncoast Empire: Bertha Honore Palmer, Her Family and The Rise of Sarasota. Cassell is President Emeritus and Professor Emeritus at the University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg. He is an officer of the Sarasota County Historical Commission and the History and Preservation Coalition of Sarasota County. Cassell’s book will be available for purchase at the Conversation and the author will sign copies after the program.
Talking about the life and times of Mable Ringling (1875-1929) will be Deborah Walk, a nationally respected archivist, writer, lecturer and the former curator of the Ringling Museum of the Circus. After her marriage to circus impresario John Ringling in 1905 Mable Burton Ringling, a farm girl from the midwest, became a great traveler and travel became her education. In 1923, the Ringlings commissioned the architect Dwight James Baum to build their dream home in Sarasota, modeled on the Doge’s Palace and the Cá d’Oro in Venice. Mable oversaw every aspect of the construction, from the glazing of the tiles to the mixing of the terra cotta. She designed much of the original landscaping on the grounds of the estate, including her Rose Garden and Secret Garden. Mable was the founder in 1927 of the Sarasota Garden Club. Thousands of people from all over the world visit her extravagant mansion on Sarasota Bay annually to experience for a few hours how the wealthiest lived in another time.
Presenting the life and times of Marie Selby will be Jeannie Perales, Vice President for Museum Exhibitions, Learning & Engagement at Selby Gardens and the co-author of a book on Selby Gardens. She has been with The Gardens since 2010 where she oversees educational programming, exhibitions, interpretation, and volunteers.
A summer off campus Tag Sale to benefit the Historical Society is being held on Saturday June 15 from 9a – 1p at 180 Mimosa Circle (Beechwood) Sarasota at the home of one of our board members. Small unique pieces of furniture along with quality home decor items mingle with linens, art, some heritage plateware and lovely examples of vintage silver. Something for everyone at budget-friendly prices. All of the items have been donated and many are from design centers, retail stores and private donors. Many items have been donated from the Bird Key estate of Iris and Robert Hutton secured by member Jerry Chesley. You’ll find things whimsical, practical, elegant and irresistible when you shop with us on June 15, 2019.
Join us March 20th at Michael’s on East for a spectacular luncheon honoring this years Hero of History, Michael Saunders. Tickets are $100.00 each or purchase a table of 10 for $1,000.00
And the House has a new coat of paint, the decks a protective sealant. And wait until you try out the new park benches in our front yard!
If you’ve entered the Crocker from our ramp, you know how user-UNfriendly that step right there was… well, we’ve had a “stage-ectomy” as Linda calls it: it’s no longer a feat to maneuver in, as these folks had to do at our Annual meeting!
We thank our members, Conversations attendees, and donors for the funds that let us keep improving these historic buildings for contemporary use…
The Historical Society of Sarasota County 