Demolition of Sea Breeze Inn My daily commute includes the North Trail. Everyday I watch as the iconic mid-century motels meet their demise. I understand that these buildings are dilapidated, but it still hurts my history nerd heart to see them go. I had been attempting to write a blog post to honor the era of the motels, but I was having a difficult time [...]
With my Nancy Drew mystery themed blog posts, it was only a matter of time before I addressed one of the most infamous unsolved mysteries in Sarasota history, the murder of Harry Higel (which leads us to the legend of Rube Allyn). Left Rube Allyn, Right Harry Higel The Murder Harry Higel served as mayor of Sarasota, was a beloved local businessman, and was the [...]
This mystery begins with a map (as many good mysteries do). A 1925 Sanborn Map courtesy of Sarasota County Historical Resources to be exact. In case you were wondering (which I am sure you were) Sanborn maps were created in the late 19th and early 20th centuries for fire insurance, Mimi and I were using them to plan an historical tour. Before we begin this mystery, it [...]
In 2000, the Florida Department of State and the Florida League of Cities created the Great Floridians Program to celebrate the people who made a significant contribution to the culture of Florida through philanthropy, public service, or personal or professional service. Nominations were accepted in 1999 and put to a committee of state historians. In Sarasota, there are 14 people who were given the accolade of Great [...]
