TIMELINE TO A NEW COUNTY

TIMELINE TO A NEW COUNTY

  • CELEBRATION!
    JUNE 15: The people vote overwhelmingly in favor of creating the new county. (It would become official on JULY 1.)
    Sarasotans turned out en masse to celebrate the split from Manatee County. Here, the parade leaves the temporary court house in the Hover Arcade and proceeds up lower Main Street – horns blaring and sirens wailing. Downtown Sarasota was filled with townsfolk, and a large American flag was hung from the center of the city hall building at the Hover arcade. A parade led by flag-draped cars and the Sarasota Brass Band marched up Lower Main Street toward Five Points and beyond.

    JUNE 16 HEADLINES:

    1921:

    Events Leading Up To July 1st:

    • April 7:  Sarasota Chamber of Commerce board of governors meet at the Bank of Sarasota. A proposed bill creating Sarasota County and its new government is read and approved.
    • April 27: a meeting at the Palmer Trust offices
    • April 29: The Committee of Ten attend a mass meeting sponsored by the Bradentown Board of Trade where there is “a frank and friendly discussion”
    • May 5: Headline in The Sarasota Times “All Obstacles to Creation of Sarasota County Are Overcome”
    • May 11: Both houses of the State Legislature unanimously vote for creating the new county.
    • May 12: Governor Hardee signs an act authorizing the establishment of Sarasota County depending on the results of an election in the Sarasota District.
      Headline in The Sarasota Times “Bill Creating Sarasota County is Passed; Election on June 15” screams of factory whistles and fire engine sirens.
    • May 23: The Sarasota Women's Club holds a meeting to educate women about the issue of separation and how to exercise their newly acquired voting rights.
    • June 15: The people vote overwhelmingly in favor of creating the new county. Huge celebration at Five Points in Sarasota. 
    • June 16: Editor Rose Phillips Wilson renames the Sarasota Times to reflect the change.  The Sarasota County Times featured as its first headline:  “Hurrah for Sarasota County!”
    • June 23: first meeting of County Commissioners at Hover Arcade a week before the official starting date.
    • July 1: Governor Hardee authorizes formation of SARASOTA COUNTY, Florida's 61st county.
      First day of official operations of the new county government. Sarasota County is officially established

  • 1922:

    • June 22:  First election for local office held in Sarasota County.

  • 1924:

    • November 23:  Sarasota County residents voted to make the city of Sarasota the county seat.

  • 1925:

    • March 30:  New York Architect Dwight James Baum was hired to design a county courthouse.

  • 1926:

    • May 12:  The still incomplete courthouse was dedicated at a large civic gathering.

  • 1927:

    • February 24:  Sarasota County accepted the Courthouse and moved in government offices that had been in temporary quarters on Oak Street.  The completed structure cost an estimated one million dollars.