Sarasota HistoricalSociety

The Historical Society of Sarasota County is a private non-profit. We admire and pay homage to those who labored to form this Sarasota home.

We showcase 2 of Sarasota's oldest buildings on our campus in Pioneer Park, 12th St just east of Tamiami Trail in Sarasota FL We acknowledge and are grateful for the sacrifices made and the creative energies expended by those who came before us. Conserving our heritage is the Historical Society’s primary concern. Beginning in 1927 with a citizens group’s collection of historical materials and the

06/11/2026

Bee Ridge Road in the 1950's. (Ignore all the paywall notes, they'll let you in...)

Photos: Bee Ridge Road is now a major east-west artery in Sarasota, but not long ago, it was only two lanes wide. See link below ⬇️

📸 Herald-Tribune archive/1958

06/11/2026

If you care about the future of the historic Blackburn Point swing bridge in Osprey, there will be a third public meeting about it hosted by Sarasota County Government TOMORROW, June 11, from 4:30–6:00 p.m. at the Church of the Holy Spirit, 129 S. Tamiami Trail, Osprey. Pre-registration is not required.

If this is important to you, I encourage you to learn all you can. Like most things this is not a cut-and-dried situation and there are different perspectives. You can learn more on the county webpage, https://www.blackburnbridgeproject.com/, and via your own information channels.

At the meeting county staff will provide an update on the alternatives being considered for the Replacement Preliminary Design and Environment (PD&E) Study. Note that keeping the bridge and spending the money to maintain it IS one option--nothing has been decided. The presentation will begin promptly at 5:15 p.m. A question-and-answer session will immediately follow the presentation, along with an opportunity to provide feedback. If you can't make the meeting you can still provide input by emailing [email protected], or mailing a letter to Sarasota County, Attn: Timothy Farrell, Project Manager, 1001 Sarasota Center Boulevard, Sarasota, FL 34240.

A formal public hearing is tentatively scheduled to occur in fall 2026 at an upcoming Sarasota County Commission meeting.