Sarasota County, Florida

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Sarasota County, Florida
Logo of Sarasota County, Florida Logo
Location in the state of Florida
Florida's location in the U.S.
Founded	14 May 1921
Seat	Sarasota
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	725.18 sq mi (1,878 km²) 571.55 sq mi (1,480 km²) 153.63 sq mi (398 km²), 21.19%
Population  - (2020)  - Density	434,006 664/sq mi (256.38/km²)
Website	www.scgov.net

Sarasota County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. Its 2020 population was 434,006. Its county seat is Sarasota and its largest city is North Port. Sarasota County is a part of the North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota Metropolitan Statistical Area and along with Manatee County and other counties to the north is often considered part of the Tampa Bay Area.

History

Downtown Sarasota from the John Ringling Bridge

A Great Egret in Myakka River State Park

Venice Avenue in Venice

Black-necked Stilt in Myakka River State Park.

Sunset at Siesta Beach

Sarasota County was created in 1921. After acquisition by the United States as a territory and once Florida obtained state status, the area now included in the county had been governed by Hillsborough County, then Manatee County as the state was divided into smaller and smaller governmental organization. Manatee County was carved up to allow the creation of three more counties as well.

Although the name was associated with the area from the beginning of European contacts the origin of the name, Sarasota, is unknown. It may be named for a word in the indigenous Calusa language, whose meaning may be Point of Rocks or Place of the Dance. Some believe a fanciful story created for a popular early twentieth-century pageant held in Sarasota, that it was named after the daughter of famous explorer Hernando de Soto's daughter Sara.

According to the Florida League of Cities FLC, the name first appeared in print as "Zarazote" on a 1763 land grant map.

Geography

According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 725.18 square miles (1,878.2 km²), of which 571.55 square miles (1,480.3 km²) (or 78.81%) is land and 153.63 square miles (397.9 km²) (or 21.19%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Manatee County, Florida - north
• DeSoto County, Florida - east
• Charlotte County, Florida - south

Places

Incorporated

1. City of Sarasota
2. City of North Port
3. City of Venice
4. Town of Longboat Key

Unincorporated

• Bee Ridge
• Desoto Lakes
• Englewood
• Fruitville
• Gulf Gate Estates
• Kensington Park
• Lake Sarasota
• Laurel
• Nokomis
• North Sarasota
• Osprey
• Plantation
• Ridge Wood Heights
• Sarasota Springs
• Siesta Key
• South Gate Ridge
• South Sarasota
• South Venice
• Southgate
• The Meadows
• Vamo
• Venice Gardens
• Warm Mineral Springs

Parks and preserves

In addition to local parks there are several preserve areas including:

• Bayonne Parcel
• Circus Hammock
• Curry Creek Preserve
• Deer Prairie Creek
• Jelks Preserve
• Manasota Scrub Preserve
• Myakka Islands Point
• Old Miakka Preserve
• Pinelands Reserve
• Pocono Trail Preserve
• Red Bug Slough
• Sleeping Turtles South
• Sleeping Turtles North
• South Lemon Bay Preserve
• T. Mabry Carlton Reserve

Education

Primary and secondary education

• Sarasota County Public Schools - Public K-12 School district serving all of Sarasota County

Higher education

• New College of Florida - Public liberal arts college. 'Honors' college of the State of Florida.
• University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee - Branch campus of USF.
• Ringling College of Art and Design - A private, 4 year, not-for-profit, fully accredited college with concentrations in art and design.

Local media

Newspapers

• Herald Tribune - Also known as the Sarasota Herald Tribune. Primarily serves Sarasota County for news, but also serves Manatee, Charlotte and DeSoto counties. Circulation is 110,817 daily and 132,185 on Sunday (2005 averages). Also operates an online news portal, HeraldTribune.com
• Venice Gondolier Sun - Website and archives within the Florida Digital Newspaper Library
• Pelican Press - Website
• The Observer Newspapers - Three editions : Longboat Key, Sarasota, East County Website

Television

Sarasota County is part of the Tampa/St. Petersburg/Sarasota DMA. Most of the television stations are located in Saint Petersburg or Tampa except:

• WWSB - A local ABC affiliate based in Sarasota
• SNN News 6 - Local twenty-four hour news station based in Sarasota
• Various government and local access channels. Access 19 (Local Government channel), Education Channel (School Board) and BLAB TV (local programming)

Radio

• WSLR-LP (96.5 community radio)

Transportation

Airports

• Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, in both Manatee County (runway) and Sarasota County (terminal).
• Venice Municipal Airport,a general aviation airport in Venice, Florida.

Major highways and state roads

• Interstate 75- North-south limited-access freeway, and has ten interchanges within Sarasota County. Major north-south highway in Sarasota County. It is the high-speed connection with other cities such as Tampa, Florida and Fort Myers, Florida. Interstate 75 heads east in Southern Sarasota County through North Port, Florida to cross Charlotte Harbor at a more manageable length.
• U.S. Highway 41- The main north-south road through the county is known as Tamiami Trail. It was created in the 1920s to connect Tampa with Miami, hence the contracted name. It runs through the county close to the coastline and is not limited-access.
• U.S. Highway 301 - Also runs north-south through the county, at first east of Tamiaimi Trail and later rejoining it (it separates from 41 north of the county line).
• State Road 789
• State Road 758
• State Road 780
• State Road 776
• State Road 72
• State Road 681

Public transportation

• Sarasota County Area Transit (SCAT) provides public transportation for Sarasota County, Florida. SCAT is operated by Sarasota County. It maintains 19 fixed-line bus routes plus a dial-a-ride paratransit service (SCAT Plus).

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1930	12,440		—
1940	16,106		29.5%
1950	28,827		79.0%
1960	76,895		166.7%
1970	120,413		56.6%
1980	202,251		68.0%
1990	277,776		37.3%
2000	325,957		17.3%
2010	379,448		16.4%

Some areas of Sarasota County, such as Casey Key near Nokomis, are very wealthy.

As of the census of 2000, there were 325,957 people, 149,937 households, and 94,460 families residing in the county. The population density was 570 people per square mile (220/km²). There were 182,467 housing units at an average density of 319 per square mile (123/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 92.65% White, 4.18% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.77% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.14% from other races, and 1.02% from two or more races. 4.34% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 89.7% spoke English, 4.4% Spanish, 1.3% German and 1.0% French as their first language.

Census Estimates for 2005 show the county population as being 87.5% non-Hispanic whites, 6.3% Latinos, 4.5% African-American and 1.1% Asian.

In 2000 there were 149,957 households out of which 18.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.70% were married couples living together, 7.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.00% were non-families. 30.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.61.

In the county the population was spread out with 16.20% under the age of 18, 5.00% from 18 to 24, 21.70% from 25 to 44, 25.60% from 45 to 64, and 31.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50 years. For every 100 females there were 90.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $41,957, and the median income for a family was $50,111. About 5.10% of families and 7.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.70% of those under age 18 and 4.50% of those age 65 or over.

The per capita income for the county was $28,326. Females had a median income of $25,721 versus $32,114 for males.

• Population in Sarasota County as of 2006 had reached 369,535 people.

Government and politics

Sarasota County is one of only 20 Florida counties with its own charter, adopted in 1971. Sarasota County is governed by a five-member county commission. Each commissioner serves a four-year term and resides in and represents a single district.

The county's politics are dominated by the Republican Party; Franklin D. Roosevelt was the last Democratic presidential candidate to win the county (in 1944) and Republicans have historically dominated the county commission and other countywide elected positions. The city of Sarasota has an all-Democrat city commission, Democrats Wengay Newton and Margaret Good represent portions of the county in the Florida House of Representatives, and there are two countywide elected Democrats.

United States presidential election results for Sarasota County, Florida

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	148,370	54.71%	120,110	44.29%	2,689	0.99%
2016	124,438	53.79%	97,870	42.30%	9,045	3.91%
2012	110,504	53.14%	95,119	45.74%	2,338	1.12%
2008	102,897	49.47%	102,686	49.37%	2,422	1.16%
2004	104,692	53.51%	88,442	45.20%	2,518	1.29%
2000	83,117	51.63%	72,869	45.27%	4,991	3.10%
1996	69,213	46.46%	63,665	42.73%	16,108	10.81%
1992	66,855	42.76%	54,552	34.89%	34,945	22.35%
1988	84,602	66.40%	42,099	33.04%	708	0.56%
1984	87,771	74.15%	30,525	25.79%	69	0.06%
1980	68,065	68.57%	25,621	25.81%	5,579	5.62%
1976	44,157	61.78%	26,293	36.78%	1,028	1.44%
1972	48,939	79.95%	12,235	19.99%	36	0.06%
1968	30,160	63.73%	10,127	21.40%	7,041	14.88%
1964	21,917	61.13%	13,937	38.87%	0	0.00%
1960	19,995	70.70%	8,287	29.30%	0	0.00%
1956	13,937	73.40%	5,052	26.60%	0	0.00%
1952	9,538	70.74%	3,945	29.26%	0	0.00%
1948	3,559	49.95%	2,302	32.31%	1,264	17.74%
1944	2,109	37.99%	3,443	62.01%	0	0.00%
1940	1,672	30.71%	3,773	69.29%	0	0.00%
1936	1,055	30.38%	2,418	69.62%	0	0.00%
1932	667	25.86%	1,912	74.14%	0	0.00%
1928	1,603	56.46%	1,181	41.60%	55	1.94%
1924	187	40.48%	204	44.16%	71	15.37%

Notable pioneer honored on sign

Joseph Daniel Anderson was one of the pioneers of the Sarasota area. He established his homestead in the Forked Creek area in 1886 and became an early leader in what now is southern Sarasota County (having been Manatee County from 1855 until 1921).

The following is a transcript from a Sarasota County historical marker that was erected in a park dedicated to Anderson on Manasota Key.

"After the Civil War, many Georgians moved their families to Southern Florida. Joseph Daniel "Jody" Anderson, born in Georgia in 1867, was a child when his father moved to the Tampa/Sara Sota area. In 1884, Joseph became the head of the Anderson family. Two years later, he moved his family to Southern Manatee County. He homesteaded the land in the Mystic River (Forked Creek) Valley. In 1890 he married Helen Alice Johnson of Sarasota. They had eleven children. Eight survived.

With only hand tools, Anderson converted the Florida wilderness into an agricultural industry. This fertile land produced vegetables, sugar cane and citrus. In the vast Myakka/Pinedale area, he raised his cattle and swine. He and brother Moses "Lee" prospered in ranching until the Range Law Act curtailed the right to use this land for grazing.

Sleds (later wagons) were used to move the farm produce, fruit and cattle to Lemon Bay where they were transferred to draft boats and transported to ships at Boca Grande. Some of the wagons were rafted across the bay to Manasota Beach where the produce was ferried to Cuban smacks and later to American schooners.

Anderson pioneered commercial fishing in North Lemon Bay which teemed with schools of mullet and other fish. The Andersons fished with nets made of cotton and flax twine over which they poured a heavy lime solution to prevent rot. Their base of operation included land storage facilities on the shore and on the beach (Manasota) to salt, dry and pack the fish in barrels. Upon the arrival of run boats with ice from Tampa, the Andersons could ship fresh fish and produce.

Joseph Daniel "Jody" Anderson was a quiet family man who never sought publicity. However, before Sarasota County was organized, he served as deputy sheriff and game warden in the Pinedale/Manasota area. The Anderson family built the area's first school (Pinedale) of which Jody was trustee. He also organized the first church in the area. Anderson actively supported the creation of Sarasota County from Manatee County and in 1922, became the first elected county commissioner from District 4. After the death of his first wife, he married Mary Ethel Morgan with whom he raised four more children. Joseph Daniel Anderson died in 1939."

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Sarasota County, Florida