The city of Sarasota is located in Sarasota County on the southwest coast of the state of Florida in the United States. Sarasota’s official boundaries include Sarasota Bay and several barrier islands between the bay and the Gulf of Mexico.
The islands that divide Sarasota Bay from the gulf near the city are known as cays. Two of these keys, Lido Key and Siesta Key, are world famous for their sandy beaches. Other keys include St. Armand’s Key, Otter Key, Coon Key, and Bird Key.
The largest key that separates the bay from the gulf is Longboat Key. Although this key is now divided evenly by the new 1921 county line. The key that parallels the Sarasota city boundary along the mainland’s bay front had most of its portion removed from the city limits in John Ringling’s appeal in the mid-1920s. This was so that he could avoid taxes on his new developments on the southern tip of the key.
AB Edwards built a theater in 1926 that could alternate between vaudeville performances and movie screenings. This theater has since been restored and is used for operas. It is located at the intersection of Pineapple Avenue and Second Street and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
A Jack West designed and built bank building was recently renovated and reopened as the Gateway Bank headquarters on Tamiami Trail at the intersection with Bahia Vista. This building was originally intended to be demolished, but due to objections from a historic preservation leader in the community, it was preserved.
The Sarasota area has become very popular for golf, mainly due to its warm climate, after the Scots introduced the game to Sarasota. There are a number of courses that dot the Sarasota map and one of them is the course that was originally designed for the hotel John Ringling planned at the southern end of Longboat Key.
But golf isn’t the only sport in Sarasota. Ed Smith Stadium has a proud place in this city and the Baltimore Orioles will hold spring training camp here beginning in 2010. The Baltimore Orioles also have minor league facilities at Twin Lakes Park. Both facilities will undergo many improvements after spring training. The deal with the Orioles also places a Cal Ripken Youth Baseball Academy in Sarasota.
Overall, Sarasota is a very beautiful city with beautiful beaches, architecture, and historical sites along with very friendly people who live here. All of these things combine to make it a wonderful place to live and call home.