About the Historical Society of Sarasota County
Organized historical collecting in Sarasota began in 1927, when a citizens' group started gathering materials about the area. The county created an Office of County Historian in the early 1950s, and out of those two efforts a Sarasota County Historical Society took shape in 1959. The organization reorganized as a not-for-profit corporation in 1977 and today operates as a 501(c)(3). Its mission, in its own words, is to create awareness of the historical heritage of Sarasota County and Florida, to encourage inquiry and research, to promote the collection and preservation of memorabilia, and to help protect the area's historic sites and structures.
The society is based in Pioneer Park, just north of downtown, where it cares for two of the city's oldest buildings. The Bidwell-Wood House, built in 1882, is the oldest residence in the City of Sarasota and serves as the society's headquarters; visitors step inside to see how a family lived on the Florida frontier in the years before the railroad reached the town. Next to it stands the Crocker Memorial Church, which dates from the first years of the twentieth century and is now used for lectures, education programs, and social events.
Public programming is a regular part of the calendar. The society hosts talks under the banner "Conversations at the Crocker," holds Sunday Afternoon Socials, and runs its Historic Sarasota Bay Cruise, which it bills as a tradition. Members receive an email newsletter, and both historic buildings can be rented for weddings and community events, with proceeds supporting preservation work.
Collections and Research Services
The society does not advertise a formal reading room, so researchers should start with what it publishes. Its website carries a running series of articles on local history, a "Heroes of History" feature, curated videos, and a blog, and the society shares historic images through its social channels. For questions about Sarasota families, early buildings, or the two Pioneer Park structures, contact the office by phone or at hello@hsosc.com; the mailing address is PO Box 1632, Sarasota, FL 34230. Because the society's holdings are not cataloged online, pair a visit with the county and state resources described in our guides to free family history research and finding out when a house was built.
Planning Your Visit
Pioneer Park is at 1260 12th Street in Sarasota. The office is generally open on weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. or by appointment; in summer the society lists reduced hours of Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Call (941) 364-9076 before making a special trip, and check hsosc.com for the current program schedule, cruise dates, and rental information. Membership is open to anyone interested in local and Florida history.
Elsewhere in the state, the Historical Society of Palm Beach County in West Palm Beach and the Historical Society of Central Florida in Orlando run larger research collections for Florida genealogy.
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