Bradenton Real Estate/Sarasota Real Estate/Palmetto Real Estate/Lakewood Ranch Real Estate

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Mirror Lake 3772 W 59th Ave Bradenton, Florida 34210 MIRROR LAKE CONDOS FOR SALE! Mirror Lake is a very nice condo development just to the south of IMG ... >> More

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Palms of Cortez 4802 51st Street West Bradenton, FL 34210-5101 PALMS OF CORTEZ CONDOS FOR SALE! Palmes of Cortez is a modern condo development in west Bradenton. ... >> More

1907 8th Street West, Palmetto, Florida 34221 Move to this historic waterfront community in Palmetto. Surrounded by water, wildlife and charm. Thi... >> More

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The Sun Coast of Florida... Paradise

Bradenton

Bradenton is located at (27.488217, -82.577743).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 37.4 km² (14.4 mi²). 31.4 km² (12.1 mi²) of it is land and 6.0 km² (2.3 mi²) of it (16.14%) is water.

Located just south of the Tampa Bay area, in growing Manatee County, Bradenton (population 54,090 as of April 1, 2008/14.44 square miles and incorporated May 19, 1903) is a fabulous place to live and to visit. There are many activities in which to take part that allow you to stay active and informed as a citizen of Bradenton, including exploring our art scene in the Village of the Arts and immersing yourself in our historical offerings at the South Florida Museum and the DeSoto National Monument.

Moreover, during our 12 months of warm weather you can take part in such activities as simply having some good ol' fun-in-the-sun and enjoying the easy life on our beautiful beaches. Or, you could participate in one or more of our multitude of aquatic and terrestrial activities such as fishing, hunting, scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking, camping, tennis, biking, sailing and golf. In addition, not only is Bradenton is home to the world famous IMG Academies, but we also have over 60, that’ right, 60 golf courses.

Considering this, we certainly earn our moniker as a sportsman's paradise!

The area now referred to as the City of Bradenton was first discovered by Europeans in 1539. Hernando DeSoto and his band of salty adventures made first landfall in our area at Shaw's Point, taking the first sandy steps from his landing craft on the Manatee River onto what is now the DeSoto National Monument. From this landing site he began his 4,000-mile trek in search of the famed El Dorado, the lost city of gold. He didn't find El Dorado and eventually returned to Spain but his heritage lives on in the many streets and districts which bear his name. However, the city of Bradenton derives her name from Dr. Joseph Braden, whose nearby fortlike house served as a refuge for early settlers during Native American attacks.

Not surprisingly, Bradenton has emerged from such a historic inception to now be the home of numerous successful individuals and businesses, including Tropicana Products, Inc.; Champs Sports and the corporate offices of Bealls Department Stores. Bradenton and her citizens love to play and but also love to host. Bradenton has fun family events, including Winter Wonderland, Get Down Downtown, and the many fantastic Hernando DeSoto Historical Society celebrations, are held throughout the year along historic Old Main Street and beautiful Barcarrota Boulevard - the brick-paved thoroughfare running adjacent to the scenic Manatee River - all of which are open to the whole community.

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Sarasota

Sarasota is located at (27.337273, -82.535318).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 67.2 km² (25.9 mi²). 38.6 km² (14.9 mi²) of it is land and 28.6 km² (11.0 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 42.58% water.

Sarasota is a city on the central west coast of Florida, USA. Sarasota Bay and several barrier islands (or "keys") facing the Gulf of Mexico are within its city limits. The coast of the Sarasota area is mostly known for its pristine beaches, most famous being Siesta Key and Longboat Key. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 52,715. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 54,349 . The city is part of the Sarasota-Bradenton-Venice, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the county seat for Sarasota County.

Sarasota is one of America's most desirable places to live, work and raise a family. The clean air, sparkling white sand beaches and sunny climate have made it world famous as a center for the good life. In fact, Forbes has named Sarasota one of the best places for business and careers, and Money magazine recognized it as the nation's best small city, one of the best places to retire, and one of the cities with the best health care systems.

Additionally, Sarasota's vibrant recreational and cultural scene offers activities for every taste and budget. It is a diverse area with big city amenities and small town ease of living. Business owners and employees enjoy not only the good life but a thriving business climate. Our top-rated schools and motivated workforce also contribute to why Sarasota is home to some of the most successful and productive companies in the country.

Prehistorical data

Fifteen thousand years ago, when humans first settled in Florida, the Gulf of Mexico was one hundred miles to the west. The accompanying graphic depicts the ancient shoreline in light blue. In this time period, hunting and gathering was the primary means of subsistence. This could only take place in areas where water sources existed for hunter and prey alike. Deep springs and catchment basins, such as Warm Mineral Springs, were close enough to the Sarasota area to provide camp sites but not enough for permanent settlements. A more welcoming climate advanced southward in Florida as the Pleistocene glaciers began to melt and sea levels began rising the 350 feet necessary to provide the current shoreline.

Archaeological research in Sarasota documents more than ten thousand years of seasonal occupation by native peoples. For five thousand years while the current sea level existed, harvesting the bounty of Sarasota Bay was the primary source of protein. Europeans began to explore the area in the early 1500s. The first recorded contact was in 1513, when a Spanish expedition landed at Charlotte Harbor, just to the south. When the natives encountered the Spaniards, they insulted them in Spanish before a preemptive attack. Apparently, some of their members had enough contact previously with the Spaniards to learn the language and—not to trust them.

Early history of the area - to Bertha Palmer

Sarasota Bay is the region's greatest natural asset. Bertha Palmer (the region's largest landholder, rancher, and developer at the turn of the twentieth century) touted it as beautiful as the bay of Naples when she established Sarasota as a fashionable location for winter retreats and tourists. At that time, sports fishing was a great draw and it continued to attract visitors until over-fishing depleted the amazing fish, such as giant gar and tarpon, living in the bay.

One of the earliest pioneer locations preserved in the Sarasota Bay area, is Historic Spanish Point, where Bertha Palmer made her winter residence on land originally homesteaded by the Webb family at what they called, "Spanish Point". She retained most of their structures and greatly expanded the settlement. The pioneer site has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Historic Spanish Point and is open to the public for a fee. Tours of the 30-acre site explore the natural history and human occupation of through archaeology, historic preservation, and reenactment of some typical pioneer activities of a homestead family along Sarasota Bay.

In 1867 the Webb family met a Spanish trader in Key West who told them about a high bluff of land on Sarasota Bay that would be a good location for a new homestead. Upon settling, they named the homestead "Spanish Point" in honor of the trader. Massive shell mounds, called middens, indicate that the land had been settled frequently during the entire prehistoric human occupation of the bay area. A burial mound is also present, where excavations discovered a ceremonially interred alligator. The Webbs had to travel quite a distance for their mail and after almost twenty years, in 1884, John Webb finally petitioned for a separate postal address for Spanish Point. They chose Osprey as their postal address, since federal regulations required the use of only one word for the new address. A separate town eventually grew around that postal address.

Women have played a significant role in the development of Sarasota, or at least, contrary to many communities, the history of Sarasota has documented their roles very publicly. Bertha Palmer was not so unusual here, the McClellan sisters were the developers of the subdivision, McClellan Park, that bears their name. It is one of the most significant and successful neighborhoods south of downtown. Many other examples may be found by exploring the county records at the Sarasota History Center.

1920s boom time begins with a county designation

In 1921 Sarasota County was carved out of Manatee County, which then extended south from the natural southern boundary of Tampa Bay. The new county distinguished the booming Sarasota Bay area and its keys, that had been identified clearly on maps since the early 1700s—then spelled Zarazote—and extended inland. Sarasota, incorporated as a city in 1913, was designated as the seat of the new county that would bear the same name.

Although the city limits were reduced to facilitate the new boundary, residents of unincorporated areas continued to identify themselves as Sarasotans, as mentioned in the introduction. Within Sarasota County, other communities incorporated and grew into distinctive towns and cities. Some communities, such as Overtown, Indian Beach, Bay Haven, Bee Ridge, and Fruitville—all but faded from the memory of most, as metropolitan areas grew beyond them. Overtown expanded to include what is now designated as the historic Rosemary District and Newtown.

Sarasota's most notable attraction is the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, the state art museum for Florida designed by John H. Phillips and completed in 1929. It is located on the expansive bay side estate where Cà d'Zan, the winter home of Mable and John Ringling designed by Dwight James Baum, was built by Owen Burns in 1925. A portion of Cà d'Zan is shown in the lead photograph for this article. Owen Burns was a large land holder in Sarasota and one of its most significant developers because of his diverse skills, promotion of the community, encouragement of investments through banking, and civic concerns. Cà d'Zan was restored in 2002 under the direction of Francis J. Bill Puig during his tenure as curator of the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. Several decades after the historic buildings, a separate museum devoted to the Ringling Brothers Circus also was founded on the estate. The circus museum has been greatly expanded, opening a new building in 2006. All are open to the public for a fee and museum figures indicate that 500,000 people tour the site each year.

The Mable and John Ringling estate was developed upon property that had been part of the Shell Beach subdivision platted by Mary Louise and Charles N. Thompson in 1895. The Thompson home was the first residence on the property. Mable and John spent their winter stays in that house from 1911. Along with being a land developer, Thompson was a manager with another circus, who had interested several members of the Ringling family in Sarasota as a winter retreat as well as for investments in land.

First, the Alf T. Ringling family settled in the Whitfield Estates area with extensive land holdings. The families of Charles and John followed, living farther to the south. Soon, children and members of the extended family increased the presence of the Ringling family in Sarasota. Ringling Brothers Circus established its winter home in Sarasota during 1919 following the death of Alf T., Charles Ringling assuming many of his duties. Charles Thompson had joined the staff of the Ringling Brothers circus when it began to purchase smaller or failing ones, to operate them separately. In 1919 these holdings were consolidated into one huge circus—billed as "the greatest show on Earth". There were now only two of the original five founding brothers alive, but members of their families continued to participate in the business or serve on the board of directors. Performers and staff members began to settle in Sarasota and the legacy of the Ringling Circus would be interwoven, forever, with the community.

Sarasota was ready for the boom that began following the end of World War One. It now had people flooding into it—for jobs, for investment, and for the chic social milieu burgeoning in discovery of new destinations and lifestyles.

Shell Beach Jewels on Sarasota Bay

Later, on adjacent parcels of Shell Beach where Ellen and Ralph Caples built their winter retreat, Mable and John Ringling built their compound that would soon include the museum, and Edith and Charles Ringling built a compound that included a home for their daughter, Hester Ringling Landcaster Sandford. The next large Shell Beach parcel, immediately to the north, passed between Ellen Caples, Mable and John Ringling and a few others several times without development until 1947 as the Uplands. Some other historic names associated with that parcel are, Bertha Potter Palmer, her sons Lockwood and Honore, and A. B. Edwards, whose names are featured as familiar street names. The tract abutting that parcel was replatted in 1925 as Seagate, where Gwendolyn and Powel Crosley built their winter retreat in 1929. All of these historic homes and the museum have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The now-historic neighborhood of Indian Beach Sapphire Shores grew immediately to the south of the area where these grand homes were built on the bay. Sapphire Shores provided homes to the professionals and retirees who wished to be, or were, closely associated with these wealthiest residents of the community. Indian Beach, which had been a separate community at one time, even contained pioneer homes that persisted among the fashionable new homes built in the boom era of the 1920s.

Charles Ringling as Developer

Charles Ringling invested in land, developed property and founded a bank; he also participated in Sarasota's civic life. He donated land for the newly-formed county to build its government offices and courthouse. Ringling Boulevard is named for him. That winding road led east from Tamiami Trail toward the winter circus headquarters and crosses Washington Boulevard where Charles Ringling built the Sarasota Terrace Hotel, a high-rise in the Chicago style of architecture, opposite the site he would donate for the county seat. The hotel and the courthouse are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Charles Ringling devoted a great deal of time advising others about beginning new businesses in order to help Sarasota advance.

Charles died in 1926, just after the gracious home Edith and he built, was completed. For decades Edith Ringling remained there and continued her role in the circus and her cultural activities in the community, as did Hester and her sons, who were very active in the theatrical and musical venues in Sarasota. What came to be known internationally as the Edith Ringling Estate is now the home of New College of Florida.

John Ringling in Partnership with Owen Burns

John Ringling invested heavily in the barrier islands, known as keys, which separate the shallow bay from the Gulf of Mexico. He worked in partnership with Owen Burns to develop the keys through a corporation named, Ringling Isles Estates. To facilitate development of these holdings a bridge was built to the islands by his partner, Owen Burns, and eventually donated to the city for the government to maintain. They named that route, John Ringling Boulevard. Dredge and fill created even more dry land to develop. Winter residents, called snowbirds, flocked to purchase the seasonal homes marketed to the well to do.

Leading Edge of the Crash

The roaring twenties ended early for Sarasota. Florida was the first area in the United States affected by the financial problems that eventually lead to the Great Depression. 1926 was the beginning of that collapse of speculation in Florida, much earlier than most parts of the country. John Ringling initially profited from the problems of others. After having put his partner, Owen Burns, into bankruptcy by raiding the treasury of their corporation for use on another project that was failing, he purchased the landmark, El Vernona Hotel, at a fraction of its worth from Burns, who had named it after his wife.

Eventually however, John Ringling too, lost most of his fortune. Shortly after the June 1929 death of his wife, Mable, his reversal began. He purchased several other circuses with hopes of combining them with the existing circus and selling shares on the stock exchange, just before the market crashed. He continued to invest in expensive artwork, but grand projects, such as a Ritz hotel on one of the barrier islands, were left unfinished.

Plans for an art school as an adjunct to the museum were abandoned, although he lent his name to another art school being established by others in Sarasota. The board of the circus removed John Ringling and placed another director, Samuel Gumpertz, in charge of that corporation. By the time of his death in 1936, John Ringling also was close to bankruptcy. His estate was saved only because he had willed it and his art collection to the state and, that his nephew, John Ringling North, struggled for years to keep that legacy intact.

Source: Wikipedia.org

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Anna Maria Island

Anna Maria Island is surrounded by four amazing and bountiful bodies of water; Tampa Bay, the Gulf of Mexico, the Intra Coastal Waterway (ICW) and Sarasota Bay. Anna Maria Island lies just to the south of Tampa Bay, snuggles the Gulf of Mexico to the west and gently brushes Sarasota Bay and the ICW to the east and southeast. The island of Anna Maria is the northernmost key in a string of amazing barrier islands that run south from Tampa Bay to Sarasota, Florida. Home to the three cities of Anna Maria, Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach along its seven-mile length, Florida’s’ wonderful island heritage is generously preserved by the island’s governmental bodies. In fact, and unusual to most of Florida’s coast, there are only two buildings on the island of Anna Maria that stand taller than three stories.

The city of Anna Maria is located along the island’s northernmost shore. Its original inhabitants were Timucan and Caloosan American Indian tribes, with recorded history dating back five centuries. Homesteaded in the late 1800’s, George Emerson Bean is credited with laying out its street and water systems and the first church built on the island by the creator of the Fig Newton, George Roser, still stands and serves this grateful community. The city has approximately 1,800 permanent residents who enjoy the idyllic tropical lifestyle alongside the beachgoers, anglers and seafood lovers.

Helicopter Tour of Anna Maria

Holmes Beach

Holmes Beach is located at (27.509782, -82.715852).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.5 km² (1.7 mi²). 4.2 km² (1.6 mi²) of it is land and 0.3 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (6.36%) is water.

Also homesteaded in the late 1800s, Holmes Beach began as the 160-acre residence of Sam and Annie Cobb. Although the Cobbs were its first residents, the community was named after its developer, Jack Holmes. Mr. Holmes is credited with creating this 600-acre community nestled in the center of Anna Maria Island at the end of WWII. Today, 5,000 residents take time to relax on the county’s only public beach, wander through the eclectic shops, and dine in its fantastic restaurants. As the island’s largest community, Holmes Beach also offers the greatest assortment of motels, rental condominiums, and marinas.

Bradenton Beach

The newer community of Bradenton Beach was incorporated in 1953 and boasts 1,500 permanent residents. In 1921, a wooden bridge provided access between Anna Maria Island and the mainland. When replaced by a newer bridge, the western portion of that original bridge was retained to provide one of the island’s many great fishing spots and is now known as the Bradenton Beach Fishing Pier. The community’s quaint seaside inns, charming motels, and shoreline condominiums house vacationers and natives alike as the community offers a selection of waterfront dining opportunities, a 96-acre beach nearby, and a newly refurbished downtown.

Information provided by the Manatee Chamber of Commerce

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Lakewood Ranch and East Manatee County

East Manatee County is generally defined by those communities east of I-75 and west of the Hardee and DeSoto County lines. This area of Manatee County is largely rural and dominated by the vast agricultural wealth it generates. The languid plains of east Manatee are put to the plow and driven to produce every kind of agricultural product from citrus to strawberries to ornamental plants by the numerous agri-businesses located here.

The largest community in east Manatee is Lakewood Ranch. In the early 1900s, John Schroeder of Milwaukee, an owner of furniture, turpentine, milling and lumber businesses, began assembling the beautiful land, rich in natural resources, that is today Schroeder-Manatee Ranch (SMR).

In 1922, the Uihlein family, founders of Schlitz Brewing Company, acquired the land and continued to expand the agricultural operations still active today, which include cattle ranching, vegetable, citrus, timber, and turf farming as well as shell mining.

In 1994, after years of planning and approvals, real estate development began with the introduction of Lakewood Ranch. The stewardship of a great American family, a history of successful land management and a strong financial plan make Lakewood Ranch a sound investment and a great place to live.

Lakewood Ranch in its entirety is 32,000 acres, or approximately 48 square miles, consisting of 7 villages, 6,000 homes and 16,000 residents. Of the total 32,000 acres to date only 8,500 acres have been developed into what is now the master-planned community of Lakewood Ranch, leaving the rest for future development and conservation. Furthermore, Lakewood Ranch is the largest green-certified community in the U.S., boasting hundreds of lakes and nature preserves, parks and green spaces, and more than 100 miles of interconnecting sidewalks and trails.

And if you like golf you'll love Lakewood Ranch. The ranch is teeming with greens and fairways, so much so that you can play golf here all week and not play the same hole twice! There is the 18-hole Palmer-designed Legacy Golf Course, the 18-holes of Rick Robbins-designed golf at Country Club East and the 36-hole dream course designed, again, by Arnold Palmer at the private club & athletic center.

Lakewood Ranch is simply an amazing place to live and work and we would love to show it to you.

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Palmetto

Palmetto is located at (27.522115, -82.578418).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.5 km² (4.4 mi²). 11.2 km² (4.3 mi²) of it is land and 0.3 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (2.92%) is water.

The population was 12,571 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 13,132.

Home to some 13,000 residents, Palmetto is situated just north of Bradenton across the Manatee River. Palmetto takes pride in its presentation of one of Florida’s most notable collections of historic buildings, with more than 160 buildings listed on the National Register. One of those buildings is Carnegie Library, built in 1912, which currently houses a host of historical artifacts. Another credit to the city’s appreciation and dedication to maintaining its rich heritage is the post office that dates back to the 1880s.

The county’s only agricultural museum can also be found in Palmetto, along with the County Fairgrounds. Fun and celebration abound when two of the county’s major events are held in Palmetto, the 4th of July Celebration and the 2-day long Tomato Festival. Palmetto continues to grow as new businesses are discovering the small town appeal its residents – from families to retirees – have loved about it for generations.