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Favorite thing: Sarasota is lucky enough to boast tropical sunshine, balmy breezes, clear Gulf of Mexico waters and island beaches covered with the world whitest sand. Findings of the remains of prehistoric men at huge shell mounds, called middens, date early man to have lived, hunted, fished thousands of years ago. South of Sarasota, at Warm Mineral Springs, 45 feet below the surface of the mineral-rich waters, the skull of a 10,000 year-old Paleo-Indian was found, representing one of the oldest finds of this type in this hemisphere. Archaeologists of this century have discovered remnants of early architecture and lifestyles in the shell mounds of the Calusa and Timucuan tribes, who settled the coastlines more than 2,500 years ago. The Timucuans inhabited the Sarasota Bay Coast for many years and then migrated northward; the Caloosas later moved into area around Sarasota and were headquatered around Charlotte Harbor.
Written Aug 25, 2002
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Favorite thing:
Map
& Directions
Here
is an opportunity to enjoy a stroll along a trail that wanders
through an ever-changing landscape of cool, under-story jungle
growth and around open pond shorelines. As one meanders
through Sarasota Jungle Gardens, a magnificent and wildy
overgrown paradise, one wonders how such an abundance began.
Originally,
the land was a swampy banana grove listed in the city records as
'an impenetrable swamp'. A local newspaperman, David
Breed Lindsay, purchased these 10 lush acres in the early 1930's
with plans to develop the virgin subtropical jungle into a
botanical garden.
Pearson
Conrad, was a friend of David Breed Lindsay. He owned an
adjacent nursery and shared Lindsay's dream. Conrad charted
streams, planned the lakes and provided many additional
plantings from his nursery.
Green
thumbs intact, they brought in thousands of tropical plants,
trees and flowers from all over the world. These flourish
harmoniously with native species. All of the numerous plants
today are dispersed throughout the various areas of the Park,
Gardens of Christ, open lagoons, Tiki Garden and within our
dense forested jungle. Some of our prized possessions include
the rare Australian Nut Tree, a Bunya Bunya tree, the largest
Norfolk Island pine in Florida, Bulrush, Strangler Figs, Royal
Palms, Selloums, Banana Trees, Peruvian Apple Cactus, Staghorn
Ferns and native Red Maples, Oak Trees and Bald Cypress.
In
1936, noticing that a number of people were wandering through
the jungle, Lindsay and Conrad established an admission fee of
10 cents for children and 35 cents for adults. It was decided in
December of 1940 to open Sarasota Jungle Gardens as a special
place for local enthusiasts and tourists. In 1958, Eldon R.
Lindsey, of Atlanta, purchased the property. In 1965, Dr. George
Baughman, the first president of Sarasota's New College bought
the attraction, which was then sold to Arthur C. Allyn ( a
previous owner of the Chicago White Sox) in 1971.
During
the early years, some of the owners and their families lived on
the grounds, residing in what are now the snack bar/shell
museum. The Koi Carp pool, just outside the snack bar, was
originially a swimming pool connected to the estate house.
Eventually, a new admission building and gift shop were built.
HOME
- ADMISSION
- ATTRACTIONS
- HISTORY
- COUPON
- MAP
& DIRECTIONS - CONTACT
THE GARDENS
Updated Aug 24, 2002
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Favorite thing: Go to Lido beach, it's gorgeous. There are boardwalks and fabulous golden, clean sand. Watch for stingrays if you swim in the Gulf of Mexico.
Fondest memory: Collecting lovely shells with the kids to take home with us and then leaving them behind when we stopped at the taps to wash off our feet. Doh!
Updated Aug 24, 2002
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Favorite thing: The breeze off the Gulf is theraputic. Have a camera on hand for the breathtaking sunsets.
You must spend some time on a beach....it is great in the morning, afternoon, evening and night.
Just, don't mess with the turtle nests! Downtown is beautiful, lots of interesting shops...small enough
to walk.
Fondest memory: Get up early and have your coffee next to the water. From October to May I would give anything to
be able to do that rather than looking for my wool socks or fuzzy slippers here in northwestern Pennsylvania.
Written Aug 24, 2002
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