Pioneer Park’s History centers on three major historical sites–the Bidwell–Wood House, Crocker Memorial Church and the Pioneer Whittaker Cemetery–all relocated and preserved there in 2006 as part of Sarasota’s effort to protect its earliest surviving buildings.

Origins of Pioneer’s Historic structures

Bidwell House (1882)– The oldest surviving residence in Sarasota, built by Alfred and Mary Bidwell and later owned Luke and Annie Wood

Croker Memorial Church (1901)–Originally Saint John’s Chapel, built by Peter Crocker and neighbors; later moved multiple times as congregations changed and the city grew

How these buildings came to Pioneer Park

Both the Bidwell House and the Croker Memorial Church were threatened with demolition after rezoning in 2004.. They were donated to the Historical Society of Sarasota County and moved to Pioneer Park in 2006 where they were placed under the Society’s protection. This relocation created a small historic campus within the Park.

Historical Significance of Each Structure

Bidwell–Wood House

Built in 1882, making it Sarasota’s oldest standing residence

Connected to early commerce; Alfred Bidwell ran a store on what is now Cuniff Lane.

Site of a major historical event; the 1884 vigilante murder of Charles Abbe,

tied to land disputes in early Sarasota

Crocker Memorial Church 1901). It was built by Peter Crocker, an early settler who arrived in 1877. Served multiple congregations over decades and was moved several times as Sarasota developed

Decomissioned as a church in 2006 and repurposed as a community gathering space

Pioneer Whitaker Cemetery

A burial site for Sarasota’s earliest pioneer families, located next to the park

Pioneer Park as a Modern Historic Campus

Today Pioneer is :

Home to the Historical Society of Sarasota County, which uses the buildings for lectures, book clubs, concerts, theatrical performances, and community events.

A site of ongoing preservation efforts, including grants to restore the Crocker’s interior and roof

A family friendly public park with a tree-top-inspired park ,sports complex, and a butterfly garden created by Bay Haven School Students

Timeline Summary

1882 Bidwell Wood House built

1901 Crocker Memorial Church built

2004 Rezoning threatens both structures

2006 Both buildings moved to Pioneer Park and placed under Historical Society Stewardship

2019-2020 Butterfly garden and watershed restoration projects added

2019 New play ground built after fire destroyed old one

Crocker Memorial

Interior of Church

Croker Memorial Church

Briandi’s Restaurant 202 Tamiami Trail Nokomis, Fl

Briandi’s Restaurant is a family-owned Italian Restaurant in Nokomis, Florida with roots in Buffalo, New York and long- standing presence in the community since 1989

Origins and Early History

The restaurant was founded in Buffalo, New York by John R. Briondi who established the business to serve Italian dishes passed down through generations. The original Buffalo location became well known for its homemade comfort food and traditional recipes.

Move to Nokomis

In 1989, the Briandi family relocated their operations to Nokomis, Florida opening the current location at 202 Tamiami Trail. This move marked the start of restaurant’s long- term role as a local dining staple, offering the same authentic Italian Cuisine that had been served in Buffalo for decades.

Culinary Tradition Briandi’s is celebrated for its homemade dishes including:

Veal and chicken cutlets

Egg plant parmesan

Fresh Pasta

Brick Oven Pizza

The menu also features seafood specialties (shrimp, clams, and mussels) in signature sauces, steaks and Italian appetizers such as antipasto and buffalo wings.

Community role

Since the Nokomis opening, Briandi’s has been a family friendly dining spot and local institution known for large portions, early bird specials and a welcoming atmosphere.

Unfortunately, the restaurant has recently closed.

Whittaker Cemetery is a private cemetery located next to Pioneer Park, Sarasota. It is recognized as the oldest cemetery in Sarasota County

Origins and Early History and Founding Family

The cemetery is the private family burial ground of William Henry Whittaker (1821–1881) and his wife Mary Jane Whittaker ( 1831-1908) William arrived in the area in the 1840’s under the Armed Occupation Act of 1842 and became Sarasota First permanent white settler.

First Burials

The earliest internment occurred in 1879, when the Whittaker’s young daughters Carrie and Grace passed away and were buried near the family home of William Whittaker in 1888.

Family land

The grave yard sat on 8 acres of family property between Hog Creek and 12th Street

20th century Vandalism and Preservation

Fencing and Vault 1910. Charles C. Whittaker of Tampa had the grounds enclosed with concrete block fence and constructed a concrete vault to house the remains of William and Mary Jane Whittaker.

The surrounding 8 acres remained underdeveloped into the 1930’s, during which the cemetery suffered vandalism and damage to the wall and gate.

Transfer to the DAR to ensure long term preservation.

The Whittaker Family decided to deed the cemetery to the Sara DeSota Chapter of the DAR in 1930. The transfer occurred in exchange for DAR’s care and upkeep. The DAR established a chapter house nearby and maintained the cemetery ever since

Mid Century Restoration in 1959

The Whittaker family and the DAR repaired the wall around the cemetery and the vault. On 02/28/1960, The DAR held a dedication ceremony unveiling new iron gates and a name plate presented by Louise Heigel and AK Whittaker

Modern era and Historical Recognition

The cemetery contains 48 used grave sites of Whittaker’s descendants. . There are 41 unused grave sites to be used for verified Whittaker family members

The cemetery was dedicated as a historic site in 2004 by Sarasota County Commissioners who also approved a historical plaque.

The DAR maintains a $60,000 trust for landscaping and upkeep though structural repairs require addition funding.

The cemetery remains privately owned and is not under the Sarasota Historical Society despite its proximity to Pioneer Park and the Crocker Church and Bidwell Wood House

he First National Trust Company operated from a 2 story buff brick Neoclassical Revival Building at 1586 Main Street before 1929. The firm was notable for issuing insurance, bonds, and mortgage loans.

By 1926, the company had issued millions of dollars in mortgage loans contributing significantly to Sarasota’s growth.

The building’s architecture was a rare surviving example of Neoclassical Revival. The architect was Dwight Baum.

Style in Sarasota. It featured cast tiles, figurative plaques and ornate metal urns.

By 1931, the property was sols.to Lickliter Brothers Hardware and Company. This store provided hardware at multiple construction sites in Sarasota.. It provided equipment for the Payne Building at 27 South Orange Street Sarasota. Thus the building ‘s original role as a trust company ended.

First National Trust Bank

The American National Bank Building was built on the former property of the Belle Haven Hotel known earlier as the Desoto Hotel in 1886.

The historic American National Bank Building later known as the Orange Blossom Hotel is located at 1330 Main Street Downtown Sarasota. The building is a significant historical and architectural landmark in the city. Neoclassical in style, it one of the three earliest skyscrapers in Sarasota.

It is the only existing one to retain its historic detail and appearance. Associated with economic and and tourism history of Sarasota , the bank and office were completed in 1926. The financial decline of the Florida economic boom resulted in the closure of the American National Bank in 1928. Although briefly occupied by another banking organization, the building was converted to the Orange Blossom Hotel in 1934.

The Orange Blossom Hotel was host to thousands of visitors in Sarasota until 1965 after which it was converted to a retirement residence. As one of Sarasota’s few examples of the Classical or Neoclassical Revival style and most monumental example,the building reflects the national and statewide trends in commercial and public architecture.

The building was the work Francis P. Smith of Atlanta.

In May,1925 the Belle Haven Hotel was put up for sale and sold for $533,000. After purchasing the Belle Haven Hotel, George Adair, made plans to demolish the old hotel and erect a modern 17 story hotel on a portion of the. Original hotel site. By March ,1926, Adair and Sentor Company, a joint partner of Adair Realty and trust had laid the foundation of the new hotel and by the beginning of April the building was 4 stories up and progression rapidly.

Sometime in late April, 1926, the Adair Realty interests entered negotiations with American National Bank in Sarasota to take over the construction project. The American National Bank had been formed in 1925 with a capital stock of $100,000. A $32,000 surplus was created when the bank was oversubscribed with shares selling at $120. The bank officially opened in the Thacker Block on June 6, 1925, although the bank began accepting deposits a week earlier.

Within one year of opening, the officers of American National, faced with inadequate office space, formed a building company for the purpose of erecting a building for their operations, but were able to solve their space needs without the necessity of self building when they we’re given the opportunity to purchase the yet incomplete Hotel Adair project and were able to direct the finished construction project for banking and office use.

Construction continuing under the auspices of the American National Bank was completed in December, 1926 at a cost of $650,000. When completed the Bank Building was 10 stories. The original primary shaft of the skyscraper was faced with red brick. The exterior structure was finished cast concrete details. Currently, the original exterior brick surface was water proofed with silicone and fully covered with stucco.

1n 1934, after a short period as another bank, Joseph Spandera, of Boca Grande purchased the bank building, renovating it into 125 room fireproof steel and concrete hotel with a cocktail lounge (the Aztec Room) and a restaurant. The hotel hosted thousands of tourists and notable guests, including the cast of the Greatest Show on Earth and Esther Williams.

The hotel changed hands several time. In 1946 it was sold to Lewis Swed, then in 1950 to Elizabeth Fitzie and Thomas Kewley. By the 1960’s with tourism shifting to Siesta Key and Longboat Key. The building was converted into apartments and later a retirement community.

The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Records in 1998.

Bidwell–Wood House

The Bidwell House is currently located at 1260 12th Street Sarasota, Florida. It is a one and one half story Classical Revival, wood frame structure, with a Georgian floor plan,raised foundation home with a Georgian floor layout. It was built in 1882. The house was formerly located at 881 Florida Avenue and prior to that it stood near the intersection of US 41 and Wood Street. It was moved to its current location in Pioneer Park in October, 2006.

Construction of the house began in 1882 on a 80 acre tract which was purchased from the State of Florida by Mary Bidwell. The house was later owned by the Wood family who purchased it in 1896 along with 70 acres.

The Bidwell Wood House is among the earliest documented structures of the areas exploration/settlement phase. The Classical Revival style was the vernacular at the time of the construction, yet today the structure is outnumbered by the Mediterranean revival style of many units.

Late ownership and moves

After the Bidwells, the property changed hands multiple times. In 1896, Annie Woods and Zachariah Spencer bought it. Spencer’s share was later acquired by the Woods. The Luke A. Wood family lived there for- decades. In 1931, 12 acres were donated to the city for Luke Wood Park. The house was moved in 1977 to 12th Street by the Historical Society of Sarasota County and in 2006 to its current site in Pioneer Park

Preservation and Significance

Restored by the Historical Society of Sarasota County, the Bidwell Wood House is preserved as a cultural resource representing early settlement in Sarasota. Its architecture, history and association with pioneer life make it a rare surviving example of the area’s earliest domestic building.

     Crocker Memorial Church aka Saint John ‘s Chapel, was a Baptist church located in Sarasota,Fl. It was established in 1901 by Peter Cracker. It is now a historic structure owned by the Historical Society of Sarasota County and is located at 1260 12th Street Sarasota, Florida

                     History

     Peter Crocker, T.T. Hamlin, and L.C. Deming were three of the original trustees of Saint John’s Church. They were deeded 2 acres of land from Florida Mortgage and Investment Company on June 27,1901 for one dollar down.  The property was to be used for a church and graveyard. The church was designated as a Baptist Chapel on 1903.  Due to the failure to find a resident pastor, the church declined after Crocker’s death in 1911.

                Location.and Ownership Changes

     16 years after Croker’s death, Bay Haven Baptist Church purchased the church building and moved it to its property on Bradenton Road.  When the Bay Haven Church purchased a new building, a Spanish Mission Congregation used it until the early 1980’s. When they left, the church was moved again by the historic preservationist in 1986 to Florida Avenue and was historically designated in 1995. The church continued to be used by the Throne of Grace Charismatic Episcopal Church until 2004 when it was officially decommissioned due to its poor condition.  In 2005, a campaign began to save the building from demolition.  With the help of the county, Jane Krischner former president of the Historical Society took ownership of the building and coordinated the church’s final move to Pioneer Park in 2006.

     The county provided over $160,000 to move the church for the Historical Society in 2006.  The building is now used as their gathering place for educational and social ssCroPair  Historical Society Ownership      Since 2006, the Historical Society has worked to restore, maintain and utilize the Crocker Church. Repairs were made the wood siding, floor joists, west wall, foundation and 6 windows.  The society is raising money to repair the East wall      The Church is frequently used for events such as Conversations at the Crocker where experts and audiences discuss events and people that have shaped Sarasota.     The Historical also rents out the Church for weddings

     The Warren Building in Sarasota is a historic low rise structure located at 1269 First Street Sarasota, designed in the Spanish Revival style and completed in 1926 for Clark Warren for his real estate office.

    It is a 2 story building used during the subsequent years for retail and rental purposes. It remains an existing landmark in  Sarasota’s downtown

     Early 20th Century Origins

The building’s construction in 1926 reflects Sarasota ‘s early 20th Century commercial commercial growth, when downtown areas were developed with mixed use spaces for shops, offices, and rental.  It’s Spanish Revival Architecture– characterized by stucco walls, decorative, tile,and arched details–was popular in Florida’s coastal cities during that era .

    Later Uses

Over the decades,the Warner Building has served various commercial functions, consistent with its original mixed use design. While specific tenants history are not detailed in the available sources, it’s location in the heart of downtown Sarasota kept it connected to the city’s retail and office economy

     Current Status

     The 1926 building at 1269 First Street remains in use and is recognized for its architectural and historical significance and it continues to be a part of Sarasota ‘s downtown.

Same as above

Sunset over Sarasota Bay