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.