Turtle Beach Park on Siesta Key is a quiet, less crowded beach with free parking, a playground, boat/kayak access and daily hours from 6 am to 10 pm, located at 8862 Midnight Pass Road, Sarasota.

Turtle Beach is the southernmost beach on Siesta Key, offering a more natural,low key experience than the famous white sand of Siesta Key Beach

What the beach offers

Quieter and less crowded than Siesta Beach

Coarser,darker sand easier for shelling

Shallow water extending far offshore

No life guards

Park Amenities

Playground, picnic area and shelters with grills

Rest rooms and outdoor showers

Volley Ball courts and Pickle ball

Fishing areas

Boat ramps and kayak/canoe launch into Blind Pass Lagoon

Parking and access

Free onsite parking

Short walk from the lot to the beach

Free Siesta Key Trolley Stops at the Park

There is a 2 story building at downtown 27 Fletcher Sarasota

27 Fletcher Avenue in downtown Sarasota, Fl. 34285 has a long and varied business history, from.early 20th century industrial uses to a high profile pizzeria and now a multimillion dollar retail opportunity Early corporate and industrial uses to

Public filings show that in 1970’s–1980’s, this address was used by several.Florida registered corporations, including:

Foreign Car Specialist of Sarasota Inc (1975)

Burns and Walker Crane and Equipment, Inc (1985). . .. Mechanics System, Inc (1983)

Mareron Productions, Inc (1986)

The Breakers, Inc, Treatment Center (1986)

R.D. Publishing, Inc (1986)

Sarasota Farm Investors, Inc. (1987)

Progressive Computer System and Services, Inc (1985)

Who’s Who in Golf, Inc (1983)

Era and style

The building was constructed in 1925. The building reflects the early 20th century commercial style common in Sarasota’s core blending Craftsman influences with early Art Deco Motifs

Form and massing

It is a free standing, two story retail building with a rectangular, typical of small downtown commercial blocks from.the 1920s

Century of Progress Historic District

 The Century of Progress Historic District is a group of five innovative 1933 World’s Fair  houses in Beverly Stores , Indiana, preserved within Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

     Origins in the 1933-34 Chicago World’s Fair.

     The district’s history starts with the Century of Progress International Exposition, held in Chicago from May 1933 to November 1934 to celebrate the city’s centennial and showcase scientific and technological innovation during the Great Depression.

     The fair emphasized modern technology, experimental materials and futuristic designs, offering hope economic hardship.

     The ” Homes of Tomorrow” exhibition displayed 12 model houses demonstrating affordable, mass producible construction, new mechanical systems and modernist styles.  Relocation may Beverly Shores 

  Real estate developer Robert Bartlett purchased these houses from the fair and transported them to a new resort community on the Indiana shores of Lake.Michigan.  Four were moved by barge in 1935.and one(Cypress Log Cabin) by.truck.  Bartlett hoped the striking, futuristic homes would attract buyers to Beverly Shores.

The Five Houses

The district includes:

     Cypress Log Cabin-rustic appearance appearance with modern.amenities

     House of Tomorrow – a futuristic protype home

     Armco-Ferro Houses built from enamel steel and porcelain, designed for mass production.

     Florida Tropical Homes commissioned by  the State of Florida to promote tourism

      Weibolt -Rostone House constructed with limestone,shale, alkali and steel.beams

Design Single rectangular form with clean lines. Composed of square/rectangular rooms

Materials

     Exterior and most interior surfaces covered with Reston an experimental manufactured stone.

Roof: flat

Windows: Minimal

Notable features: 

     Demonstrated synthetic  stone construction

Architect Walter Scholer

Cypress Log.Cabin

Design:

     Rustic , log cabin appearance with exposed with exposed rafters,simple layout.

Materials 

     Cypress wood siding mimicking hewn logs without the cost or labor of real logs.

     Roof: Flat 

     Notable features

Showcase pecky  cypress as a modern durable siding material

     Architect Murray D. Hetherington

      Florida Tropical Home embodied modernist tropical.  It was constructed using materials native to Florida.  The stucco exterior was complimented by an open interior plan and large windows to integrate the interior  and outdoor living spaces. The flat roof extended the living area with terraced outspaces, creating a seamless connection with the exterior environment.  The home’s vivid flamingos pink color highlights its regional identity while reflecting the embrace of bold color schemes.  The house was sponsored by the state of Florida and designed by Robert Law Weed

Armco Ferro 212 Lakefront. Drive Beverly.Shores, IN.Architect Scholer,Walter et al

Historical Significance

The district is significant for its architectural innovation, technological advance, and in promoting  modern living ideals during the Depression.  Even 90 years later, the homes retain.a modern, futuristic  character, making them.a unique blend of history and design

     House of Tomorrow was designed by architect Fred Keck. It was a futuristic glass walled model home.showcased at the 1933-1934 Chicago World Fair.

     Key Architectural and Technological Innovations

Floor to Ceiling glass featured expansive glass plate glass exterior walls providing sweeping, modern sight lines

     Climate Control

Included one of the earliest residential central.air conditioning systems

     Futuristic Appliances

Outfitted with the first ever General.Electric dishwasher and ice less refrigerator.

     

     The Niles, Michigan Railroad Station is located at 598 Dey Street.  It opened in 1892 as a Michigan Central Depot.  It was designed by architects Spiers and Rohns.  It is noted for its Richardsonian, Romanesque architecture, brownstone construction and a prominent clock tower manifactured by Howard Brothers of Boston.

     Cultural Note

The depot was used as a filming location for several movies including Only the Lonely, Continental Divide and Midnight Run.

     Architectural Features

Style is Richardsonian,Romanesque (features heavy masonry, broad arches, and complex roof lines) using  rock faced brown sand stone from Carroll, Ohio

     Clock tower

60-65 feet tall with 5 foot in diameter clock face

     Interior

OrIginally included a waiting room with a fireplace, a smoking room, a dining room , stained glass windows, carved oak trim and brass/terra cotta detailing

     Layout

3 main sections; baggage area, central lobby/ dining room, smoking room, circular waiting room.

     Historical Significance

Purpose built to impress travelers to the 1893 Worlds Fair Columbian Exposition

Gardens designed by John Gipner. Featured were green house flower beds, walkways and a fish pond.

Each passenger received a fresh flower earning Niles the nickname, “Garden City”  The greenhouses were removed in 1935.

    Railroad context

The depot served as a major stop on the Michigan Central main line.

     Historic  status

Listed on.the National.Register. of Historic Places in 1972 and the Michigan State Register in 1992

     Renovation

Upgraded in 1988. Received external rehabilitation in 2003.

     Current use

It is an active Amtrak station served by the Wolverine and Blue Water line
.

 

     Drier’s  Meat Market has been a cornerstone of 3 Oaks, Michigan serving the community as a family owned butcher shop for.over 150 years.

   Dewey Cannon

    The Dewey Cannon is a historic Spanish Bronze cannon now located in Dewey Cannon Park in 3 Oaks, Berrien County, Michigan. and designated as a Michigan Registered Historic Site.

     Origins and capture.

     The cannon was originally mounted on Corregidor Island in the Spanish Colonial Harbor of Manila Bay. In May,1898, during the Spanish American War, the U.S. forces under Commodore George Dewey captured the island after the battle of Manila Bay.  The cannon was at least 30 years old and already obsolete, was taken as a prize of war. It was renamed in Dewey’s honor.

     Fund raising contest

      After its capture, the cannon was shipped to the U.S. and displayed in San Francisco.  The National Monument Committee of New York offered it as a trophy to the community that raised the most money per capita toward a memorial for the sailors who died when the U.S. Maine exploded in 1898.

     3 Oaks Victor

     The town of 3 Oaks with about $1400–the largest per person contributions of any community at the time.  This sum was equivalent to over $54,000 in 2020 dollars. The town pledged a square block for a park for the cannon.

     

     Lakeside Inn was established in the early 20th century in Lakeside, Michigan.  It is a historic hotel overlooking. Lake Michigan, recognized for its architectural charm and cultural significance.

     Early History

     The Lakeside In is located at 15251 Lakeshore Road in Lakeside, Michigan. The property was first purchased in 1844 by Alfred and Mary Ames, Vermont natives who settled in the area. By the 1890’s,Lakeside had become a popular summer resort destination for visitors, particularly from Chicago, benefiting from its scenic location and good railroad connections.

     Establishment of the Inn

     In 1901 , John J. and Nancy Aylsworth acquired land including the site of the current  Inn.  The Inn was constructed around the early 1910’s with the first documented operations by 1915.  Initially, several cottages were built alongside the main inn. After John’s death in 1917, Nancy transferred the Inn to their son Arthur Aylsworth who.added significant expansion. By 1930 the Inn offered recreational amenities such as golf, tennis, swimming, and was temporarily renamed the Lakeside Park Country Club, requiring membership.    

     Cultural Significance

     During the 1930s and 1940s, Lakeside Inn hosted Chicago orchestras and became a hub for entertainment in the region. The Inn once featured its own zoo and extensive gardens.  Fromn 1968 to 1994, the building was repurposed as the Lakeside Center for the Arts, attracting artists nationwade.

     Restoration and Modern Era

     In 1995, Devereux Bowly,  a Chicago Lawyer restored Lakeside Inn to its 1920s appearance, reviving its historic charm while maintaining it as a functioning hotel. Today , it is owned and managed by Bowly’s family.and continues to.operate with 31 guest rooms, and a grand ballroom., and a 100 foot porch overlooking Lake.Michigan, and  private beach.

     Architectural Style

     The inn is a two and one half to three story wood framed structure with a broad front , side-gabled roof and clapboard exterior. A pair of cross gables face Lake Michigan,complemented by an open shed roof veranda that spans the entire front facsde, reflecting the classic Craftsman focus  emphasis on horizontal lines and outdoor porches.  Shed roof corners and exposd rafter ends on the eaves contribute to its Arts and Crafts detailing
     Interior Elements.

     Inside, the inn features a large cobblestone fireplace in the main lobby and additional stone fireplaces in the dining/ballroom area, showcasing the Craftsman styles focus on natural materials and craftsmanship.  Rich wooden pillars and furnishings reminiscent  of the early 20\th century further support  the Craftsman aesthetic.

The Wilkinson Heritage Museum preserves the history of Wilkinson family and the Lakeside area in.1850 historic  building originally built by John.Wesley Wilkinson.

     Origins and Founding

The Wilkinson Heritage Museum is located at 15300 Red Arrow Highway in.Lakeside, MI.and is housed in a historic building dating back to.1850. The structure was originally a trading post.built by.John Westley Wilkinson, the founder of Lakeside reflecting. the early settlement and commercial activity in the region.  The building  retains its original hand-hewn beams and mortise  and tenon construction showcasing 19th century craftmenship.

     Museum Collections

     The museum collection focuses on both Wilkinson family legacy and the broader heritage of Lakeside.  Exhibits include early photographs of the area, Civil War letters, period dolls, furniture, clothing and jewelery, providing a tangible connection to the lives of early settlers. These artifacts highlight the social, cultural, and economic history of the region, offering visitors insight into the daily life in the 19th and early 20th century.

     Historical Significance

    The museum not only preserves the Wilkinson family legacy but also emphasizes the interrelationship between the area’s people, land and waters, including the recognition of the Anishinaabek/Odawa and Ojibwe communities.  It serves as a center for learning and appreciation of local history, promoting awareness of the region’s settlers and indigenous heritage.

     Preservation and Community Role

     Operated by the Wilkinson Homestead Society, a nonprofit organization, the museum relies on memberships and donations to maintain and restore the historic building and its collections.  It functions as both as a historical site and an educational resource, hosting exhibits and programs that celebrate Lakeside’s past.

 

Michigan City’s minor league baseball history is centered on the Michigan City White Caps, a franchise that played in the Midwest League from 1956-1959 and featured Juan Marichal , A future Hall of Famer..

     Overview

     Michigan City, Indiana briefly hosted a professional minor league baseball in the late 1950’s.  The city’s baseball team was the Michigan City White Caps.  It competed in Midwest League from 1956–59.  The minor league team.in Hannibal, Missouri ( the Hannibal Citizens/Stags) faced financial collapse in 1955.  The player manager Al Shinn, whose in laws lived near Michigan City, Indiana proposed moving the team there.  On November 28, 1955,the league directors approved  Michigan City as a new franchise for the 1956 season.

      The team name “White Caps” referenced the white created waves of Lake Michigan

     Ames Field.

     Ames field was constructed in 1939 as a 4,000 seat multipurpose stadium with a capacity of 4,000.  It was built by the WPA in the Great Depression. It quickly became a focal point for local athletic activities.  It hosted the inaugural Michigan  City High School.Devils football game on September 15, 1939.  It also supported  semi professional baseball including the Michigan City Clubs in the 1990’s.

     Ames field became the home of the White Caps.  The field was renovated for the minor league team.  A new press box was built, as well as a new score board.  Foul ball screens and fresh paint was added. .