history: “CIRCUS SARASOTA” MAINTAINS SARASOTA’S CIRCUS LEGACY
- 06/04/13 03:46 AM
“CIRCUS SARASOTA” MAINTAINS SARASOTA’S CIRCUS LEGACY Sarasota, at the time a small city on Florida’s Gulf Coast, became the center of the circus world in 1927. John Ringling, by 1927, was one of the world’s wealthiest men. He had purchased all his competitors, and his “Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus” really was the greatest show on earth. The circus had previously spent its winters in Bridgeport, Connecticut, but Ringling and his wife had been wintering in Sarasota since 1909. As Ringling became more involved in Sarasota-area new home development and civic affairs, the move became inevitable. After 1927, Sarasota … (3 comments)
Cecil B. DeMille created a number of motion picture masterpieces including the biblical epics of Samson and Delilah and The Ten Commandments. Yet the only DeMille film to win an Academy Award for Best Picture was 1952’s The Greatest Show on Earth, which also won for DeMille a Golden Globe Award for Best Director. But the city of Sarasota was the real winner. The Greatest Show on Earth was filmed mostly in Sarasota, and the city benefitted beyond measure from the national recognition and the positive publicity. Local newspapers printed daily reports regarding … (1 comments)
history: Postwar Growth and the Sara de Soto Pageant of 1948
- 04/24/13 04:34 AM
Postwar Growth and the Sara de Soto Pageant of 1948 Just after 1900, novelist George Chapline wrote a fictional story titled The Legend of Sara de Soto. The plot follows “Sara de Soto,” daughter of conquistadorè Hernando de Soto, as she accompanies her father to Florida and falls for a charismatic Seminole warrior. In real life, however, de Soto had no daughters, and it was the Calusa tribe, not the Seminoles, who were in Florida at the time. The legend nevertheless became popular in Sarasota, and by 1948 it became the basis for a festival that dominated the local chatter and … (0 comments)
history: The Remarkable History of the John Ringling Causeway
- 04/17/13 12:25 AM
The Remarkable History of the John Ringling Causeway You can reach Bird Key by water, or by air if you take a helicopter, but if you’re going to drive to Bird Key there’s only one way to get there: via John Ringling Causeway. It is a causeway – actually 3 causeways – with a long and famous history. These causeways are the primary reason that Bird Key ever emerged as a popular travel and home destination. In 1925, construction began on the initial Ringling Causeway. John Ringling purchased large amounts of acreage on what are now known as Longboat Key and Lido Key. He sought to develop these barrier … (0 comments)
history: Why Do They Call It "Sarasota"?
- 04/09/13 11:49 PM
Why Do They Call It "Sarasota"? It’s the name of a bay, a county, and a booming, exhilarating city, but no one knows how the name “Sarasota” originated. The name’s origin is a mystery and will likely remain so. What’s certain is that by the mid-1700s, “Zara Zote” was appearing on maps of southwest Florida, yet no one knows precisely why. Several theories have been put forth, but arriving at a sure answer has proven impossible.
The most prominent myth is the easiest to debunk; “Sarasota” is not named for Hernando DeSoto’s daughter Sara. The Legend of Sara Desoto … (1 comments)
Recently acquired by the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, it’s a 2-story mural that honors and celebrates the performers, history, and excitement of the American circus. At 42 by 22 feet, The Greatest Show on Earth is easily the largest art item at the Ringling and one of the most impressive murals anywhere. Lions, tigers, elephants, and several dozen circus performers are portrayed in action. To say The Greatest Show on Earth is … (4 comments)
“CIRCUS SARASOTA” MAINTAINS SARASOTA’S CIRCUS LEGACY Sarasota, at the time a small city on Florida’s Gulf Coast, became the center of the circus world in 1927. John Ringling, by 1927, was one of the world’s wealthiest men. He had purchased all his competitors, and his “Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus” really was the greatest show on earth. The circus had previously spent its winters in Bridgeport, Connecticut, but Ringling and his wife had been wintering in Sarasota since 1909. As Ringling became more involved in Sarasota-area new home development and civic affairs, the move became inevitable. After 1927, Sarasota … (3 comments)
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