Pride in Gulf Gate
A Bit of Gulf Gate History
The Bispham family, who owned Bayside Dairy, sold their acreage in 1957 to First Development Corporation. February 1, 1963, the Gulf Gate Community Association, Inc. was founded as a deed-restricted community. The developer opened its office at 2100 Gulf Gate Drive where prospective buyers could choose from many different single-family, ranch-style house plans.
At one time, almost every yard had citrus trees, and when the fruit was ready for picking, the excess was often-times put at the curb for anyone to take. Unfortunately, canker wiped out most of the backyard citrus in the 1990s.
More about Gulf Gate in this May 2011 article from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Late 1960s
Late 1960s
Photo Taken in 2018
Gulf Gate is a Few Minutes From Siesta Key Beach
The following information on the history of Gulf Gate is From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Siesta Beach (sometimes known as Siesta Key Beach) is a beach located on Siesta Key in the U.S. state of Florida.
Unlike beaches elsewhere that are made up mostly of pulverized coral, Siesta Beach's sand is 99% quartz, most of which comes from the Appalachian Mountains. Over time the feldspar and mica have been removed from the rock, leaving almost pure quartz. Even on the hottest days, the sand is so reflective that it feels cool underfoot. According to Harvard University geologists, it's estimated that the sand on Siesta Beach and Crescent Beach on Siesta Key is millions of years old, having its origin in the Appalachians and flowing down the rivers from the mountains until it eventually was deposited on the shores of Siesta Key.
The southern portion of Siesta Beach is alternatively called Crescent Beach, which extends to the sea wall and Point of Rocks, an area with coral and active marine life.
Siesta Beach is not only long, but also expansively wide, especially around the Siesta Key Beach Pavilion section. The beach is so wide the city installed walking mats to help beachgoers get to the shore, where they can then walk on firmer wet sand.
History
Up until the 20th century, Siesta Key was virtually vacant and was referred to as Clam Island, Little Sarasota Island, or Sarasota Key. The Island was not connected to the city
of Sarasota in any way, so the only way to get to and from the island was by boat. It had deep vegetation, snakes of all varieties (including all of the venomous ones found in the United States - rattlesnakes, copperheads, water moccasins and coral snakes), sand fleas, wildcats and wild boars.
It remained that way until 1906 when Mr. and Mrs. Roberts opened the Roberts’ (or Siesta) Inn. This hotel became very popular for people who wanted a place to escape the cold winters of the north. The Roberts’ Inn also attracted many people because of Mrs. Roberts’ cooking (specifically her seafood dishes). Mr. Roberts teamed up with Mayor Harry Higel to create the Siesta Land Company, which formed Siesta Village and renamed the island Siesta Key around a year after he opened his hotel. In 1914, Higel opened his own hotel called Higelhurst and used his boat to transfer guests to and from the city. Higel also worked to get the Army Corps Engineers to build a bridge that would connect the key with the city of Sarasota. He was finally able to, and that bridge opened in 1917, which connected the northern part of the key with the city. In 1927, a second bridge opened at the southern end of the key on Stickney Point.
In 1954, Sarasota County first purchased property on the key for a public beach. Slowly, Siesta Key began to grow in population, and now around 350,000 tourists visit it every year.
Enjoy a Walkable Neighborhood
Gulf Gate has a speed limit of 25 miles per hour on all roads and most streets in Gulf Gate have sidewalks on both sides of the street just like in the old days. Also, sidewalks typically have grass medians between the sidwalk and the street.
Some Typical Homes in Gulf Gate
Award Winning Library
The following information about the Gulf Gate Library is From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The Gulf Gate Library opened in 1977, originally located in a storefront on Gateway Avenue. On December 5, 1983, the library opened its doors on Curtis Avenue.
After much wear and tear over the years, the Friends of the Gulf Gate Library raised funds to build a new library. The library shut down in 2013 and temporarily relocated for two years to the Sarasota Square Mall.
The new library re-opened to the public on January 24, 2015, at its old location on Curtis Avenue. Upon its re-opening, the library received Reader's Digest's "Most Impressive" award for the state of Florida in their "The Most Impressive Library in Every State" article.
Library History
The Sarasota Town Improvement Society established its first library in 1907. The libraries were established to meet the demands and needs of the community. Over the years the system increased in size, and today there are eleven library branches associated with Sarasota County Public Library System. These help their community in many different ways, from free membership for locals, to books, tutoring, and lectures from different authors, historians, and businesses. Non-residents can purchase library cards and gain the same privileges.
Every library provides patrons with adult, teen, and children's materials, along with computers for public use and WiFi access. Sarasota County residents have access to Book-By-Mail service and Pinellas Talking Book Library. Through the latter, "residents of all ages who are unable to read standard print material due to visual, physical, or learning disabilities are provided recorded, Braille, and large-print books and magazines as well as a collection of descriptive videos and playaways." Selby Library has been a selective depository in the Federal Depository Library Probgram since 1970, and currently receives approximately 50 percent of the government publications distributed through the program.
The Sarasota County Library System carefully selects materials for its branches. The system has a wide range of materials available to its patrons, chosen based on the Collection Development Policy. These materials are selected by professional librarians using professional review sources. The system also takes recommendations from patrons.
In 2012, Sarasota was named "Florida Library of the Year" by the Florida Library Association. All the branches in the system helped contribute to winning the award.
Gulf Gate is Less than 2 Miles from the Legacy Trail
The legacy trail was originally built in 2008 and was over 10 miles long from Venice to Palmer Ranch Parkway where it meets McIntosh Road. Today the trail is being extended all the way to downtown Sarasota (Payne Park). Eventually the trail will be over 30 miles long.
The legacy trail was built on a railroad bed and is open from 6AM to sunset every day for walking, running, cycling etc. Visit SCGov.net for more information.
