Place:Sarasota, Florida, United States

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source: Family History Library Catalog

the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia

Sarasota County is located in southwest Central Florida on the Gulf Coast. At the 2020 US census, the population was 434,006. Its county seat is Sarasota and its largest city is North Port. Sarasota County is part of the North Port–Sarasota–Bradenton, FL metropolitan statistical area.

History

the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia

The area that is now known as Sarasota County has been inhabited by humans for some 10,000 years. Evidence of human remains as well as a burned out log at the Warm Mineral Springs, in North Port, were discovered that date to the early Archaic period.

Although the name was associated with the area from the beginning of European contacts, the origin of the name "Sarasota" is unknown. Some believe a fanciful story created for a popular early twentieth-century pageant held in Sarasota, that it was named after the daughter of famous explorer Hernando de Soto's daughter Sara.

An early map of the area from 1763 shows the word "Zarazote" across present day Sarasota.

Following exploration, the area was occupied by fishing camps, called ranchos. In 1842, the Armed Occupation Act was passed, which deeded land to settlers who were willing to cultivate land in Florida. The act brought settlers to Sarasota but also led to the Second Seminole War. During the war, the area was occupied by the U.S. army and Fort Armistead was built.

Sarasota County was created in 1921 from the southern part of Manatee County. After acquisition by the United States as a territory, the area now included in Sarasota county had been part of St. Johns County (1821), Alachua County (1824), Hillsborough County (1834), and Manatee County (1855) as new counties were created from older counties to accommodate population growth and settlement in new areas.

Timeline

Population History

source: Source:Population of States and Counties of the United States: 1790-1990

Note: After 1950 some sparsely settled portions of Manatee and Sarasota were annexed to DeSoto, but these changes were reversed after 1960.

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Sarasota County, Florida, United States

Research Tips

External links

www.co.sarasota.fl.us/