Library News

In 1912, the newly organized Sarasota Yacht and Automobile Club purchased a 100-foot lot with a two-story boathouse on Cedar Point, now known as Golden Gate Point. At the time, Gulf Stream Avenue did not extend that far west and the low area was used mostly by fishermen and boat builders. Within a year, the Club had built a seawall out into Sarasota Bay and brought in fill to provide space for a driveway and luxurious landscaping. 

Soon after purchasing the Cedar Point property, the Club announced in the Sarasota Times that members had approved local architect Alex Bowning’s plans for their new clubhouse. Browning had arrived in Sarasota as a teenager. His family was among the colonists who came from Scotland in 1885. His design for the clubhouse featured two stories with a garage underneath for car storage. Porches were designed for both sides and the front of each story. The first floor included a 400-seat auditorium with a stage, and the second floor had banquet and private dining rooms, a billiard and pool room, pantry, bathrooms and five bedrooms for rent.

When the building was completed in fall 1913, the Sarasota Times reported some changes in design. The ground floor had changed to an enclosed basement with a gymnasium, bathroom and showers, and kitchen with a dumbwaiter to serve the second-floor dining area. The first floor contained a main room with fireplaces at either end, plus billiard and card rooms. The second floor included dining rooms, a library, a lounging room, and “one for ladies’ use.” On top was a 20-foot cupola, furnished with chairs and hammocks for enjoying the 360-degree view of Sarasota and the bay. The building was painted white with green trim, and the interior was plaster with dark green stained woodwork.

A dinner dance opened the Clubhouse on January 16, 1913. The newly formed Sarasota Brass Band, along with other instrumentalists, provided music for dancing, and prizes were awarded to winners of the game of Progressive 500. Invitations suggested attendees park their automobiles and carriages in an open lot between Park and Banana avenues, as the street outside was in poor condition. It was one of many in Sarasota that was still unpaved.

The Club soon experienced lean times. By May 1916, the Sarasota Times reported that it was reorganizing. Failure to pay the mortgage interest resulted in the Club having to vacate the building by the end of August. It then became home to the Sarasota Naval Militia until the United States entered the First World War the following spring and the militia left for the Charleston Naval Yards.

Shortly before the militia vacated the Sarasota Yacht and Automobile Club, John Ringling purchased the building. It was his first property acquisition not associated with his home, and it marked the beginning of his extensive investment in Sarasota real estate. In the early 1920s, the porches and ground floor open area were closed in and the clubhouse was converted into the Sunset Apartments. The building continued to serve this purpose until it was demolished in 1964.

The Sarasota Yacht and Automobile Club building is now only a memory, but many other historic Sarasota County buildings still stand. Visit SarasotaCountyHistory.org and select Historic Preservation to learn more about how the Department of Libraries and Historical Resources help preserve these important landmarks.