Sarasota in Sarasota County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Whitaker Family/Gateway 2000 Executive Committee
Whitaker Family
William Henry Whitaker arrived in Sarasota Bay in the early 1840s. He built a cedar log cabin at “Yellow Bluffs,” part of nearly 200 acres he would acquire along the bay between Hog Creek and today’s Indian Beach Road. Initially a fisherman, Whitaker later added cattle and a citrus grove to his homestead.
Whitaker married Mary Jane Wyatt from Manatee in 1851. They raised eight children to adulthood. During the Third Seminole War, Whitaker joined a local militia unit. After their home was burned by the Seminoles, the Whitakers built their second home adjacent to the family cemetery on today’s 12th Street, east of the Tamiami Trail.
During the Civil War, Whitaker’s growing cattle herd provided beef for the Confederate forces. His family experienced hardships from the Union naval blockade and occasional raids for food. After the war, Whitaker helped facilitate the escape of Confederate Secretary of State, Judah P. Benjamin, from Sarasota Bay to the Bahamas.
The Whitakers and other early settlers provided food and shelter for the colonists who arrived from Scotland in 1885 to create a new town of Sarasota.
Gateway 2000 Executive Committee
The city of Sarasota salutes the Gateway 2000 Executive Committee for its efforts since 1987 to improve the North Tamiami Trail and its vision for the future of the area. This vision created the environment leading to the development of Whitaker Gateway Park. In accepting this honor, the Gateway 2000 Executive Committee expresses its appreciation to the Commissioners and staff of the city of Sarasota for their cooperation and support in making these improvements possible. The founding Chairman of Gateway 2000 was Dr. Arland F. Christ-Janer. Members of the Committee represent the following companies and organizations:
Indian Beach/Sapphire Shores Homeowners Association
Downtown Association of Sarasota
Ringling School of Art and Design
Hyatt Sarasota
Florida West Coast Symphony
New College Foundation
The Folsom Group
(Over)
Erected by Sarasota County Department of Historical Resources.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1885.
Location. 27° 21.018′ N, 82° 32.995′ W. Marker is in Sarasota, Florida, in Sarasota County. Marker is on Imperial Drive, 0.2 miles west of North Tamiami Trail (U.S. 41), on the right when traveling west. Marker is located at the pavilion in Whitaker Gateway Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1455 North Tamiami Trail, Sarasota FL 34236, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Yellow Bluffs (approx. ¼ mile away); Whitaker Cemetery (approx. ¼ mile away); Mary Wyatt Whitaker (approx. ¼ mile away); Crocker Memorial Church (approx. 0.3 miles away); Bidwell-Wood House (approx. 0.3 miles away); Municipal Auditorium Recreation Center and Hazzard Fountain (approx. half a mile away); Sarasota Garden Club (approx. 0.6 miles away); A Resting Place of Pioneer Families and Hidden Histories (approx. 0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Sarasota.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 21, 2018. It was originally submitted on August 21, 2016, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. This page has been viewed 400 times since then and 7 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 21, 2016, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.