Cherokee Park

Cherokee Park. It Started with a Wall/Legacy Preserved. (side 1) , Cherokee Park , It Started with a Wall , The founder of Cherokee Park, James C. Brown, commissioned master builder Leadley Ogden to erect the walls, gateposts and corner markers. They were constructed in the Mediterranean Revival style utilizing terra cotta block and were completed in 1925 as the earliest developments in Cherokee Park. Brown had grand plans for his Roaring 20s subdivision and the walls were its template. Born in Scotland, James C. Brown was a silk manufacturer before he arrived in Sarasota at the end of Florida's real estate boom. His vision was to create "Sarasota's most desirable community.” The community was named after the Cherokee rose, which is depicted on its gatepost mosaics. The first home was a Mediterranean-style estate that Brown built for himself. This was to be the first of many majestic homes and elite residents. To ensure an upscale neighborhood, Brown executed strict deed restrictions. However, Brown's vision did not materialize in the 1920s. In 1935, after the Florida Land Boom had collapsed and Cherokee Park had failed to develop, Brown eliminated most of the restrictions. It was not until after World War II that most of the homes were finally constructed., (side 2) , Cherokee Park , Legacy Preserved , In 1951, nearly 50 residents of Cherokee Park began a long-range program of beautification and improvements. They formed the Cherokee Park Association and began working with the city of Sarasota on plans for streetlights and plantings in the street medians. Over the next 43 years, the brick streets were repaved, gas lanterns were added atop the gateposts, streetlights were installed in the medians, live oaks and crape myrtles were planted in the medians, and the wall was repaired several times. In 1994, a history of Cherokee Park was published by Cherokee Park residents. By 2021, Cherokee Park boasted more than 90 homes. Many of the original houses had been replaced or redesigned. The result was a vibrant neighborhood of diverse architectural styles and residents. The streetlights and signs were replaced and the gas lanterns atop the gateposts were exchanged for electric ones. Shrubs and foliage were planted at the entrances. Through the work of its residents. Mr. Brown's vision for Cherokee Park was realized, but in a revised form with its historic legacy maintained in a chain of perpetuity stretching into the future.