Gillespie
Gillespie
Gillespie Park honors John Hamilton Gillespie, first Mayor of Sarasota. The Scottish-born aristocrat arrived in 1886 as agent for his father, Sir John Hamilton Gillespie of Edinburgh, a principal in Florida Mortgage and Investment Co., which filed the Town of Sarasota plat in 1886. This land was part of the town’s experimental farm. Gillespie designed a golf course in 1886. He secured funds for the dredging of a Sarasota Bay channel in 1888, and built a hotel on Main Street. When Sarasota was incorporated in 1902, Gillespie was elected mayor. He died in 1923 and was buried in the town’s Rosemary Cemetery.
Gillespie Park Subdivision was platted in 1917. In 1924, Sarasota developer Owens Burns sold a parcel to the city for a park. During the Florida land boom, a $75,000 bond issue funded development of lawn bowling, tennis courts and a playground. In 1925, it won a national beautification award. The park supported a natural history museum, Brumby Lake, a lakeside walkway, and footbridge. In 1977, a Gallery of patriots installed in the park’s northwest corner featured such Western Hemisphere leaders as Abraham Lincoln, José Martí, Simón Bolívar, and Ingnacio Agramonte.
Courtesy of Sarasota History Alive
For more information visit:
City Guide
GILLESPIE
Big Olaf Creamery
561 N. Washington Boulevard
Dunkin Donuts
300 N. Washington Boulevard
First Class Dry Cleaners
1605 Fruitville Road
Fresh Start With A New Beginning
1936 7th Street
Gyros & Seafood Express
918 N. Washington Boulevard
India Artisans
1899 Fruitville Road
Infiniti Aesthetics, Inc
Physician Assistant providing Botox, Fillers, Kybella and Peels
1735A Fruitville Road
941-487-0188
Strong>www.infinitiaesthetics.com
Ionie Retreat & Vegan/Living Foods
Raw Food 100% Organic Vegan Café with an adjoining retreat offering, Advanced Rolfing, Massage, Saunas and much more
1241 Fruitville Road
941-955-4599
www.ionie.com
Joey’s Hair Studio
1618 N. East Avenue
Kam’s Bubble Tea & Sushi
1813 Fruitville Road
Keffie’s ecoChic Boutique
1837 Fruitville Road
Lancaster & Eure, PA
Attorneys
711 N. Washington Boulevard
941-365-7575
www.lancasterlawyers.com
Lindsay Lee Photography
1735 Fruitville Road
Popeyes Chicken #902
820 N. Washington Boulevard
Serbin Printing, Inc.
Offset & digital printing, graphics, publishing, direct mail marketing & direct mail
1500 N. Washington Boulevard
941-366-0755
www.serbinprinting.com
Soho Downtown
1843 Fruitville Road
The Artful Giraffe
1861 Fruitville Road
The Breakfast House
1817 Fruitville Road
The Cookie Cottage
335 Gillespie Avenue
The Courtyard Hair & Skin Care Studio
1559 Fruitville Road
The Crystal Cave
1899B Fruitville Road
The Hearing Spa
1416 Fruitville Road
The Tea House
1869 Fruitville Road
Two Amigos Restaurant
402 N. Washington Boulevard
Walgreen’s
1947 Fruitville Road
Yvette’s Health & Fitness Center
1743 Fruitville Road