Owen Burns (1869 - 1937)
Posted by: 
TaoZero
N 27° 19.883 W 082° 32.325
17R E 347772 N 3024078
Owen Burns was a landmark figure in the building of the city of Sarasota. This marker dedicated to his legacy stands at the historic Burns Court Herald Square.
Waymark Code: WM9KQ9
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 08/30/2010
Views: 17
Owen Burns was one of Sarasota's most distinguished citizens and connected with virtually every early development of the city. He first came to Sarasota on vacation from Chicago in 1910 and decided to make it his home. He purchased more than 75% of the land area of the city, making him the largest landowner. Burns helped organize the Sarasota Board of Trade in 1911, was instrumental in founding the first locally owned bank, and was a leader in the push to divide Sarasota County from Manatee County in 1921. His other activities included the effort to have the city's first streets paved and the construction of Sarasota's first seawalls. He oversaw the development of the bayfront subdivision of Cedar Point and Sunset Park and of Washington Park, just east of this site. His Burns Construction Company built the Ringling causeways connecting Sarasota to St. Armands Key and Lido Key. At one time he owned all of Lido Key. He was initially involved with John Ringling in the development of St. Armands and John Ringling Estates. During the 1920's, his construction firm was responsible for the construction of some of Sarasota's most notable buildings, including John and Mable Ringling's home, Ca'd'zan.
Marker Number: None
Date: None
County: Sarasota
Marker Type: City
Sponsored or placed by: The City of Sarasota
Website: [Web Link]
|
Visit Instructions:
In your log, please say if you learned something new, and if you took any extra time to explore the area once you stopped at the historic marker waymark.
Please post a photo at the marker location.
Recent Visits/Logs:
| There are no logs for this waymark yet. |
|
|
|