March is Women’s History Month, a time to recognize and celebrate the contributions of influential women who have helped shape Sarasota’s history. Two women who come to mind are Bertha Honore Palmer and Rose Phillips Wilson.
Bertha Honore Palmer was a socialite and philanthropist who helped host the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 and is often recognized for her connections to European royalty. However, in Sarasota, this remarkable woman greatly impacted Sarasota County, where her business acumen stood out. When the business-savvy Palmer arrived in Sarasota in 1910, she recognized the potential in the swampy and mosquito-ridden land and purchased 140,000 acres of swampland.
Palmer then turned the land into a profitable venture for farming, ranching, and leisure, transforming Sarasota into the thriving community it is today. One of Palmer’s biggest accomplishments was establishing 15,000 acres of citrus farms, hunting grounds, and ranch land (now Myakka State Park). She also brought in cattle breeds best suited for their beef production and implemented livestock-raising practices that adhered to USDA research.
Rose Phillips Wilson was a newspaperwoman and proprietor of The Sarasota Times in the early 1900s. Wilson utilized the newspaper to advocate for causes she believed in, particularly the suffrage movement. Educated women on politics, Wilson was the first woman in Sarasota to register to vote when women in Florida were finally given the right to vote in 1920. She also fought for compulsory school attendance and advocated for separation from Manatee County. After the state legislature created Sarasota County, she was the person who received the telegram from Tallahassee announcing its succession.
The Historical Society of Sarasota County is an organization that has conserved our rich history. You can learn more about Bertha Palmer and Ruth Wilson and heritage history by visiting their website at www.hsosc.com
If you’re ever in the area, you can find them at 1260 12th Street, Sarasota.
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