The first building erected on the Edson Keith estate was the historic Keith farmhouse. It is reported that Edson Keith stayed in the farmhouse while overseeing his mansion being built. Edson Keith had, along with a law degree from Columbia, an engineering degree from Yale. While he hired Otis & Clark Architecs from Chicago to design his Italian Renaissance home, he had the farmhouse built by local craftsmen.
After the mansion was completed, the farmhouse became the residence of the farm and household workers. (Ask the docent, if you’re attending the weekly tour of the building on Wednesdays at 10:00 am, October to May, about how the mansion caused the downtown dock disaster!)
The farmhouse is one of the few existing wood-frame structures from the early 1900s in this area. It remains a vivid reminder of Sarasota’s origins and the people who helped build the community.
The exterior rehabilitation of its clapboard exterior was completed in 2010 and today, we are working to transform the house into an interpretive center featuring archaeological artifacts, educational exhibits, historical photos and memorabilia.
Iif you’re interested in helping us renovate please join us for History Day in the Park on Saturday March 25 2023. Or if you can’t, you can donate to help us bring this interpretive center to life for the community of Sarasota.
History Day in the Park 