Bird Key

An iconic and prestigious gem along Florida’s Gulf Coast, Bird Key not only stands out for its spectacular views and seclusion from the outer world, but also for being at the forefront of Sarasota’s boom in the early 1900’s, including one of the first two mansions ever built in the area.

In 1905, due to ailing health, Davidella (Davie for short) Worcester came down to Sarasota from her home in Cincinnati, Ohio. Along with several of her friends, she travelled by boat to Bird Key, at the time just a small barrier island only about 12.8 acres in size. In awe at the beauty of the island, Davie wrote back to her husband Thomas, who purchased the entire island the following year for just $2 an acre – a purchase worth roughly $850 in total today. In 1911, the Worcesters began construction on their estate, the New Edzell Castle, named after the ancestral home of Davie’s family in Scotland, the Edzell Castle. Unfortunately, she passed away in 1912 before its completion from continued worsening health.

After its official opening in February 1914, the Worcester family managed the estate until 1922, when famed circus magnate John Ringling purchased Bird Key with the intent of making it a winter White House for his friend and President of the United States, Warren G. Harding. Plans were scrapped, however, due to Harding’s death the next year, yet Ringling continued development on the island, constructing the Ringling Causeway in 1925 to connect Bird Key to mainland Sarasota. New Edzell Castle played host to many wealthy visitors until 1934, when Ringling’s sister Ida moved to the mansion.

Along with several of Ida’s children, the Ringlings would occupy the estate until its eventual demolition in 1959, when the Key was once again purchased – this time by developer Arvida Realty Inc. – in order to dredge and expand the island to 200 acres. One of the unique features of the newly built island was its implementation of underground electric utilities, something uncommon for the time that showed the development’s forward thinking.

The Key is also home to its very own Yacht Club, built right next to the site of the old castle. With over half of its properties on the waterfront, it’s an excellent spot for boating, especially because of the deep-water canals running through the community. Nestled in between Lido Key to the west and the mainland across from Sarasota Bay to the east, Bird Key has easy access to some of the best features of Sarasota: From the sugar sand shores of Lido Beach and boutique shopping at famed St. Armand’s Circle, to historic Downtown Sarasota, home to plenty of iconic destinations like Marina Jack, Selby Gardens, and the Van Wezel Theater, everything is just a short drive away!