Oral History Project - Sarasota.WaterAtlas.org

Lorraine Rife

Lorraine Rife has lived in the Sarasota area since her family moved to Anna Maria Island in 1924. She was one of the first lifeguards in Manatee County. She lived on Anna Maria until the early 1980s when she moved to southern Sarasota County. Lorraine has had many occupations over her long life, including: work at Singer Sewing Machine Company, civil service and real estate. Currently, Lorraine teaches quilting in addition to learning Greek and Hebrew.

Crystal Kersey Interviewer

Crystal is a fourth year anthropology student at New College and a native Floridian. She was drawn to this project by her interest in local history, photography and storytelling.

Herman Johnson on the Adjustment of Moving from Georgia to Sarasota

Herman Johnson

Herman Johnson was born in 1961, in Eastman, Georgia. He was the son of a farmer, who eventually came to Sarasota at the age of 19. He's spent his adult life contributing to the city, first working on the Hyatt condos, then as a marble worker and finally at New College of Florida. Herman enjoys spending time with his family in Eastman and Sarasota, and is happily married with many grandchildren. On weekends, you may catch Herman fishing with his grandson around the Sarasota area.

Nick Manting-Brewer Interviewer

Nick is a 4th year student at New College, originally from Augusta, Georgia. He studies visual anthropology and his interests include filmmaking, oral history, exercise, and fitness. His future plans include as PhD in Visual Anthropology and research in Thailand and Hawaii.

Richard Braren Recounts the History of the Diverse Uplands Community

Richard Braren

Richard Braren is a long time resident of Sarasota, whose family came to the area in the 1950s to develop one of the area's working class neighborhoods, locally known as the uplands. While his father built a great deal of the houses in Siesta Key, North Gate and Bayshore, Richard grew up engrossed fully in Sarasota's environs, discovering early a passion for the water that woduld eventually lead him to a career with the Navy and a life of boat building and racing. This love brought him back to Sarasota where he would settle down and practice law. Today, Richard resides in the house his father built all those years ago and enjoys taking in the luscious sunsets over the bay where access is still permitted for Uplands residents to this day.

Andrew Hess Interviewer

Andrew Hess is a fourth-year student at New College who is concentrating his studies on history. He is interested in the ways society and culture intersect with environmental issues in our communities. He is currently working on his senior thesis, an assessment and analysis of the burgeoning practice of "sensory history."

Allan Horton recounts his lifelong experiences sailing and writing

Allan Horton

Allan Horton was born in Palma Sola in Manatee County, Florida, and later moved to Sarasota. Throughout his life, he has always had boats and even as a child helped repair and build boats. Allan has worked as a journalist, cowboy, merchant seaman, legislative aid, and was enlisted in the Army, among other occupations. He wrote for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune for 24 years, and fought for Sarasota to adopt environmental protection standards before allowing the phosphate mining industry in Polk County to expand here. He also wrote editorials opposing the use of entanglement nets, and briefly wrote a "Waterlines" column for the Pelican. Allan's father was the engineer of record for the original design of the Sunshine Skyway bridge; when a freighter collided with the bridge, Allan was there to report on it. He continues to sail, and volunteers for the maritime history program at Historic Spanish point, where he builds and interprets boats from the pioneer period.

Puneet Sandhu Interviewer

Puneet is in her third year at New College of Florida, pursuing a Natural Science degree. She is active in journalism, which to her represents an enduring means to inform, inspire, and vex the world. Puneet was drawn to this oral history project by the opportunity to explore the many different perspectives on life in the same town, in the same time. After graduation, she plans to focus on journalism and the ways that the media influence societal perspectives on every aspect of life.

George Luzier talks about the craft of building beautiful wooden boats

George Luzier

George Luzier was born in Sarasota in 1924. Growing up during the Depression years instilled in George a build-it-yourself mentality. At age 11 he had already built his first wooden sailboat, and throughout his teenage years he would build many more. When WWII came along George enlisted as a Merchant Marine, where he would earn his Captain's license. After the war was over, George returned to Sarasota, met his future wife Carolyn, and built his own house out of pecky cypress. After a few years captaining large freighters, George decided to start a company with his brother Homer building wooden boats in Sarasota. George, throughout the course of his career, has built hundreds of beautifully crafted wooden sailboats and motorboats, earning a reputation as one of the best wooden boat builders around. At 86 years old, George is still at it, building boats five days a week and sailing with his wife Carolyn whenever he gets the chance.

Casey Schelhorn Interviewer

Casey is a student at The New College of Florida, and a proud resident of Sarasota. He is interested in the power of capturing and telling the stories of others. This pursuit, he believes, can strengthen communities by preserving living memories and providing a window into the past. When not in school, Casey and friends are renovating a house which will become field headquarters for future projects.

Patrick Murphy recalls the formation of the Sarasota Sailing Squadron

Patrick Murphy

Patrick Murphy has lived in the Sarasota area since the late 1940s. He has been involved in the Sarasota Sailing Squadron almost as long. He has served as both Commodore and manager of the Squadron, and is credited with greatly expanding the club's membership. He retired as club manager in 2008 after more than 25 years, but continues to volunteer there. Besides managing the Sailing Squadron, Murphy taught at Sarasota Public Schools.

Willis Schueler Interviewer

Willis Schueler is a student at New College of Florida orginally from Olympia, Washington. He is planning to major in Economics. He enjoys cycling, exploring nature, and baseball. He has also had a long time interest in oral history and is glad he was able to explore it in this project.

John Rivers discusses the fight for social equality and justice in Sarasota

John Rivers

John Rivers is the former president of the NAACP's Sarasota Branch. He moved to Sarasota from Mobile, Alabama in 1951 in search of work to support his family. Instead, Mr. Rivers found himself in the midst of a struggle for racial equality. In the 1950s and 1960s, Sarasota was plagued with segregation, including the segregation of local beaches. Mr. Rivers took on the challenge of the fight for integration, and became a leader in the Civil Rights Movement in Sarasota. Mr. Rivers acted as a leading force in ensuring that anyone, regardless of race, could enjoy the beauty of Sarasota's beaches.

Kortney Lapeyrolerie Interviewer

Kortney Lapeyrolerie is a student at New College of Florida. She is currently a third year, and is studying anthropology. Kortney strongly believes that there are meanings in spoken words that could never be conveyed in written words alone. She thinks that this project is proof of that fact. Kortney will continue carrying out oral history projects in the future.

Juan Rodriguez has surfed around the world—and back home to Sarasota

Juan Rodriguez

Juan Rodriguez is a legendary surfboard builder and life long surfer born and raised in Sarasota. As a young boy, Juan was always interested in building, crafting, and working with his hands. He started fixing surfboards early in his adolescence and surfed at local spots like Lido Key and Crescent Beach. His passion for surfing led to years of international travel and adventure. For Juan, these experiences have shaped his life and fostered a deep respect for the world's oceans. Juan Rodriguez is the owner of One World Surf Designs in Sarasota. He has no current plans to retire.

Kaitlyn Bock Interviewer

Kaitlyn Bock is originally from Philadelphia but has lived on Florida's west coast since 2003. Over the years, she has developed a strong attachment to Florida's natural lands and wildlife. Kaitlyn believes that an understanding of history can deepen our love for the land. By capturing local stories from Sarasota's residents, Kaitlyn hopes to share the area's historical knowledge and sense of place with the community.

Randall Wells talks about Mote's Dolphin Research Program

Randall Wells

Dr. Randall Wells is a Senior Conservation Scientist with Chicago Zoological Society and a Senior Scientist with Mote Marine Laboratory. He played a vital role in establishing Mote's renowned Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, the world's longest running dolphin study. Along with other scientists and researchers, Dr. Wells has discovered and tracked residency patterns of Sarasota Bay's bottlenose dolphin population. His efforts have also succeeded in building up Sarasota's appreciation and conservation of its marine mammals.

Jenica Leahy Interviewer

Jenica Leahy is a third year Classics student at New College. An interest in Ancient Greek orality led to a further interest in Sarasota's oral history project, as she wished to explore the implications of the oral narrative in modern day interviews. This project allowed Jenica to step out of her comfort zone and explore beyond the Ancients.

Karen Bell shares stories of growing up in the Cortez Fishing Village and her successful seafood company

Karen Bell

Karen Bell was born and raised in the fishing village of Cortez and comes from a long line of fisherfolk. After attending college on Florida's East Coast, she returned to help run her family's seafood businesses. She came back to Cortez because she appreciates the history and strong work ethic of the industry, but sees challenges and changes in its future.

Anna Hamilton Interviewer

Anna Hamilton hopes to tell stories wherever they may lurk. She is currently in her last year at New College of Florida and majoring in the Humanities. Her senior thesis deals with documentary radio programs. Anna intends to pursue this interest in a graduate school.

Thomas Fulford, commonly known as Blue, is among the last members of a long legacy of commercial fishing on Florida's suncoast

Thomas Fulford

Thomas Fulford, more commonly known as Blue, is 87 years old and has lived in Cortez Florida his whole life. Blue learned to fish at an early age, a trade which supported him much the same as it had supported many generations of Fulfords before him. During Blue's career as a fisherman, he witnessed the enactment of legislation which banned the type of commercial fishing that had sustained his family and community for over a century. Blue portrays life as a fisherman on Florida's suncoast, and how that has changed over the course of his life.

Casey Schelhorn Interviewer

Casey is a student at The New College of Florida, and a proud resident of Sarasota. He is interested in the power of capturing and telling the stories of others. This pursuit, he believes, can strengthen communities by preserving living memories and providing a window into the past. When not in school, Casey and friends are renovating a house which will become field headquarters for future projects.

Linda Mansperger discusses the early settlers of Historic Spanish Point

Linda W. Mansperger

Linda W. Mansperger is the Executive Director of Gulf Coast Heritage Association, Inc., the not-for-profit organization that owns and operates Historic Spanish Point. As the Executive Director of Gulf Coast Heritage Association since 1985, Linda manages the restoration and interpretation of Historic Spanish Point, one of Florida's premier historic sites. With 30 acres overlooking Little Sarasota Bay, the site preserves and interprets 5,000 years of southwest Florida history. Open daily, Historic Spanish Point welcomes 28,000 visitors annually including 4,000 school children participating in curriculum-based field trips. The museum is accredited by the American Association of Museums.

Justin Quinn Interviewer

Justin Quinn is a graduate student studying cultural anthropology at The University of Florida, and a recent graduate of New College of Florida. Originally from Connecticut, his family has been in the area since the mid-1980s, and he himself has been living here since 2003. He specializes in the anthropology of development and tourism, two issues of significance for the counties' water resources, both of which sparked an interest in his participation in this project.

Dr. Mary Jelks, Friend of the Myakka River

Dr. Mary Jelks

Dr. Mary Jelks has earned the nickname "Myakka Mary" for the amount of time and money she has spent in service to the river and park. In 1961 Dr. Jelks moved to Sarasota with her husband, Allen to start their pediatric allergy practice. In addition to practicing medicine, Dr. Jelks has collected daily pollen counts from her home for over forty years. She founded the Friends of the Myakka in 1993 and has been an active member of many different environmental groups in the area. In 1994 Dr. Jelks and her family formed the Jelks Family Foundation, an organization with a focus on conservation of natural resources, helping the county to purchase the 614-acre Jelks Preserve along the Myakka River. She is deeply committed to Sarasota, which she believes "is a view of paradise."

David Anderson Interviewer

David Anderson is a recent graduate from the New College of Florida. His senior thesis, an oral history website on Catoctin Quaker Camp, reflects his confidence in the power of new media to make the rewards of oral history more accessible to the broader community. This same principle, along with his great respect and admiration for Sarasota, drew him to this project. As a true believer in the importance of oral narrative, Anderson plans to continue gathering and telling stories, all the while encouraging others to do the same.

Buster Longino discusses a lifetime of ranching, conservation and public service in Sarasota County

Buster Longino

Buster Longino has lived in the Sarasota area since 1934. After graduating from the University of Florida with a degree in forestry, He returned to manage the 8,000 acre Longino Ranch in Eastern Sarasota County. The ranch is a diversified operation with cattle, timber products, and citrus among others being produced. There is a conservation easement and a mitigation bank on the property to preserve the natural areas of the ranch. He has also served on the board of the South West Florida Water Management District, The Manasota Basin Board, and as a Sarasota County Commissioner. He retired from day to day management of the ranch in 2005, but he and his wife, Jane, continue to live on the ranch.

Willis Schueler Interviewer

Willis Schueler is a student at New College of Florida orginally from Olympia, Washington. He is planning to major in Economics. He enjoys cycling, exploring nature, and baseball. He has also had a long time interest in oral history and is glad he was able to explore it in this project.

Jonnie Walker: A Lifetime on the Water

Captain Jonnie Walker

Jonnie Walker is a professional fishing guide in Sarasota, Florida. He moved to Sarasota as a kid in 1956, and has been fishing ever since. Over the years, he has seen many changes in Sarasota Bay as the coastline has been developed. He discusses the effects of dredging Sarasota Bay. Walker has been very active in Sarasota Bay projects. He is involved with the Coastal Conservation Association, the Sarasota Bay National Estuary Program, the Sarasota County Reef Committee, and served 8 years on the Natural Resources and Parks and Recreation Advisory Board of Sarasota County. He co-chairs an annual fishing event for the physically challenged. Jonnie likes to say: "take a kid fishing because someday he may take you."

Anastasia Sallen Interviewer

Anastasia "Tacy" Sallen is on the brink of graduating from New College of Florida. Majoring in anthropology, Sallen wrote her thesis on Sarasota's own Orange Blossom Community Garden. As a community gardening enthusiast, she is interested in community building and edible landscaping. Sallen plans to continue listening, and hopes to continue gathering stories and making her own.

Paula Benshoff discusses growing up in Sarasota and working as park ranger and naturalist at Myakka River State Park

Paula Benshoff

Paula Benshoff was born in Tampa but has lived in Sarasota since she was a young girl. She began working at Myakka River State Park in 1980 as a Park Ranger, and now 30 years later, holds the position Park Service Specialist. Paula has a deep love and appreciation for Florida's natural areas and is a strong advocate for land conservation. When she is not working on land management, Paula enjoys collecting oral histories from some of Sarasota's oldest residents.

Kaitlyn Bock Interviewer

Kaitlyn Bock is originally from Philadelphia but has lived on Florida's west coast since 2003. Over the years, she has developed a strong attachment to Florida's natural lands and wildlife. Kaitlyn believes that an understanding of history can deepen our love for the land. By capturing local stories from Sarasota's residents, Kaitlyn hopes to share the area's historical knowledge and sense of place with the community.

Dr. Ernest Estevez discusses Sarasota Bay's entry into the National Estuary Program

Dr. Ernest Estevez

Dr. Ernest Estevez received his Ph.D. from the University of South Florida and is currently the Director of the Center for Coastal Ecology at Mote Marine Laboratory, which he joined in 1979. Dr. Estevez has conducted ecological studies in three dozen Florida rivers and bays, and has worked for decades to link science and estuarine resource management programs throughout the state. A past president of the Florida Academy of Sciences and the Myakka Conservancy, with whom he received a Governor's Council for Sustainable Florida Award, Dr. Estevez is also the recipient of a Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of South Florida, and the Eugenie Clark Scientific Explorers Award.

Justin Quinn Interviewer

Justin Quinn is a graduate student studying cultural anthropology at The University of Florida, and a recent graduate of New College of Florida. Originally from Connecticut, his family has been in the area since the mid-1980s, and he himself has been living here since 2003. He specializes in the anthropology of development and tourism, two issues of significance for the counties' water resources, both of which sparked an interest in his participation in this project.

Steve Koski discusses living and working at the Little Salt Spring Ecological and Archaeological Preserve

Steve Koski

Steve Koski is a Research Associate with University of Miami and serves as an underwater archaeologist and site manager at Little Salt Spring. Steve came to Florida in 1985 as a graduate assistant from Arizona State University on a remote sensing survey with Dr. Rey Ruppe looking for submerged archaeological sites off Venice Beach.

Anna Hamilton Interviewer

Anna Hamilton hopes to tell stories wherever they may lurk. She is currently in her last year at New College of Florida and majoring in the Humanities. Her senior thesis deals with documentary radio programs. Anna intends to pursue this interest in a graduate school.

Tom Mayers describes growing up at "Land's End" on the north end of Longboat Key

Tom Mayers

Tom Mayers was born in Tampa in 1951, but grew up on the north end of Longboat Key at a family-owned marina called Land's End. Tom's experience around boats as a young child has since taken him around the world designing and sailing world-class boats. When he's not working on the building and design of the 54-foot cruising boat known as The Land's End, Tom might be doing work with the Historical Society, environmental consulting, or just fishing for dinner off his dock. Tom is also a New College alum, a mangrove expert, and a local historian.

Casey Schelhorn Interviewer

Casey is a student at The New College of Florida, and a proud resident of Sarasota. He is interested in the power of capturing and telling the stories of others. This pursuit, he believes, can strengthen communities by preserving living memories and providing a window into the past. When not in school, Casey and friends are renovating a house which will become field headquarters for future projects.

Senator Bob Johnson talks about life on the Myakka River