Dedication ceremony planned for historical column

On Friday, the city will hold a dedication ceremony at Main Street and Gulf Stream Avenue to honor the new home of a historical column marking the 100th anniversary of Scottish settlers landing in Sarasota.

The column, which came from a church in Glasgow, Scotland, had been located on private property at 1400 Main Street. When property owner Chris Brown acquired the building this summer, he donated the column to the city.

The column, which was gifted from the city of Glasgow, was given to community representatives on the 100th anniversary of Sarasota’s settlement. The plaque that accompanies the column marks Dec. 28, 1885, as the date when 65 Glasgow Scots first settled in the city of Sarasota.

Although Brown suggested the column be placed in Five Points Park, the structure was ultimately moved to Main and Gulf Stream. According to a city press release, this location held a historical significance, and is adjacent to a Sarasota County historical marker denoting the landing of the Scots.

“Back in 1885, the area we now know as Main and Gulf Stream would have been the original landing site of the Scots,” said Cliff Smith, a city senior planner. “That would have been the water’s edge. So, from an historical perspective, it makes sense to relocate the piece there.”

The rededication ceremony will include bagpipes, an overview of Sarasota and Scotland’s history and remarks from Mayor Shannon Snyder and City Manager Tom Barwin. The event will be held at 2 p.m. at the northwest corner of Main Street and Gulf Stream Avenue.

Contact David Conway at [email protected].