Who's who in East County?

Wherever people go in eastern Manatee County, one thing is certain.

History is all around them.

Parks, roads, schools and lakes often bear the name of famous former residents whose impact will be remembered forever.

Or not.

If you aren't familiar with some of the names attached to local landmarks, you probably aren't alone. Here is a refresher course on why those names were attached.

Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle, Sarasota

The first is an easy one since the park, which spans 600 acres and is visible from Interstate 75, was dedicated to Nathan Benderson in 2010. Benderson, who died in 2012, was a Buffalo, N.Y. native who built his company into a real estate giant and eventually moved its headquarters to Manatee County in 2004. He led East County-based Benderson Development for nearly 60 years and his developments have left an impressive imprint on the area. Besides his business savvy and his incredible vision for development, he had a passion for nonprofit organizations, such as Honor Animal Rescue, All Faiths Food Bank of Sarasota, and Jewish Family and Children's Services of the Suncoast. He loved organizations that focused on Jewish culture and he visited Israel 14 times throughout his life.

Lake Uihlein, Lakewood Ranch

Known for their foresight in buying land that led to the establishment of the 5,500-acre Lakewood Ranch master-planned community, the Uihlein family acquired the property in 1922 from John Schroeder, who was using his land as a timber plantation. Overall, the Uihlein family bought more than 48 square miles of land in Manatee and Sarasota counties. The Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, Inc., land eventually was used to graze cattle and to grow vegetables and citrus. The Uihleins were a prominent family in Milwaukee long before some family members came to Florida. Brothers Edward, August, Wilhelm and August Uihlein took over the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Co. in 1875 after the death of Schlitz, who was lost at sea. Although Schlitz is listed as the company's founder, August Krug, a relative of the Uihlein family, founded a restaurant and brewery that Joseph Schlitz eventually turned into Joseph Schlitz Brewing. Among the Uihleins who made an impact here in Lakewood Ranch were Robert Uihlein Jr., an avid polo player who has an annual Sarasota Polo Club tournament named in his honor. His son, Robin Uihlein, was club president of the Sarasota Polo Club and another son, Jamie, started the Polo Under the Palms event. Jamie Uihlein is a professional polo player who plays at the Sarasota Polo Club today. Lake Uihlein, which covers 141 acres, was named in honor of the family.

Mary Fran Carroll Bridge, Lorraine Road, Lakewood Ranch

The first CEO of Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, Mary Fran Carroll actually spent the majority of her career as a banker. She traveled to Sarasota in 1980 to explore the area for a bank client. Working for Northern Trust Co., in Chicago at the time. Carroll's first trip to what is today Lakewood Ranch blossomed into a career with SMR and she eventually became CEO and president in 1984. She spearheaded major projects in Lakewood Ranch, such as the building of the area's first two communities, Summerfield and Riverwalk, and was a factor in the creation of the Sarasota Polo Club in the early 1990s. To honor her for years dedicated to the area, a bridge was built on Lorraine Road in 2004 and named in her honor. Carroll died in 2014 at 92 years old.

Gus Andreone Practice and Teaching Facility, Palm Aire Country Club, 5601 Country Club Way, Sarasota

At 104 years old, Gus Andreone continues to impress his neighbors while he tees off three days a week on Palm Aire's golf course. Andreone, an Ohio native, is the oldest and longest-serving PGA of America member. His age hasn't affected his love of playing golf. Through Palm Aire Country Club member donations, the club was able to remodel its driving range and that space is now known as the Gus Andreone Practice and Teaching Facility. Besides a plaque commemorating that facility, a wooden statue of Andreone overlooks the range.

Bennett Park, 400 Cypress Creek Blvd., Bradenton

Although Tom Bennett had a humble start to life and grew up in a poor family in 1920s Miami, he built his own legacy. He quit school in sixth grade, and started his first job as a gumball machine maintenance boy. He invented a mechanism that allowed square gum to pass through the machine. As an adult, he started a boat company in the 1950s in Miami, where he sold boats made of fiberglass. That business, Fibercraft, started in his garage and grew to one of the largest fiberglass boat manufacturing businesses in the country. Bennett moved to Manatee County in the 1960s, when he bought land off State Road 64, west of the interstate. He developed the land into an RV park, sold it, developed Cypress Creek Estates community, sold it and was left with 180 acres, on which he grandson, Rick Bennett, lived temporarily after college. Bennett sold the remaining 180 acres to Manatee County in 2003 for half its value at $1.8 million, according to property records. The park opened and was named Bennett Park in Tom Bennett's honor after he died in 2006.

John Marble Park and Pool, 3675 53rd Ave. E., Bradenton

A man who had a passion for his community, John Marble is best known for his role as the county's first director of the Parks and Recreation department. He held the position for 15 years, until he retired in 1980 and became actively involved in the Manatee County Fair and sat on the fair's board. From then on, he was known as "Mr. Fair" according to his son, Bob Marble. Self-described as feisty, Marble was known as someone who "never backed down from accomplishing something he believed in." He died in 1993 when he was 76 years old. Named in his honor in 1994 are the John Marble Park and Pool.

Cantrell Hall, Manatee Technical College, 6305 State Road 70 E.

A lifelong adventure seeker, Dr. Mary Cantrell lived a jet set life. She lived in the Philippines with her husband, Louis, a member of the U.S. Air Force, during the Vietnam War. She taught English and social studies to Filipino children, and for fun, she and her husband went to the local airport and took a flight to random destinations. Throughout her life, she has visited more than 50 countries. As an educator, she spent more than 35 years in the Manatee and Pinellas counties' school systems. Her final educational role was as a school board member for District 5 in 2014. She held the seat until she died in July 2015. Manatee Technical College, of which she was the director for 18 years, named a hallway in her honor last year.

Morgan Johnson Road, off State Road 64 in Bradenton

County documents show when Morgan Johnson was born in 1862, his father, Levin, was one of the first settlers in the southeastern portion of Manatee County. Morgan Johnson, who lived on the Braden River for 55 years, was the son of a tax collector and citrus grower from Mississippi. His grandfather, William Johnson, was an early pioneer of the area and moved here from Alabama in the 1850s. Although little information is on record about the Johnson family, Morgan followed in his father's agriculture footsteps and raised cattle as an adult. He was one of the county's leading cattle ranchers. He was known for his live of Manatee County and for his familiarity with the area's history. He was the father of seven children and died in 1943. Manatee County officials speculate that the name of the road just stuck over the years. 

Verna Bethany Road, Myakka City

Originally named St. Claire Road, Verna Bethany Road is now one of the major roadways in Myakka City. In the area, the Town of Verna once existed. Verna was the daughter of John Posey, who incorporated the town, according to ghosttowns.com. Verna Bethany Road was named in 1925. At its height, the town consisted of a post office, school, grocery store, restaurant and a hotel. The town went dark and became a "ghost town" after the stock market crash of 1929.

Robert E. Willis Elementary, 14705 The Masters Ave., Lakewood Ranch

A Bradenton native, Robert Willis attended Manatee County schools, such as a Manatee High and a one-room schoolhouse in what was then known as Rye. As an adult, Willis served as a lawyer and later a circuit court judge. As a laywer, one of Willis' most noteworthy cases was successfully defending a disabled World War II soldier who lost his property because he didn't pay taxes. That case won him a reputation of integrity, honesty and compassion in the community, according to the Willis Elementary's website. He argued the case before the U.S. Supreme Court in 1959, before he retired from law and focused on local education. He later served as the chairman of the Manatee County School Board. Willis Elementary was built in 2005 — the year Willis died — and named in his honor.