Happy Birthday Longboat Key!

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Longboat Key celebrates its 65th “birthday” on November 13th in recognition of being officially incorporated as a town. Of course, that wasn’t the beginning of the admiration for this Island nor was it about its name, having been referred to as Longboat Key for generations prior. Legend has it that the name came from boats that the Spanish used called longboats. Juan Anasco, a scout for Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto, left behind his longboat as he and his crew fled in fear of the Native Americans who inhabited the Key. Like we do today, historians believe that the Timucan and Calusa Native Americans were more than likely treating the island as a winter getaway. They came to it seasonally to enjoy the weather and the beaches and beauty that the Key is known for.

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Permanent residents came in the 1800's. Thomas Mann was awarded nearly 145 acres of land in 1891 as part of the Homestead Act of 1862. By the early 1900's there were 18 families living on the island. If you think traffic on the John Ringling Bridge can be a bit slow now, back then they used steamboats to transfer goods and guests, to and from the mainland. Speaking of the bridge, it wasn’t built until 1925 by John Ringling. Longboat Key is just over four square miles of land, has 12 miles of beaches, an elevation of just 3 feet above sea level, and straddles two counties: Manatee County to the north and Sarasota County to the south. French Pirate Jean Lafitte was thought to have been shipwrecked near Longboat Key. Lafitte became a U.S. hero when he paused his illegal smuggling activity to help fight in defense of New Orleans in the War of 1812. In the early 1940's, the Air Force used areas of the Key for target practice.

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With an average of 256 sunny days per year and an average temperature of 73 degrees, it is as loved for its natural beauty as it is for its world-renowned golf and resort communities. As a long-time resident (and golfer) I have found Longboat Key to be ideal for living – and loving - the Florida lifestyle surrounded by endless white sand beaches and glittering Gulf waters.

If you would like to learn more about the area, or are ready to make your move to Longboat Key, please contact me at 941.504.3303 or BeverlyStHilaire@michaelsaunders.com