2100th Review The…read moreCircus Bridge is no ordinary bridge although one wouldn't know it's historic significance by merely looking at it or even driving over it, it's played a huge part in the celebration each and every year in Venice for more than three decades as the animals from Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey were unloaded from the circus train each winter and marched across this bridge, the crowds that gathered to watch cheered celebrating the end of a long season entertaining the masses with countless performances. Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey wintered at the circus arena near the Venice airport which was finally demolished after years of attempts to preserve it in some way; the building's skeleton had remained in place long after the circus left the site behind in the early 1990s. But in its heyday, in the 1960s, '70s and '80s, the arena welcomed thousands of spectators as well as top circus performers, who rehearsed their new shows here. For residents and visitors, the arrival of the circus train was a memorable highlight of each winter season. On January 14, 2017, it was announced that the circus will be closed forever in May 2017 after 146 years of bringing smiles to millions and will lay off more than 462 employees between March and May 2017. Declining attendance combined with high operating costs and loss of the elephants are among the reasons for closing. On May 7, 2017, its "Circus Extreme" tour will be shown for the last time in Providence, Rhode Island. The circus's last performance will be its "Out of This World" tour at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on May 21, 2017 and that my friend will be the end to maybe the grandest entertainment icon ever, but this bridge will remain and continue to be ghostly reminder of the past for those that witnessed it's grandeur at the end of each circus season that's until it too will become obsolete and replaced with a concrete span named after some politician who's grand kids will only read about "The Greatest Show on Earth" but never witness it's magic...

Looks pretty cool. Would love to be able to get in to see all the markers but all gates are closedread more

This post office is the first Open Air Post Office in the United States…read more It's a beautiful building! The first corner stone was laid in October of 1916 and the building was completed almost a year later in September 1917.

Well I thought I would pop off a review for the very architecturally cool Open Air Post Office, the…read morefirst of its kind. I once worked near here, actually at a few places, all walking distance, and this is the post office I would use. I can't comment on how it functions as a post office now, but as a bit of "local flavor" it's pretty cool. I say this for two reasons. One is the obvious cool factor. Built in the Mediterranean Revival style and completed on September 27, 1917, it's a throwback to a different era. The lines and curves of this building are like no other post office that I know of. Sam H. uploaded a good series of pictures showing off the beauty of this post office. The other reason it has a bit of local flavor is for the rather seedy crowd that seems to gather. A sign warns that if you are not here on post office business, the police are authorized to act as agents for the post office and remove trespassers. I can't imagine what led to the need for that sign (proximity to Williams Park maybe?), but since it's open air, it's means access to the PO boxes is also pretty easy, and 24 hours. No other 24 services exist though. In the north west corner of the open air part a flight of stairs leads up to the historic museum. I did not have a chance to confirm that it's still in operation, but if you are a post office aficionado, it may be worth a look. On April 4, 1975, this post office was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. [update] Here's a little extra reading I found if you want more history: http://www.stpete.org/historic_preservation/historic_landmarks/local_landmarks/docs/Open_Air_Post_Office.pdf

House built in 1877 by a ship captain. Boat parts were used un the home. Wood stoves for heating…read more Now next to 275 and in danger of being demolished for proposed TBX highway toll road expansion. Article on the house: http://www.tbo.com/central-tampa/historic-farmhouse-of-x2018capt-billx2019-jackson-for-sale-in-seminole-heights-20130822/

Wonderful house in a booming neighborhood. The location near the Interstate and the size of moving…read morethe house is a future concern for those who want to preserve Tampa's heritage.

The Wonder House is worth a visit if you are in the Bartow area. The home was the dream of Conrad…read moreSchuck, a building contractor and stone quarry dealer from Pittsburgh who was told by his doctors that he only had a year to live. In response to this devastating news, he packed up his wife and nine children in the 1920's and moved to Bartow so that he could take advantage of the warmer climate. To occupy his time he built his dream house. Conrad Schuck started construction on the eighteen room Wonder House in 1926 and he built it out of the bedrock he dug into while he was clearing the land. He purchased steel rail lines and scrap from the railroad and he made his four story house out of concrete over stone reinforced with the steel rails. The walls are 18 inches on the ground level. Schuck went on to work on the house with his son over the next 40 years, far outliving his doctors prediction. Leading up the house are two 30 foot bridges that crossed over a koi pond. The house was designed in the shape of a cross to maximize cross breezes in a time before air conditioning. Each room opened onto two porches. The walls are decorated with mosaics glass and tile and hand carvings. Concrete channels were built into the house to collect rainwater, which cooled the house and watered the plants that grew across the exterior. There is a fishpond on the third-floor porch. Conrad Schuck never lived in the house and when he finished it he opened it for tours in 1934. The Wonder House became a popular tourist attraction from 1934 until 1963. Visitors were charged a dime to see the ponds and 25 cents to see the interior. Conrad Schuck lived until the age of 94 and after his death, the Wonder House had a number of owners. Lucy DuCharme opened the house for Christmas tours when she owned it in the 80's and 90's. She purchased the house in 1964 and added central air and heat. Eventually the house was abandoned. In 2015, the Wonder House was in a state of disrepair when it was purchased during an online auction by attorney Drew Davis and his wife Krislin who are in the process of fixing it up. They are currently living in the house but you can purchase an online ticket to tour the house. They have taken the torch from Conrad Schuck and are now slowly working on returning the house to its former glory.

This is not your typical tourist trap. It's a unique home that attracts the curious. The owner/tour…read moreguide is a perky lady who is renovating the house back to its original splendor and adding her own personal creativity. She talks about the history of the house and her encounters with the spirits of the original owner. Lots of antiques throughout and a few quirky collections. A diamond in the rough with the mystique of an opal. There is an assistant tour guide, Joan of Bark, who is the sweetest, most laid-back pup. Take some time to enjoy this unicorn.

Known locally as a place to go airborne in your speeding car, this unique piece of local flavor in…read moreSt Petersburg has a history that dates back more than 100 years! It's a humpback bridge over Salt Creek that was created to enable the first trolley line to be established. However, the current bridge has 1931 engraved in the concrete so apparently it is not the original. Do you know where to learn more? The man who introduced electricity to St Pete, F. A. Davis, founded the St. Petersburg and Gulf Railway Company in 1901. He created a light rail trolly system when there were fewer than 2,000 residents! It debuted in 1911. Sometimes, passengers and/or the conductor would have to get out and push to get the trolley over the bridge! There are stories of naughty kids greasing the rails which would prevent the trolly from being able to cross. Kids will be kids! Now, it's a launch pad for zooming cars. Unfortunately, multiple people were killed in crashes so please, please... be careful! Life is good with unique hidden history! Thank you Nick for telling me about this local flavor!

It was a thrill to go over the hill. Lots of scrapes where people left their under carriage behind…read more Don't overdo it in your Lexus. And don't losse your lunch..

This evening Tony and I went down to Sarasota Bayfront Park to walk around!…read moreFree parking! The huge famous "Unconditional Surrender" Statue depicting the infamous end to War World 2 was on display! This is very lovely! Highly recommend!

The Unconditional Surrender statue (even the name is bursting with a romance and hope) is 26 feet…read moretall aluminum computer generated statue by Seward Johnson of an iconic 1945 photograph by Alfred Eisenstaedt, V-J day in Times Square. It is installed along the Bayfront between O'Leary's Tiki Bar & Grill and Marina Jack. It's easy accessible with plenty of parking spaces around, and gorgeous backdrop of blue sky and marina in the back. A sailor kissing the nurse, both happy to hear that the war is over.. it is hard not to feel an enthusiasm and hope, great addition to the Downtown Sarasota.

A small, citizen-funded historical society whose campus in a lovely Pioneer Park consists of a 1882…read morehome and a traditional-style frontier church, now used as a community gathering place. Programs monthly during the tourist season (October-April) Good website and friendly members. Both church and home are available for rent and it makes a wonderful celebration venue, from weddings to memorial services, or as a club meeting venue. Plenty of free parking, plenty of shade, and a lovely set of porches for picnics and pot-lucks. Children's playground, basketball courts, and Pioneer Cemetery are its neighbors.

The winter home of John & Mable Ringling has 36,000 square feet & 56 rooms. Ca' d'Zan was meant…read moreto impress! It was completed in 1926 after 2 years of construction, the mansion quickly became a social hub in Sarasota. Today, Ca' d'Zan offers a glimpse into John & Mable's taste and lifestyle, transporting us back to the glamorous Roaring Twenties. The name Cà d'Zan means "House of John" in the Venetian language; in Italian it would be "Casa di Giovanni". Completed in 1926 by Owen Burns, Cà d'Zan features an eclectic array of architectural styles including Venetian Gothic, Italian Renaissance, Moorish, and Spanish-inspired elements drawn from different historic periods. The Ringling visited Venice, which inspired & influenced the house. Mable Ringling died in 1929, John Ringling continued to visit Cà d'Zan through financial collapse, a quickly dissolved second marriage, and his declining health until his death in 1936. Cà d'Zan was part of John Ringling's bequest to Florida, along with The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, which were meant to be a memorial to and the philanthropic legacy of their lives. The estate was in limbo for 10 years,, it took time to settle debts, claims by heirs taxes before the state of Florida could take control of the property. Cà d'Zan was uninhabited from 1936 to 1946, and the home deteriorated during that time with a lack of interior climate control. Cà d'Zan opened to the public in 1946 as part of the State Art Museum of Florida. In 1982, the home was listed as a contributing property on the National Register of Historic Places.

This place is definitely full of luxurious items, art collections and just the detailed artwork in…read morethe ceilings and more. So worth visiting!

We were excited at first, but as someone else mentioned, make sure you bring bug spray!read more

Terra Ceia Preserve State Park is 2,000 acres of diverse ecosystems including mangrove forests,…read morefreshwater and saltwater wetlands, and uplands communities. There are no facilities so plan ahead to bring bug spray, water and a bag for trash. This preserve is undergoing habitat restoration to return agricultural land to its natural and ecologically diverse condition. It is a great place to take a hike on many of the trails or go birding. You can see native and migrating birds along the trails. Common birds like little blue herons, white ibis found wading along the shore, bald eagle flying and, my favorite, roseate spoonbills wading in the shallows. Fishing is allowed in the saltwater and freshwater mix. Kayaking and canoes are a great way to see the preserve, too. The unimproved boat ramp at Bishop Harbor is the closest place to launch. Though, canoe/kayak launches can be found on Bishop Harbor Road and Stotz Road. I like Terra Ceia and would definitely go back. I like that it is being restored and the wildlife is returning. It's wonderful to have these areas being restored for people and wildlife to enjoy. Check the website before going for updates and more information.