Sarasota << `sar` uh SOH tuh >> (pop. 54,842) lies on Sarasota Bay on Florida’s west coast. The city’s chief industry is tourism. The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus had winter quarters there from 1927 to 1960. Sarasota still has the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art and its Circus Museum.
Sarasota County calls itself the center of Florida’s Cultural Coast. The county’s attractions include the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, the Asolo Repertory Theatre, and ballet, opera, and orchestral troupes. Sarasota, Bradenton, and North Port form a metropolitan area with 833,716 people.
Scottish families founded Sarasota in the 1880’s. The city has a council-manager form of government.
