Monday Memory: In 1940, the majestic Lido Beach Casino with the giant pre-cast seahorses overlooked beautiful Lido Beach on Lido Key. The building was designed by architect Ralph Twitchell, co-founder of the Sarasota School of Architecture, in an Art Deco-like style. It was built with the financial aid of the Works Progress Administration program (WPA) created by President Franklin Roosevelt to provide jobs and income for millions of unemployed Americans in the 30's and 40's.
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| Photo by Joseph Janney Steinmetz, State Archives of Florida |
The complex included a junior olympic-sized pool (which remains today), a ballroom, several restaurants and bars, cabanas, shops and locker rooms. It played host to famous bands, Hollywood celebrities (Esther Williams, Peter Lawford and Ricardo Montalban among others), athletic events, and even beauty pageants.
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Movie Star Esther Williams
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Vintage Lido Beach Casino Postcard
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| Photo by Joseph Janney Steinmetz, State Archives of Florida |
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| 1940's Sarasota Florida Brochure |
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