Newtown Historic District listed in the National Register of Historic Places | City of Sarasota

Francesco Abbruzzino, The Uncensored Report, LLC

City of Sarasota, FL: The Newtown Historic District is officially listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the City of Sarasota was recently notified. With over 700 contributing resources, the Newtown Historic District is now the single largest historic district within Sarasota and the largest Black historic district in the state of Florida, based on the number of contributing resources.

“This is exciting news for the Newtown community,” said District 1 City Commissioner Kyle Battie, who grew up in Newtown. “Being listed in the National Register of Historic Places means the important history and special character of Newtown will be preserved for future generations. Buildings significant to our history will not be demolished. There’s no downside for residents — no negative impact on personal property rights with this designation.”

The building permit process for structural modifications in the historic district will not change. Demolition applications now must be reviewed and approved by the Historic Preservation Board.

The Newtown Historic District includes 731 contributing resources, meaning the integrity, location and design have been retained for at least 50 years, including Galilee Cemetery, churches and other structures.

The district boundaries roughly are Myrtle Street to the north, 19^th Street to the south, Seminole Gulf Railway tracks to the west and U.S. 301 to the east.

The City of Sarasota began pursuing the historic designation in April 2009 after Newtown community members expressed a strong interest in preserving the unique history of their prominently Black neighborhood. A strategic, multi-prong plan was set forth to document Newtown’s history in order to meet federal requirements to be placed in the National Register of Historic Places.

The process included:

2009: Establishing a Newtown area map and boundaries
2014: Meeting with stakeholders to develop a scope of work
2015: Establishing the Newtown Citizen Historic Taskforce
2015: Hiring a consultant to establish the Newtown Conservation Historic District. Newtown history was chronicled in the form of 42 recorded interviews, photographs, transcriptions, 364 page published report and cultural heritage book. The extensive documentation project became known as “Newtown Alive”, spearheaded by Vickie Oldham.
2016: Creating a Newtown Historic Building Preservation pilot program
2018: Conducting a citywide survey to document resources dated 1970 or earlier, which noted over 500 historical resources concentrated in Newtown.
2018: Creating a heritage trail with 15 historic markers placed in Newtown designating significant points of interest recorded during the “Newtown Alive” process. The Newtown African American Heritage Trail was added to the U.S. Civil Rights Trail in 2019.
2020: Approving the Newtown Conservation Historic District
2021: Selecting a firm to conduct a survey and draft language to meet the requirements for Newtown to be listed in the National Register of Historic Places

The City was notified by the National Park Service through the Bureau of Historic Preservation with the Florida Department of State that the Newtown Historic District was officially listed in the National Register of Historic Places on April 19, 2024.

With contributing and non-contributing resources combined, the Newtown Historic District boasts over 1,400 historic resources. A non-contributing resource is a historic structure that has been altered.

“This historic designation by the federal government is significant,” said Dr. Cliff Smith, Senior Planner who oversees the City of Sarasota’s historic preservation program. “Getting to this point truly was a community effort. Residents approached staff 15 years ago and wanted to know the best way to save Newtown’s cultural heritage and showcase its significance. It takes time to document so many historical resources, record personal histories and present a case that an area meets the criteria for a national register designation. Thank you to former and current Commissioners for getting the ball rolling years ago, Vickie Oldham for her substantial contribution and notable dedication in documenting Newtown’s history and also City Grants Coordinator Amy E. Jones for shepherding the application through the government process.”

The creation of a Newtown National Register Historic District was supported through a grant from the Underrepresented Communities grant program as administered by the National Park Service, Department of Interior.

For more information contact Dr. Cliff Smith, Senior Planner: 941-263-6585.

Additional resources:

A Newtown Historic District webpage with frequently asked questions is available via www.Sarasotafl.gov

Information about Newtown Alive can be found at www.NewtownAlive.org

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