Bertha Palmer

During Women’s History Month, we celebrate Bertha Palmer whose innovative spirit and visionary development transformed Sarasota into a vibrant community we know today. Bertha’s trailblazing efforts in real estate and agricultural science not only shaped the landscape, but also laid the foundation for future growth and prosperity.

Raised in Chicago, Bertha made a name for herself as an American socialite, businesswomen, and philanthropist. Her commitment to women’s and artistic causes helped paved the way for other women in business, and she actively helped lobby for the fair treatment of all women and children. 

Bertha arrived in Sarasota in 1910 and was instrumental in establishing the area as a fashionable destination to escape the cold Chicago winters. She bought thousands of acres of undeveloped land and built her own 350-acre estate in the iconic neighborhoods that she named “The Oaks.” Today, Palmer Ranch, Historic Spanish Point, and a number of street names honor Bertha’s contributions to Sarasota. 

As Bertha once said, “Keep up with the procession, is my motto, and head it if you can. I do head it. And I feel that I am where I belong.”