Five Points Patio 7

June 8, 2014

The mystery of the HW in the patio pavement, shown in the post Five Points Patio 1, has been solved. Rather than being a remnant of an earlier occupant than Patrick’s, the HW was a later addition, according to Larry A. Kelleher, managing editor of Sarasota History Alive!. (Thanks to my friend Kathy for asking him about the HW.) Here’s what he says: “. . . [W]hen Patrick’s was booted out of that location several years ago, another short-lived restaurant moved in. I don’t recall its name but the owner Henry W(?) had that . . . marking installed . . . . At first, I thought it might have meant “high water” for where the water came up Main Street during a hurricane via a tidal wave. But that was in the 1920s, and at [the] time it was the Bank of Sarasota. John Ringling was involved in that bank. It was a gorgeous flat iron building (see attached) which later became Liggett’s Drug Store when I was young. . . . The lot remained vacant for many years; then the current shaped (ugly) building was built and Patrick’s was the tenant for over 20 years.”

Here is a close up of the HW, followed by the flat-iron-building image and a photograph of the unoccupied spot, both from Mr. Kelleher. I’m sorry that I don’t have a photograph of my own to show how the location looks now, but I was able to take a screen shot of a Google Live View of the spot, which is the fourth photo here. Here’s the web address for the live view: https://www.google.com/maps/@27.33645,-82.542456,3a,40y,166.15h,78.56t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1seggsin8S1-Nx4P27chyvtQ!2e0