History

Lido Key was originally a series of islands separated by shifting channels. In 1920 immigrant Otto Schmidt Zoldan acquired the islands under the terms of the Homestead Act. He sold his property to John Ringling during the early 1920’s. Ringling named the island after the Italian word for beach, “lido”.

John Ringling had many ambitions to develop Lido, but with the land bust in 1926 his plans collapsed and left much of the southern part of the island untouched. The good news from that event was that the county was able to purchase the 100 acre parcel that was not yet developed to preserve it. Today is entirely for recreational and open public use.

In 1940, thousands celebrated the Lido Beach Casino’s opening. It immediately became a gathering spot for the era’s celebrities, movers, and shakers. One of Sarasota’s renowned architects, Ralph Twitchell, designed the Art Deco style casino which became a Lido Key icon. The venue was a beehive of activity and events, from swim competitions, to beauty pageants, and the most important social events. Locals and tourists visited the Lido Casino for swimming, dining, dancing, and shopping.

By 1969, the Casino’s splendor had faded, and it was demolished to make way for a more modern pavilion. A historic marker and the original half olympic size Lido Beach Pool are located there today.