This week in history 7.16.15

July 16, 1981 

In 1981 the Gamesters Club became home to board game-lovers throughout Sarasota. The club opened up in the location that is now the Southgate Village shops on Siesta Drive. Resident Chet Whitehorn led the group and was always on the hunt for more games to add to the group. Whitehorn searched high and low through garage sales and stores looking for specific games and pieces.

"Would you believe that I could find only three deluxe Scrabble sets, the ones with turntables, in all of Sarasota?" he asked. 

July 16, 1998

Few issues on Siesta Key stir such strong opinions as the closing of Midnight Pass. The narrow passage of water that once flowed between Siesta Key and Casey Key was closed in 1983. In 1998 a new study to determine whether a "reasonably stable" pass can be reopened was to be conducted by the engineering firm of Camp, Dresser and McKee. The study was expected to cost $225,000. Fast forward to 17 years later and we know the outcome is still a closed pass that causes south Siesta beaches to erode at a quicker pace. 

July 17, 1997

Do you remember the Gulf Gate Mall that stood at the southeast corner of U.S. 41 and Clark Road? Throughout the 1990s the stores within the mall slowly began to close before the structure was demolished, with the exception of some of the anchor stores. Remnants of the mall can be seen now within the Sarasota Pavillion shopping center, along Mall Road.