Happy 144th Birthday Mr. Burns

Owen Burns, the man who bought and built Sarasota

Owen Burns, born October 31, 1869, was an entrepreneur, banker, builder, and land developer who at one time owned the majority of Sarasota, Florida and developed or built many of its historic structures, developments, roads, seawalls, and bridges. 

When Owen Burns died on August 28, 1937, the Sarasota Herald wrote, "He came to Sarasota in 1910 and was a leader in practically every movement that saw Sarasota grow from a fishing village to one of Florida's leading resort cities."

In the words of author and historian Jeff LaHurd, "Burns's legacy is that he laid the foundation for the Sarasota we enjoy today." Sarasota is thankful to Mr. Burns for the tremendous contributions he made to the community we all love. Please tip your hat to Owen Burns today in honor for all that he did for Sarasota!