Sarasota Woman's Club, Historical women's club building in Sarasota, Florida, United States

The Sarasota Woman's Club is a Tudor Revival clubhouse at 1241 North Palm Avenue, designed by architect H.N. Hall and built by contractor George Lysat in 1915 for $4,500. The building now houses the Keating Theater, the mainstage of Florida Studio Theatre.

The Sarasota Woman's Club grew out of the Town Improvement Society, founded in 1903, and was chartered on April 14, 1913, with 63 members. Its Tudor Revival clubhouse, designed by architect H.N. Hall with contractor George Lysat, was built for $4,500; the cornerstone was laid on January 1, 1915. The club ran Sarasota's library in part of the building until it became public in 1940, and the remodeled clubhouse was rededicated in 1953.

The club grew out of the Town Improvement Society, founded in 1903, whose first project was building sidewalks along Main Street where sand paths had run. Members installed lanterns at the train station, started the community library, and in 1913 took over its care; a 1914 census and birth registration and 250 coconut trees planted along the shore followed. In 1917 sixty-one members registered at the First National Bank, listing their skills for the war effort.

The building now functions as part of a theater venue where visitors can explore it during performances and special events. Pay attention to how the interior spaces are arranged to understand their original purposes and current theatrical use.

The cornerstone was laid on January 1, 1915, at the corner of Cocoanut and Palm, and first president Alice Guenther gave a short speech at the groundbreaking. The club marked its second anniversary that year with 200 members and a new $4,500 clubhouse.