1920 Laurel Street / Joseph and Clara Nash
Built in 1925 in the Craftsman style, this home is know as the “Nash residences” and is locally historically designated.
Having only had three owners since it was first built, this “shotgun” bungalow retains much of its original character, including stained wood walls and ceilings in the living room.
The main house is a rectangular structure that is supported on concrete block piers. Notable features include its low pitched front facing gable roof with exposed rafter ends and a hipped roof end porches. Both porches were originally open as evidenced by exterior windows and siding on the inside wall.
The secondary building on the same parcel, which is also historically designated was originally constructed as a garage fro storage and automobiles. The garage exhibits the same characteristics of construction and style as the primary building with a metal roof, gable end and open eaves with exposed rafter tails.
The first residents of the home at 1920 Laurel Street were Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Woodrow Nash. Mr. Nash was a Sarasota resident for 24 years and resided in the structure on Laurel Street with his wife Clara from 1930 through 1951. Mr. Nash was an electrician for the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey circus for 20 years and died in the home in 1951 (Sarasota Herald Tribune, May 9, 1951). Clara Nash was a successful entrepreneur and operated Clara’s Beauty Shop at 326 S. Orange Avenue from 1940 through 1950.
Clara Nash was the daughter of Ms. Laura Fedora Tatum (also known as Aunt Donie), a well known Sarasota pioneer. Mrs. Tatum, who lived at 1920 Laurel Street at the time of her death, was the daughter of Isaac A. Redd, the founder of the community known as Bee Ridge (Sarasota Herald Tribune, February 27, 1950). Redd was also a member of the Confederate Army and in 1876 led a movement to establish a Missionary Baptist Church, the first church in what is presently Sarasota County.