542 Ohio Place / J. Walton Taylor

The residential structure at 542 Ohio Place, also known as the “J. Walter Taylor Family Home” was built in 1941 and is a modest very early Sarasota example of a Ranch Style House but strongly suggests the transitional nature of the architecture following the great prevalence and popularity of more simple Frame Vernacular structures seen during the first quarter of the century in Florida.

Ralph Twitchell, considered the father of the well-recognized Sarasota School of Architecture is said to have built the first Ranch Style home in Sarasota in 1940.  These early ranches most always had one-story with low-pitched roofs.

542 Ohio is locally designated as historic.

Jemison Walton Taylor came to Sarasota in 1941 to work at Green’s Fuel (see below for more about Green).  He was soon followed by his wife, Elaine Dorsey. J. Walton began as a salesman with the company and rose to the position of Executive Vice-President of the Company.

Mr. Taylor died in 1993 and his widow continued to live in the house and own the property until August 1995.  Mrs. Taylor died in 2002.

James Green and his new fuel

At the height of the Florida Boom, James B. Green came to Sarasota from Alabama.  Green conceived an idea for a new fuel based upon the complaints from customers of his plumbing business,  Customers were disappointed in the lack of heating fuels available in Sarasota.  The electric plant was overtaxes, there was no gas system and power losses were common.  Many residents were force to keep kerosene and wood for cooking and heating.  In 1931, Green began testing a specific fuel formula and to devise a method to make the fuel in quantities.  In 1932, he perfected a system to store and distribute the fuel and he filed an application for a patent.  His was the first patent on an underground system for distributing liquified petroleum gas and the first installations were made in Sarasota.

Learn more about Green’s Fuel at Sarasota History Alive.