Lakewood Ranch

History

The area originally was assembled in 1905 by John Schroeder as Schroeder-Manatee Ranch (SMR). The land was purchased by members of Milwaukee's Uihlein family in 1922 for ranch operations such as timber and cattle. In 1977, the Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority announced intentions to build a new airport near the Sarasota-Manatee county line about east of its current location, linking to future Interstate 75. The airport authority struck down the idea in 1985 and expanded the existing airport facility. The airport proposal and the construction of Interstate 75 resulted in SMR's board of directors to pursue creating a planned community for the land. In the 1980s, SMR designed a destination resort project called Cypress Banks. The project consisted of and included 5,000 mixed residential units, three golf courses, and a 300-room hotel. The first neighborhood development, Summerfield, was built and completed in 1995.

Geography

Lakewood Ranch is in southern Manatee County and extends south into Sarasota County. The master-planned community spans from State Road 64 to the north, Fruitville Road to the south, Interstate 75 to the west, and approximately east of the interstate to Bournside Boulevard. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , of which are land and , or 2.06%, are water. The Braden River flows east to west through the southern part of the community, eventually leading northwest to the Manatee River in the northeast part of Bradenton.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  36,231
• Northern Mockingbird

  Mimus polyglottos (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  32,657
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  30,196
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  29,913
• Fish Crow

  Corvus ossifragus A.Wilson, 1812 · Aves
  29,903
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  27,672
• White Ibis

  Eudocimus albus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  27,427
• Common Grackle

  Quiscalus quiscula (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  23,830