The Turpentine Industry in Sarasota County (OLLI)

Long before Sarasota County became a hot spot for tourism and winter residency, thousands of acres of local pine trees were tapped for producing turpentine and rosin, natural compounds used in soap, paint, varnish, caulk, cleaning solutions, and even medicine. Entire communities emerged to house the workers who painstakingly extracted these forest products from the trees, and faint remnants of them can still be seen today. Join the staff of the Sarasota County History Center as we explore the history of this unique industry in our area.