MANATEE — In the historic house market, things are moving. Really moving.
Eight years ago, a Palmetto mansion was briefly the most famous house in the world when 30 million people watched it get barged under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge on its way to a new location in Ruskin. Today, more historic homes — including the 117-year-old Beth Salem House in south Bradenton and the circa-1927 Strickland House in Palmetto’s Palm View area — are waiting for someone to save them from dates with the wrecking ball. That will require a move.
Every year, several historic homes and buildings in Manatee County find themselves in the way of new development. In the past, these structures were often torn down, or moved out of town. Now, Manatee County and the cities of Palmetto and Bradenton are striving to hang on to their historic architecture. All three offer or are planning to offer incentives to property owners who are willing to rehab old or historic structures.