Drive east out of Sarasota and you’ll hit two places that sound identical but spell it differently. Myakka City uses a “Y.” Old Miakka uses an “I,” and that version came first. The community traces back to 1850 cattle ranches, and when the post office said the “I” spelling was already claimed, the other town took the “Y.” One letter, two very different stories.
At the center of Old Miakka is the historic schoolhouse on Wilson Road, maintained entirely by volunteers. This Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., it hosts the Fall Hootenanny, a free fundraiser with arts and crafts, live music, cloggers, and food. Community Club president Becky Ayech describes a hootenanny as a knee-slappin’, toe-tappin’ good time in the country, and admission and parking cost nothing.
There’s a bigger conversation underneath the celebration. Residents worry that urban sprawl and the county’s 2050 Land Use Plan could erase a rural way of life they say exists nowhere else in Sarasota County. Sunday is a fundraiser, but it’s also a chance to see what’s at stake. Have you spent time out in Old Miakka, and what would you want to see protected?
