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Membership in Motion

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What a Wonderful Season

Since joining the Bonnet House staff, it has been a pleasure of mine to meet many of our wonderful members and I look forward to getting to know many more! This 2023-2024 season has been such fun, starting (for me) with Holiday Magic 2023 and culminating in our grand finale, our 15th Annual International Orchid Festival.

The Orchid Festival on April 6th and 7th was a hit! International orchid and plant vendors with gorgeous (and some rare) varieties filled the Bonnet House grounds with the many colors of spring. This year, another exciting part of our Orchid Festival was the Luau Lunch on the beautiful Bonnet House Veranda. A delicious tropical menu was prepared by Hugh’s Catering accompanied by refreshing Mai Tais, margaritas, and more! Luau Guests were thrilled to watch performances by Dance Dance Tahiti and to join in the Luau festivities by learning how to hula! Click here to view photos by Demetrius of Eduardo Schneider Photography of the International Orchid & Garden Festival and Tropical Luau Lunch.

Now, that the season has come and gone, some of our members are traveling northward for the spring and summer. Whether you are here in Fort Lauderdale seasonally, occasionally, or year-round, I hope you have had a truly wonderful 2023-2024 season here! For those who have visited the museum, taken classes, participated in lectures, and enjoyed events: our hearts are now filled with wonderful memories shared together at Bonnet House.

Membership is a great way to support Bonnet House, all of our programs and help preserve this beautiful estate. I hope you will consider becoming a member or renewing your membership today.

 

Getting Married At Bonnet House Museum & Gardens

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For decades now, Bonnet House Museum & Gardens has been known as one of Florida’s top locations for a destination wedding. Located in the center of downtown Fort Lauderdale, Bonnet House combines the grandeur of the past with modern amenities to make your wedding unique and memorable. With our stunning views, innovative architecture, original artwork, and lush tropical gardens, any wedding is sure to be a stunning success. But Bonnet House isn’t the only beautiful place to get married in Fort Lauderdale. So what exactly makes Bonnet House such a special place to get married?

Historic Significance & Timeless Beauty
The modern history of Bonnet House began over 100 years ago in 1920. Since then, the estate has been meticulously curated and preserved for the enjoyment and education of future generations. If you are looking for a truly unique, historic place to get married, look no further than the Bonnet House estate. With its culturally rich history, Bonnet House perfectly exemplifies old-world charm and understated elegance.

Tropical, Beachfront Setting
For couples searching for a stunning, tropical or beach-front aesthetic, Bonnet House has you covered. Our dramatic spaces, such as the Hibiscus Garden, fountain courtyard, water front veranda, and tree-lined alee all provide memorable possibilities for your wedding ceremony.

Designed For Convenience
Bonnet House showcases a rare combination of historical beauty with modern comforts and conveniences to ensure that all in attendance are properly accommodated for. Guests have the exclusive use of the tree lined allee/dry fountain, veranda lawn, hibiscus garden and inner courtyard. Our rental fee covers only the venue, however the estate works with many pre-approved caterers and vendors to suit every budget and design goal.

A Wedding Venue For Everyone
Here at Bonnet House, we are happy to work with any gay, lesbian or other LGBTQ+ couple interested in having a beautiful wedding to create memories that will last a lifetime. Bonnet House is proud to work with any couple, regardless of their sexual or gender identities.

Regardless of what your dream wedding looks like, Bonnet House will be sure to set the scene for romance and timeless memories. If you are interested in setting up an appointment for your wedding click here . Or contact David Woodin ([email protected] ) to set up a tour!

Bees In Our Bonnet

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It’s no secret that honey bees are one of the most important members of the animal species. Honey bees, along with other pollinators, are essential to the survival of the human race, as well as all of Earth’s terrestrial ecosystems. Despite their importance, they are often feared unnecessarily and, as a result, their population has been declining over the last few decades. This is why we have invited Joanna Diamond to host a class at Bonnet House to share her knowledge and experience saving honey bees.

Joanna Diamond was born and raised in South Africa, and saving honey bees is her passion. Having volunteered for four and a half years at a Bee Rescue & Removal charity, she has assisted with countless bee removals, is a registered Beekeeper, and has multiple bee hives in her South Florida garden today. Joanna believes that honey bees are our best friends, and we need to do everything possible as a global community to help them thrive.

This exciting class, cleverly titled “Bees In Our Bonnet,” will cover topics ranging from little-known but fascinating facts about honey bees, and why they are so important to our ecosystems. In this class, Joanna Diamond will dispel common myths and misconceptions about bees, and talk about why honey bee populations are declining, the facts behind swarms and swarming, and what you can do to help bees.

But this class doesn’t stop there. This course will take you behind the scenes of live bee removals, and will also discuss what is involved with being a beekeeper. In addition, there will also be a short overview of Orchid Bees, followed by an introduction to the wonderful world of honey! This will include information about how and why bees make honey, as well as why the honey industry can be so controversial.

This event will conclude with a delicious honey-tasting session. Raw wildflower honey will be available for purchase after class, as well as Orchid Bee feeders and Honey Bee Revival kits. This class will take place on Saturday, April 13th from 10:00am-12:30pm in our Island Theatre. This course is $25 for members, and $35 for non-members. Click here to register!

The honey bee population needs our help to survive, and we hope that this course will equip you with the knowledge and tools you need to promote their population growth. To learn more about this event, and plan your next visit to Bonnet House, visit our event calendar.

International Orchid & Garden Festival Returning To Bonnet House

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One of the most popular events of the spring season is returning to Bonnet House! This year, our 15th Annual International Orchid & Garden Festival will take place on April 6th and 7th, 2024. This Festival welcomes orchid enthusiasts and plant lovers alike to vividly experience (and even purchase!) diverse, colorful, and fragrant varieties of orchids, tropical plants, herbs, and fruit trees sold by local and international vendors.

The two-day event will be taking place from 9:00am-4:00pm, rain or shine. Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy orchid and tropical plant displays, food vendors, libations, garden art, orchid care & general gardening lectures, live music and much more. This year we have even added a Tropical Luau Lunch on the beautifully decorated waterfront veranda. This delectable meal will include a full buffet, Mai Tais, wine and beer, live Tahitian music, and hula dancers. Lunch attendees are also welcome to take a leisurely stroll through the estate and Orchid Display house.

The International Orchid & Garden Festival is a fantastic way to welcome spring time and learn more about unique growing opportunities right here in South Florida. In addition to the Tropical Luau Lunch, throughout the festival, guests will have the opportunity to learn from highly experienced experts about various topics including:

● Orchid Mounting (Saturday, April 6th from 10:00am-11:00am)
● Growing Roses In South Florida (Saturday, April 6th from 11:30am-12:30pm)
● Orchid Growing 101 (Saturday, April 6th from 1:30pm-2:30pm)
● Florida Unique Ecosystems & Native Orchids (Sunday, April 7th from 10:00am-11:00am)
● Growing A Butterfly Garden (Sunday, April 7th from 11:30am-12:30pm)
● Growing Cattleya Orchids (Sunday, April 7th from 1:00pm-2:00pm)

Parking is free for the festival, and admission to the festival is $15 per person. Admission for the self-guided house tour is an additional $10, but children under 12 are free. Tickets for the Tropical Luau Lunch are $100 and include admission to the festival.

We hope that you and your loved ones are able to attend this fantastic event. Come prepared to enjoy live music, eat excellent food, learn new things, and have fun! To learn more about this event and purchase tickets, click here.

 

From the Collections Vault: Archival Binder: Staff – Marie Hawkins Little

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For Women’s History Month here in the Bonnet House blog we are celebrating the life of Marie Hawkins Little (1911-2008). Marie was seventeen years old when she came to Bonnet House as kitchen maid for the Birch-Bartlett family in the 1920s. At the request of Evelyn Bartlett, Marie became head cook in the 1930s. She lived in the building next to the Orchid House. In our archives, we have an archival binder dedicated to the employees of the Birchs and Bartletts. As I began researching to create new signage in the Caretaker’s Cottage, I came across this particularly incredible woman whose obituary and celebration of life pamphlet are included in that binder. Not only was she a treasured staff member at Bonnet House, she and her family were also Fort Lauderdale pioneers. Marie’s sister, Gussie Pope, was employed as a housekeeper here as well. Her cousin Dewey Hawkins was a caretaker and chauffeur for Hugh Taylor Birch and the Bartletts. Dewey’s wife, Arneather Hawkins, was a laundress, and they were the first family to live in the Caretaker’s Cottage. Their nephew Alonzia Nash and niece Irene Riley Hart came to live with them as well in the 1930s. Irene went on to serve on the Bonnet House Board of Directors from 1995-2001 and was a Bonnet House ambassador since her time living here. Quite a remarkable family!

Here is Marie’s beautifully written obituary, by Gregory Lewis, staff writer at the Sun-Sentinel:

“Marie Hawkins Little, a member of a pioneering Fort Lauderdale family who taught migrant workers and Seminoles how to cook and eat healthful meals, died Sunday after a five-month illness. She was 96.

Mrs. Little was born Nov. 21, 1911, in Eve, a Central Florida town her father named. The family moved to Fort Lauderdale in October 1924. She attended the Colored School, now Dillard High School, which had only eight grades. She graduated in 1932 from high school at Luther Merner Colored School in Daytona Beach.

Mrs. Little made a living with her culinary skills after graduation, working at Delta Tea Shop in Fort Lauderdale and as the head cook in the 1930s for the families of Hugh Taylor Birch and Mr. Fredrick (sic) Clay Bartlett at what is now known as the historic Bonnet House.

In the 1970s, the Broward Board of Education hired her as a home economics teacher in the adult education program, in which she visited migrant workers and Seminole Indians to teach them healthy eating and cooking skills.

‘She was a gourmet cook,’ said her granddaughter-in-law Michelle Blakely of Plano, Texas. ‘She could cook food of any ethnicity, soul food and her own recipes. But she was famous for her molasses cookies and oyster stew.’

A long-time member of St. Christopher Episcopal Church in Fort Lauderdale, Mrs. Little was recognized in the late 1980s as a pioneer by the Broward County commissioners and the Historical Society.

She was a grandmother to the children and younger adults, who called her ‘Grampy’ in her northwest Fort Lauderdale neighborhood. She was honored by various organizations for here community service, including the Les Bon Amie Club.

Mrs. Little is also survived by her daughter Clytimus Austin, four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.”

Marie had a great relationship with Evelyn Bartlett. Marie often referred to her as “Madam” which tickled Evelyn every time. Together they would confer on the weekly menu, and Evelyn regularly raved about Marie’s cooking. In the attached photos you will see Marie (in pink), with her cousin Arneather on Bonnet House property in the 1930s, as well as in 2002 with Irene Riley Hart (dark hair) reminiscing in the Kitchen. We thank you, Marie, for your work for the residents and visitors of Bonnet House.

New, more informational signage on the cottage, its first family, Birch and Bartlett employees (including Marie), and a panel dedicated to Irene Riley Hart will be on display by the end of the month in our Caretaker’s Cottage. Stop by to learn more!

To get to know more about Marie Hawkins Little and the Hawkins family, visit Hugh Taylor Birch State Park and History Fort Lauderdale:

Hugh Taylor Birch State Park | Florida State Parks

Homepage – History Fort Lauderdale

 


New Spring Events Coming To Bonnet House

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At Bonnet House Museum & Gardens, our team does everything they can to ensure that Bonnet House is enjoyable and educational for all age groups. Whether you’re an elementary school student excited to go on an adventure through our tropical gardens, or a seasoned artist hoping to find inspiration for your next piece, there is surely something for everyone to enjoy at Bonnet House. This Spring season is no exception, and we couldn’t be happier to announce upcoming drawing classes, a fascinating speaker series, the Spring Nourishment for the Soul events, and special admission rates for Family Day.

Starting this March, we are excited to announce two upcoming drawing classes for intermediate and advanced students. The first class will take place on Saturday, March 9th from 9:30am-12:30pm and will teach students how to create a colorful bird, along with various shading and line drawing techniques. This class will be hosted by award-winning artist and Bonnet House Instructor, Galal Ramadam in our air-conditioned Island Theatre.

The second drawing class will take place on Saturday, March 16th from 9:30am-3:30pm and will cover advanced portrait drawing. In this class, students will learn how to create realistic skin tones, master how to “whisper” and “scream” with colored pencils, understand how to simplify without losing realism, gain confidence in their skills, and much more. This course will also be taught by award-winning artist and Bonnet House Instructor, Galal Ramadam in our air-conditioned Island Theatre.

Additionally, on March 11th Bonnet House will be continuing our popular speaker series with Clare Vickery. Founder of Grace Arts Gallery, Clare Vickery will be discussing the interesting history of Florida’s Saltwater Railroad. This discussion will have a particular emphasis on the women who influenced its creation and history. This event is free for members, and $5 for non-members, and registration is required by 2:30 on March 8th.

We have added a new event this spring which includes mindfulness and live music, Spring Nourishment for the Soul: Mindful Movement w/ Live Sacred Music. Join us on Wednesday, March 20th from 6:30-8:30pm for an enchanting spring equinox evening. Immerse yourself in a transformative experience filled with mindful movement, meditation, and a live sacred music concert.

To wrap up the month of March, we are also excited to announce that we will be offering free admission to kids 13 and under, and Broward County school teachers (with ID) on March 23rd. During this special Family Fun Day , kids and families will not only have the opportunity to explore the historic estate and gardens, but also enjoy a free classical concert presented by the Gold Coast Youth Orchestra, and even meet Bonnet House reenactors in each room!

Whether you’re 8 or 80 years old, there is something fun for everyone to enjoy at Bonnet House! We hope that you and your loved ones are able to take advantage of some of the fun events taking place at Bonnet House Museum & Gardens during the month of March. To learn more about our estate, and to plan your next visit, click here!

From the Bonnet House Education Department

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Bonnet House STEM Learning Outreach and Family Fun Day

This Winter, the Bonnet House Education Department has been busy promoting STEM Hands-On Learning in and around town!  With generous funding from the Community Foundation of Broward, Bonnet House has participated in educational outreach in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach Counties.  Our Mission is to connect our historic home and grounds with similar historical locations sharing Florida-focused preservation, conservation, and stewardship.

On February 3rd, Bonnet House presented a STEM Design-A-Dome Architecture program for the 9th Annual Children’s Festival at the Coral Gables Woman’s Club in Coral Gables, Florida.  In existence since 1923, the CGWC is part of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs which is the oldest and largest women’s volunteer service organization in the world. Children and their families used toothpicks, gum drops, and their imaginations to construct tabletop geodesic domes to celebrate the Centennial+1 of the CGWC Historic Building.

On February 10th, Bonnet House hosted a table at Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge in Boynton Beach, Florida to kick-off a weeklong Everglades Days Celebration.  As one of the largest urban wildlife refuges in the Nation, Loxahatchee NWR provides habitat, food, water, shelter, and space to more than 250 species of birds, 60 species of reptiles and amphibians, 40 species of butterflies, and 20 types of mammals, many of which are Endangered or Threatened. Students and their families learned about Bonnet House, the Florida Aquifer, and its importance to the Everglades from our STEM Water Filtration project.

In March, Bonnet House will host our Family Fun Day on Saturday, March 23rd from 9:00a – 3:00p featuring two Classical Concerts by the Gold Coast Youth Orchestra. Guests will have the opportunity to take Self-guided Tours, challenge Florida History knowledge with Rhymes & Ciphers, meet Bonnet House Reenactors representing our Birch and Bartlett Families, walk with the Barefoot Mailman to the House of Refuge, and learn Architectural Design with Broward Architect Bruce Davis, AIA.  In our historic Fruit Grove, FWS Loxahatchee NWR will join us for Python Awareness and Wildlife Conservation Games.  Guest Visits from the City of Fort Lauderdale K9 and Mounted Police Units will take place throughout the day.  Photos are encouraged!

Outreach would not be complete without Collaboration to build our STEM Learning Programs.  We welcome Bruce Davis, AIA, of BD Architect LLC, BAM Broward Chapter of Black Architects in the Making, and Stacey Boynton, President South Florida Chapter, NOMA, National Organization of Minority Architects, who are developing our NEW STEM Design Series as part of our Green Connect Youth Stewardship Studies Program at Bonnet House.

Join us as Stewards to the legacy of preserving our natural environment as initiated by our Bonnet House Birch and Bartlett Families.  We look forward to seeing you soon!

Click here to learn more about Family Fun Day

Bonnet House Hosts Spring Nourishment for the Soul

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Mindful Movement, Meditation with Bonnet House Resident Yoga Instructor Lisa Pumper, and a Live Sacred Music Concert with Composer Richard Brookens|

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

WHAT: For an enchanting spring equinox evening, Bonnet House Museum & Gardens will host a Spring Nourishment for the Soul evening class and music concert
• Whether you are seeking relaxation, personal growth, or simply a break from everyday business, this is the perfect event as the spring season starts. Guests will immerse themselves in a transformative experience of mindful movement, meditation, and a live sacred music concert. A candlelight ritual will also be held to set intentions and plant our seeds of renewal.
• Meeting at Bonnet House Museum & Gardens veranda, attendees will embark on a journey of self-discovery and inner peace.
• During this event, guests of all ages will have the opportunity to be guided into gentle yin movements, designed to help you connect with your body, release tension, and cultivate a sense of mindfulness. with leading Yoga teacher Lisa Pumper.
• Attendees will be fully present in the moment and experience the transcendent magic of South Florida’s beloved arranger/composer and multi-instrumentalist performer, Richard Brookens, whose sacred musical vibrations will move you into pure transformation and tranquility in nature.

WHEN: Wednesday, March 20, 2024
Grounds open at 4:30 pm for a stroll through the gardens before class.
Class Sessions are from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

WHERE: Bonnet House Museum & Gardens
900 North Birch Road
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33304

DETAILS:
• This event is Rain or Shine.
• Pre-registration is required. Tickets are $45 for Members and $50 for Non-members. To purchase tickets please click here.
• Tickets include the event, light beverages, spring equinox candle gift, exploring the grounds & free private parking. Space is limited, book early to ensure your spot.
• Guests should dress comfortably, wear walking shoes, and bring a towel.
• Chairs will be provided to sit for movements, meditation, and music.
• If needed, floor yoga mats will be provided for anyone who wants to sit on the floor for movement and meditation.

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Upcoming Speaker Series At Bonnet House

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If you’re familiar with Fort Lauderdale, you likely already know that Bonnet House Museum & Gardens has been a predominant feature in the heart of the downtown area for over one hundred years. But have you ever wondered exactly how that came to be? How was this one piece of beach-front property able to be preserved for so long? And what made it so special? Well you can have all of these questions, and many more, answered during our Speaker Series beginning on February 12th.

To kick off this fascinating series, author and historian J. Kent Planck will be discussing “ The Making Of Bonnet House ” on February 12th, from 10:00-11:30am. This online and in-person lecture will trace the making of Bonnet House from its origins up to the modern day. In this lecture, you will learn about:

● Bonnet House’s original site as a sailors’ house of refuge
● The estate’s construction, enhancement, and decoration by its designer Frederic Bartlett
● It’s preservation as an historic house museum by Bartlett’s widow Evelyn
● Bonnet House’s difficult separation from its original preserving organization in order to
ensure its financial stability into the future

Through pictures and stories about all the difficulties and controversies along the way, Planck weaves a comprehensive, informational and entertaining tour through nearly 150 years of what has made Bonnet House the unparalleled Museum it is today. Registration for this event is free for members, and $5 for non-members. Registration is required by February 9th at 2:30pm.

If you enjoy the first portion of our speaker series, you will likely also enjoy our March series feature. On March 14th, Founder of Grace Arts Gallery, Clare Vickery will be discussing the interesting history of Florida’s Saltwater Railroad. This discussion will have a particular emphasis on the influential women who influenced its creation and history. To learn more about this lecture and to register to attend in person or via Zoom, click here.

Bonnet House works hard to ensure that there are always a variety of speakers and events to educate and inspire our guests. We hope that you are able to attend one or both of these events either in person or via Zoom. To learn more and to plan your next visit to Bonnet House, click here.

From the Collections Vault: Portrait and photographs of Jeff Lockett

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Accession Number 1990.FB.006

This February we celebrate Black History Month on our blog by acknowledging and honoring people of color who were connected to Bonnet House. In this blog we will look at the life and contributions of Jeff Lockett.

Jeff Lockett was one of Fort Lauderdale’s earliest African American pioneers. Coming from Georgia in the 1890s with Senator Thomas E. Watson, Lockett was then hired by Hugh Taylor Birch as the caretaker of his land. This land included the property Bonnet House resides on today. But to Birch, Lockett was more than a caretaker and town representative for him; Jeff became, in his own words, “a faithful and dear friend”. He came to be well-known around town and gained the nicknames “Old Jeff” and “Uncle Jeff”.

According to the article “Fort Lauderdale’s African-American Pioneers” by Susan Gillis, “A document dated 1924 shows that he was the owner of a dredge (a fairly valuable vessel), which he sold to C.J. West and then dredged out the canal and lagoon around the Bonnet House. Lockett maintained a long acquaintance with the West family; West’s brother served as caretaker at the Bonnet House property. From this friendship came a wonderful portrait of Lockett, given by West as a token of his esteem.” We know that painting well here at Bonnet House, as it resides in our Drawing Room and is a highlight of that space. It was painted by Frederic Clay Bartlett, who married Birch’s daughter, Helen. They lived here at the house for a few winters before Helen passed away in 1925. The article goes on to state: “According to county probate records, she (Helen Birch Bartlett) left Lockett $1000 – a considerable sum at the time.”

Jeff Lockett obviously made an impression during his time here on Earth and was respected and valued in the community. He continued working at the Birch estate until 1930 and passed away in 1934 at the age of 82. We thank you for your passionate and dedicated work on this land, “Uncle Jeff”.

The photographs you see here are of Jeff Lockett and Helen Birch Bartlett on a coconut-collecting expedition in the early 1910s, a solo photograph from the early 1920s, and the portrait of him by Frederic Clay Bartlett,  painted in the 1920s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

To learn more about Jeff Lockett and Hugh Taylor Birch, visit Hugh Taylor Birch State Park and History Fort Lauderdale:

Hugh Taylor Birch State Park | Florida State Parks

Homepage – History Fort Lauderdale