Bonnet House Blog

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.