It goes without saying that Frederic Clay Bartlett was an exceedingly fascinating individual. From his artistic and architectural endeavors to his time spent abroad, to his various marriages, Frederic Bartlett led a full and interesting life from start to finish. Here at Bonnet House, we obviously know him best as the owner of our unique property and vast gardens, but Bonnet House was actually just one of many different properties that Frederic Bartlett called home at some point in his life.
To learn more about the life of Frederic Bartlett, and the other individuals that made Bonnet House what it is today, we began hosting a highly anticipated and informative speaker series. This series is meant to highlight some of the more interesting and unknown facts about the Bartlett family, the property, South Florida, and much more.
Our first lecture in this series discusses the gentleman who started it all: Frederic Clay Bartlett. Frederic Bartlett and his wife, Helen, began construction on the Bonnet House property in 1920. But unfortunately, tragedy struck in 1925 when Helen died from breast cancer. After that, Frederic’s visits to Bonnet House became sporadic until 1931 when he married Evelyn Fortune Lilly. With this marriage, a renaissance occurred on the site as Frederic and Evelyn entered a prolific period of embellishing Bonnet House with the decorative elements that delight visitors to this day.
But despite all that took place on the Bonnet House property before, during, and after his marriage to Evelyn, Frederic did not live exclusively at Bonnet House. In fact, over the span of his 80-year life, he actually lived in more than 15 different homes! Each of these homes reflects on his various passions, artistic endeavors, and even his character.
Because this particular topic has sparked the interest of so many in the architectural and artistic community, we have uploaded a recording so that you can listen and learn more about the life and various homes of Frederic Clay Bartlett at your leisure! From Bonnet House in Florida, to Dorfred House in Illinois, you’ll learn about the unique aspects of each of Bartlett’s most beloved homes and communities. You can watch the full recording, by clicking here.