Visit South Florida Pioneer Times at Old Fort Lauderdale Village and Museum
The museum is comprised of five charming buildings including the Philemon N. Bryan House (1905) that now houses the River House Restaurant, the New River Inn (1905), the King-Cromartie House (1907) and an 1899 schoolhouse replica (to replace the original Ft. Lauderdale schoolhouse that was destroyed in the 1926 hurricane). The museum also houses a now-rare acetylene building (1905) – something I’d never heard of – where acetylene gas was produced. Prior to electricity, the gas provided carbide lighting to the New River Inn and the Philemon Bryan House.
With only a little urging my family agreed to join me on the one-hour guided tour of two of the three buildings currently open to the public and at a cost of only $8 per person – a price shockingly cheap to this New Yorker. Our docent guide, Steve Paley, was personable and very knowledgeable about south Florida’s history.
Paley took us through the King-Cromartie house first. Originally built on a different site from now-rare Dade County pine and beams from old ships’ timbers, the structure was moved to its present location in 1971. Painted vibrant pastel green with darker green accents, Paley said similar earthy color palettes were typical of peoples who spent a lot of time outdoors.
Though settlers stayed outside to keep cooler in subtropical heat, we learned early south Floridians also contended with thick plagues of mosquitoes, many disease-ridden, so they kept palm fronds near their front entrances to continually swat the insects off.
Exploring the inside of the King-Cromartie house, a quaint, beautiful two-floor pioneer lifestyle museum, was by far my favorite part of the tour. I’ve always preferred learning history through everyday life stories and objects because it lends a tangible, experiential element that allows me to feel I’ve traveled in past figures’ shoes.
We had fun imagining settlers spending leisure time without the Internet, iPods and Tivo. Less than a hundred years ago, wind-up victrolas and stereoscopes, simple hand-held viewers that create 3-D images of photographs, provided the highest-tech toys for wealthy folks. For evening entertainment on the veranda, instruments like the antique guitar in the King living room were also frequently used for sing-a-longs.
Dining rooms were similar to our contemporary eating quarters, but Paley reiterated the mosquito theme. South Florida pioneers wrapped kerosene-soaked rags around table legs to deter pesky critters.
An avid foodie, I was eager to see the kitchen and amazed to learn women carried out vital home tasks in such tiny rooms, this one maybe 6 feet by 9 feet. Jam-packed with essentials including an original Hoosier cabinet, small wooden icebox and pot-bellied wood stove, there was barely room for us to fit, let alone move around. And I enjoyed learning from Paley the history of the familiar Maxwell House Coffee motto, “Good to the Last Drop.” Supposedly Teddy Roosevelt, then President, remarked these still-marketable words after sipping a cup of the popular brew.
The tour of the second floor went pretty fast and was interesting mainly for the personal effects like clothes, accessories, dresser items and children’s toys that lent more detail and depth to the historical narrative.
Our tour concluded at The New River Inn, now home to the Old Fort Lauderdale Museum of History and a chronological exhibit depicting Fort Lauderdale’s and Broward County’s history. It was one of the first structures to be built in South Florida using hollow concrete block. The exhibit and our handy guide, Paley, took us from the time of the Tequesta, south Florida’s aboriginal peoples through World War II. My favorite artifacts were photographs and authentic attire and bead necklaces of the Seminole Indians who appeared in Broward County in the 1820’s. My parents, native south Floridians, were drawn to the more recent artifacts and documents that they remembered from their childhoods.
After the tour wrapped up we easily found a place to eat, even with five of us to please, since the museum is located in the city’s cultural and historical district along River Walk. We chose a fun eatery called Tarpon Bend Food & Tackle around the corner on Second Street, but there are ample options, including taking a free boat ride directly across the New River to Shirttail Charlie’s located at 400 SW 3rd Ave.
Old Fort Lauderdale Village & Museum
219 SW Second Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
For more information call 954-463-4431 or visit www.oldfortlauderdale.org.
More to see�
Stranahan House (1901) a few streets away from the OFLV&M is the oldest structure in Broward County. It was trading post, bank, post office, house and restaurant run by Frank and Ivy Stranahan. Ft. Lauderdale grew in spokes around this cultural and community hub. 335 S.E. 6th Ave. (Fort Laurderdale) 954-524-4736.
Tradewinds McLean Farmhouse (1920s) is just a 25 minute drive from the museum. On the grounds of the county’s largest park (599 acres) it’s home to 30 kinds of barnyard animal and 3.5 miles of shaded horse trails and equestrian rings. Pony rides and other equestrian activities available. 3600 W. Sample Road (Coconut Creek) 954-968-3880.
