Frank Stranahan is credited as Fort Lauderdale’s founding father. He and his wife Ivy, the area’s first school teacher, built the Stranahan House in 1901. It is the oldest standing building in Broward County. Since 1901 it has served as a trading post, a post office, a town hall, and as the Stranahan family home.
Fort Lauderdale Historical Society and the Fort Lauderdale Board of Realtors restored the house and opened it as a historic house museum in 1984. Today it is known as the Historic Stranahan House Museum and is one of the top-rated museums and guided tours in Fort Lauderdale.
Admission is available by guided tour only. The tours last approximately 45-60 minutes. The museum also offers school tours, special programs, and private events. The museum is also offering a “virtual history happy hour” each month in 2021. The happy hour will explore a new topic each month and is hosted by FAU Architecture professor Anthony Abbate.
Visit the Museum
Stranahan House provides interactive, hands-on programs that align with curriculum requirements for the Broward County School District. The programs are primarily aimed at 4th-grade history curriculum standards but can be tailored for students in Kindergarten through 12th-grade. Topics include:
• local, state, and national history
• horticulture/agriculture
• environmental conservation
• Native American history and culture
Virtual Programs
The Historic Stranahan House Museum also offers a variety of virtual workshops including “Ask a Historian”. This workshop gives students a chance to discuss historical topics and historic preservation and artifact management. This workshop covers the Stranahan Family as well as behind-the-scenes museum activities.
Private Events
The Historic Stranahan House Museum offers venue rental for private events. It is well-suited for weddings, showers, corporate events, fundraisers, and more. The museum can accommodate up to 200 guests. The site rental includes staff on-site for the event duration, access to the museum for tours, and basic security. Non-profit rates are available for qualifying organizations.
Do take a look at Fort Lauderdale’s own Central Park by visiting Hugh Taylor Birch State Park.
Information provided by https://nationalrestorationexperts.com