Fort Lauderdale’s oldest house is raising money for long-awaited, much-needed renovations

For eight years, supporters of the Historic Stranahan House Museum, the oldest house in Fort Lauderdale, have been trying to renovate the green-and-white landmark on the New River.

They completed an initial phase in 2018, when they added a patio. They were ready to move into the next phase when COVID-19 hit in 2020.

COVID abated, but more delays followed, including the construction of the city’s Tunnel Top Plaza next door, which limited access to the house for two years. The plaza finally had its grand opening in December.

So at last, renovations can begin. The house is close to its $2.7 million fundraising goal, with 67% already pledged. The campaign includes a matching grant of up to $100,000 from the Wayne and Lucretia Weiner Fund at the Community Foundation of Broward; the money for that part of the campaign must be raised by Sunday, May 5.

“We’ve been wanting to do this for a really long time,” said Jennifer Belt, the house’s executive director. “There have been so many stall-outs.”

The renovations are much-needed, Belt said, to accommodate tourists and local residents seeking to connect with Fort Lauderdale’s early 20th-century history. The house offers tours, field trips and classes, as well as serving as a venue for weddings and other community get-togethers.

Related Articles

• Mission possible: Bonnet House raises enough funds to get hurricane protection, make other repairs

• 5 places in Palm Beach where you can soak up the ‘Palm Royale’ vibe

The two-story wooden home, built in 1901, was Fort Lauderdale’s very first structure. Ohio native Frank Stranahan had moved south to transport travelers by ferry from one side of the New River to the other and trade goods with the native Seminole Indians. The house first served as a trading post and community hall, and later as a home for Stranahan and his wife, Ivy. The Stranahans became deeply involved in the life of the city, but in 1926, Florida’s land boom collapsed, creating severe financial difficulties for the couple.

In 1929, depressed and in ill health, Frank killed himself by tying a weight to his leg and jumping in the New River. After his death, Ivy continued to live in the house, moving upstairs and taking in boarders. She died in 1971 at age 90.

In 1973, the house, which is owned by the nonprofit Stranahan House Inc., was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Restoration began in 1980, and it opened as a museum in 1984.

There have been few updates since that 1984 opening, so supporters have had many years to brainstorm the best ways to improve the property while honoring its beginnings.

The current campaign will finance several construction projects, including a classroom for field trips and community gatherings and restoration of the 1,300-square-foot wooden front porch, which has suffered from wear and tear as visitors come and go from the main house. A welcome center with a gift shop and museum ticket window also is planned, as well as a catering kitchen and covered event pavilion to accommodate weddings, cocktail parties, rehearsal dinners and other receptions.

Above the catering kitchen, planners envision an archival storage center that will allow the museum to keep historic items and its large collection of Christmas decorations on the property, thus saving money they have been paying for commercial storage unit rent.

The house hosts about 25 weddings and other parties a year, Belt said, and hopes to increase this business in the next few years as a way to reduce appeals to the community for money.

“Once we have a catering kitchen and event pavilion, our rentals will probably double in two to three years,” Belt said. “We’re working toward self-sustainability.”

Historic Stranahan House Museum is at 335 SE Sixth Ave., Fort Lauderdale. Admission is $13 for adults younger than 60, $11 for seniors and $8 for children age 5 to 17. Guided tours only. For more information or to donate, go to stranahanhouse.org.