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House and Freshwater Pond
In the big city of Ft Lauderdale, a jungle oasis survives. On it is the winter home of artists Frederic Clay Bartlett and his wife Evelyn, constructed in the 1920s. After Evelyn’s death at age 109, the estate was given to Florida Trust for Historic Preservation. It is called Bonnet House because of the alligators in the freshwater ponds with water lilies. When they surfaced, the lilies with their yellow flowers resembled bonnets upon their heads.
Parrot Statue and Primitive Painting
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When the land first came into the hands of the Birch-Bartlett family, there were no bridges to the barrier island located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway; all access was by boat. It was indeed a jungle at that time with huge Banyan and Gumbo Limbo trees. Standing on the 35-acre parcel of land that remains today, one can look up at the surrounding high-rise buildings that characterize the burgeoning city. A friend and I recently toured the house and grounds of Bonnet House. It was well-hidden from travelers along Sunrise Boulevard to Rte A1A. A subtle brown sign confirmed our map quest directions. To step onto the Bonnet House grounds is to travel back in time: from the monkeys in the trees to the escaped cockatiel named Peaches to the giant aloe plants.
Inner Courtyard
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The grounds are jungle like around the perimeter to keep the world at bay. Closer to the house and freshwater ponds, the yard is landscaped and well maintained. Bartlett was an heir, a world travel, a craftsman, a collector, a grower of orchids, and an artist. To me, his home captures the essence of the authentic South Florida. It is colorful, quirky, and filled with the unexpected: animal statuary, primitive paintings, vintage china, and sea shells. Visiting this home was truly an inspiration to me.
Monkey in a Tree
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2 comments:
After your adventures with sequins, how nice that you could have a different kind of adventure and find a place to appreciate the history and natural beauty of the area! It sounds like a wonderful place to visit, and I bet it was a wonderful place to live, too.
I love imagining what Florida was like even 50 years ago before the boom. I also love catching a glimpse into the lives of the very wealthy. It seems that the Bartletts spent much of their time just reading and painting. They enjoyed simple pleasures like collecting shells and eating outdoors. We can do all of these things just as they did minus the servants of course.
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