Fort Lauderdale pioneer Frank Stranahan first operated a small ferry (1893) that crossed the New River near the site of the 1836 Cooley Massacre. He must have seen potential in this rough Florida frontier, because he bought 10 acres a mile away where he operated the Stranahan New River Camp and Trading Post.
His sign claimed its location as Fort Lauderdale. The settlement became the hub of commercial and social activity in the 1890s. Stranahan and his wife Ivy (Cromartie) moved into the new structure in 1901 (shown below) after their marriage in 1900.
The Stranahan House, sometimes referred to as the Pioneer House, still stands today - nearly swallowed up by the modern downtown Fort Lauderdale skyline. It's open for tours but the best view of the house is by boat along the New River. That the house sits on prime real estate is underscored by the proximity of nearby million dollar plus condos and mansions.
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| Stranahan House 1901 Florida State Archives |
Below is an 1898 clipping from the Tropical Sun about Stranahan; his Fort Lauderdale activities earned an occasional mention in the publication.
Fundraising is currently underway to renovate this house, the first structure in Fort Lauderdale.
Fort Lauderdale celebrated its first 100 years in 2011.
Sources:
Weidling, Philip J. , Burghard, August. Checkered Sunshine. Gainesville: University of Florida Press (1966).
Palm Beach Breeze, 1898
Sun-Sentinel, May 1, 2024
Tags: Fort Lauderdale history, Frank Stranahan
