Course Description

Join us on a guided tour of Ft. Lauderdale's historic Bonnet House! By the time early settler Hugh Taylor Birch purchased the Bonnet House site in 1895, the grounds had already witnessed 4,000 years of Florida history. A shell midden left by the Tequesta people indicates that human activity on the site dates back to 2,000 B.C. while further archaeological evidence suggests that the grounds saw one of the first sites of Spanish contact with the New World. Bonnet House’s modern history began when Birch gave the Bonnet House property as a wedding gift to his daughter Helen and her husband, Chicago artist Frederic Clay Bartlett in 1919.This house is one of the few complete homes and studios of an American artist open to the public. A docent-guided tour will lead you through the rooms of the Main House, where you will learn the history of the Birch/Bartlett family and discover the charm and whimsy of this beachfront estate. Following the tour of the Main House, a Nature Trail Driver will take you on a ride around the trail. The Driver will share information about the plants, animals, and ecosystems of this 35-acre coastal wilderness. Located at 900 N. Birch Road, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304. Transportation is not provided and space is limited. Registrations closes on Wednesday, January 25th. Space is limited, so register early!