Donald Roebling Estate

Donald Roebling Estate is a Tudor Revival mansion in Clearwater with five levels spanning about 17,000 square feet. The structure features a grand entrance hall with marble floors and ornate wooden detailing throughout, plus an elevator connecting all levels and an underground tunnel leading to a swimming pool and boathouse overlooking Clearwater Harbor.

Built between 1929 and 1935, the estate sits on grounds once occupied by Fort Harrison, established in 1841 as a military outpost to protect settlers during Seminole conflicts. Its construction marked the transformation of the site from military to residential use.

The house displays architectural details from the 1920s and includes specially designed rooms that once housed Secret Service agents during World War II. These spaces reflect how the building served purposes beyond a private residence during that era.

The property is fully accessible by an internal elevator that connects all five levels, making it easy to explore every floor. Visitors can best take in the overall layout and waterfront features by approaching from the harbor side, where the boathouse structure is clearly visible.

Donald Roebling, the grandson of Brooklyn Bridge engineer John Augustus Roebling, designed amphibious vehicles in the estate's workshop during World War II. Few visitors realize that this private mansion served as a hidden laboratory for military engineering innovation.