Bronson-Mulholland House, Historic mansion in Palatka, Florida, United States.
The Bronson–Mulholland House, also called Sunny Point, is a 7,199-square-foot dwelling built in 1854 at 100 Madison Street in Palatka, Florida. Its lumber was probably cut at the Palatka Saw Mill Company, in which Judge Isaac H. Bronson was a part owner, using cypress floated down from near the mouth of the Ocklawaha River.
The house was built in 1854 for Judge Isaac H. Bronson and became important during the Civil War as both Union and Confederate forces occupied it at different times. Its position in Palatka made it strategically valuable during the conflict.
In November 1866 Sophronia Bronson leased Sunny Point to the Freedman's Union Commission, and Charlotte Henry, a New York abolitionist, taught more than 60 African American children there. Henry had opened a school in Palatka in January 1866 with support from the New York branch of the Freedmen's Bureau, and later evidence indicates her classes always met at the house.
The house is located on Madison Street in downtown Palatka and can be reached on foot from other historic sites in the area. It is best to check ahead for visiting times, as access to the interior is limited to specific days.
The attic space functioned as a lookout post during the conflict, allowing soldiers stationed there to watch for activity along the nearby St. Johns River. This elevated vantage point gave military advantage to whoever controlled it.
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