Stranahan House

Stranahan House is a wooden structure with wide porches overlooking the New River, built using early 20th-century Florida construction methods. Inside, period furnishings and everyday objects are preserved to show how residents lived during the settlement era.

Frank Stranahan built this structure in 1901 as a trading post and home, creating the first commercial building in Fort Lauderdale. Over the decades that followed, it served various functions and became central to the town's growth.

The displays feature furnishings and goods from the settlement era, showing how early residents and Seminole people engaged in trade and daily commerce. These objects tell the story of community life in a frontier trading post.

Guided tours are available with advance reservations recommended, and parking can be found in nearby public lots around the area. Visitors should be prepared for stairs and uneven floors since the building is older and not fully accessible throughout.

Beyond serving as a residence, this building operated as a post office and town hall, making it the central gathering place for the early settlement. Its multi-purpose use reveals how frontier communities depended on single locations to handle commerce, administration, and social needs all at once.

Location: Florida

GPS coordinates: 26.11806,-80.13806

Latest update: December 8, 2025 20:01