House of Refuge at Gilbert's Bar, Maritime rescue museum on Hutchinson Island, Florida.
The House of Refuge at Gilbert's Bar is a two-story wooden structure originally built as a rescue station along the coast. Its interior contains furnishings and equipment from the early 1900s that show worker living quarters and maritime rescue gear.
The U.S. Treasury Department commissioned this house in 1876 as one of ten refuges on Florida's Atlantic coast; it is the only survivor. In 1915 it became U.S. Coast Guard Station #207, and during World War II it served as a submarine lookout. The Martin County Historical Society saved it in 1955, and it joined the National Register of Historic Places on May 3, 1974.
The house shows how rescue workers lived and worked together to help stranded ships along the coast. The displayed items and rooms offer insight into their daily routines at this isolated seaside location.
Walking through the house is straightforward, and the displays are clearly labeled so visitors can easily follow the layout. Weekday visits tend to be less crowded, giving you more time to explore the rooms at your own pace.
The Georges Valentine wrecked in October 1904, and keeper William E. Rea helped its seven survivors. That same storm drove the Spanish ship Cosme Calzado ashore three miles north; fifteen of its sixteen men survived and joined the others at the house. One survivor, Edward Sarkenglov, stayed and became a local fisherman.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,599 contributors worldwide.
