Stranahan House, Fort Lauderdale (must see)

Stranahan House is the oldest surviving structure in Fort Lauderdale and one of the city’s most important historic landmarks. Built in 1901 along the New River, the house offers a direct look into the early days of the settlement, long before Fort Lauderdale became a modern waterfront city.

The house was built by Frank Stranahan, often referred to as Fort Lauderdale’s founding father, and his wife Ivy Cromartie Stranahan, a schoolteacher and community leader. Frank arrived in the area in 1893 and built a successful trading business with local settlers and the Seminole people. Ivy came to the settlement in 1899 as its first schoolteacher, and the two married in 1900.

Over the years, the building served many purposes, including a trading post, post office, town hall, and family home. Its location along the river made it a natural center of daily life, commerce, and communication for early residents.

Inside, the rooms are furnished to reflect different periods of the house’s long history. As you move through the space, you’ll see how the Stranahans lived and worked, with details that show how closely daily life was tied to the river and the surrounding environment. Exhibits also highlight Ivy Stranahan’s role in education and her advocacy for Native American rights, adding an important social perspective to the site’s history.

Today, the Stranahan House is preserved as a museum and stands in clear contrast to the modern buildings around it. Its wooden structure, simple design, and riverside setting help visitors understand how Fort Lauderdale began and how much it has changed since the early 20th century. A visit here provides a strong sense of the city’s origins and the people who shaped its earliest chapters.