This house sitting between the Intracoastal Waterway and Fort Lauderdale Beach has a long history. In 1919, a wealthy settler gave the 35-acre property (named after the bonnet lily flower that grew on the grounds) as a wedding gift to his daughter, Helen, and her husband, Frederic. In 1920, the newlyweds began construction of Bonnet House, hoping to build a winter getaway where Frederic could pursue his art and Helen could work on her music and poetry. But construction soon stopped when Helen died in 1925 from breast cancer. Frederic didn’t resume property renovations until 1931 when he married Evelyn Fortune Lilly. The new couple continued decorating the house until Frederic’s death. Several decades later in 1983, Evelyn donated the house to the state’s Trust for Historic Preservation, opening it to visitors for guided tours.
Previous travelers said Bonnet House has something to keep every type of traveler satisfied: Art lovers, horticulture enthusiasts, animal lovers and history buffs will enjoy this attraction. Many recommended the guided tour. The plantation home is ornately decorated and filled with artwork (all three residents of the house were artists of some kind), but the estate’s grounds are also well worth the visit. The campus is lush and beautiful for a nice walk through nature and even sometimes accompanied by monkeys. However, some noted that not every room in the house has air conditioning, so bring a hand fan if you’re visiting during the summer months.
This property is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday through Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for self-guided, mobile-device tours. Guided tours are also available one or two times each day for $30 for adults and $10 for kids ages 6 to 17. Admission costs $25 for adults, $8 for kids between the ages of 6 and 17, and is free for children younger than 6.