Bonnet House - Fort Lauderdale's best kept secret

My visit to Bonnet House was part of a press trip hosted by Visit Lauderdale and Air Canada , but as always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Along Fort Lauderdale's white beaches, tall hotels and luxurious private villas stretch out, with one exception. At Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, greenery and tranquility prevail, along with a very special house. Bonnet House – the home built and designed 100 years ago by collector and artist Frederic Clay Bartlett and his wives.

The November sun warms my cheeks as the wind rustles through the palm leaves, a faint reminder of the hurricane sweeping across the Gulf of Mexico, leaving subtle traces even here on Florida's east coast. Yet, within Bonnet House’s grounds, the storm feels distant. Visiting this estate is like stepping into the calm of the countryside, though the high-rises on the horizon are just visible with a glance.

The wedding present to Helen

The road to Bonnet House meanders through a swamp-like landscape of dense greenery and narrow roads. It's remarkable that Hugh Taylor Birch, a lawyer from Chicago, dared to purchase this marshland back in 1895. Seeking relief from Chicago’s crowds, Birch set his sights on Florida’s warmth and serenity. A storm diverted his ship to what is now Fort Lauderdale—a desolate stretch of untouched marshland. Enchanted by the area, Birch acquired 5 kilometers of beachfront, land that now includes Bonnet House and Hugh Taylor Birch State Park.

At the main entrance, Bonnet House greets visitors with its vibrant yellow exterior and contrasting Greek blue door, topped with a welcoming fish ornament. The house was built during the Roaring Twenties, after Birch gifted the plot as a wedding present to his daughter Helen in 20. Helen's husband, Frederic Clay Bartlett, was an artist, and the couple wanted to create a personal and creative winter retreat that offered peace and relaxation.

The house was built in cement and stone, which is the main reason why we still can visit the house today. Hurricanes, moisture and termites have destroyed many wooden houses throughout the ages, but the Bonnet House was built to withstand Florida's challenges. A hundred year old house may not sound old to European ears, but with the above context you realize that this place is quite unique.

The house features an open atrium in the center, with a lush tropical garden. Water trickles from a small fountain, and birds flit among the blooming bushes. Helen and Frederic were avid collectors, and their passion for art and collecting is evident in every corner of the house. The playful and whimsical decor showcases a large dose of humor and creativity.

Room after room reveals a different collection—everything from German beer steins to porcelain, shells, and corals. Helen was the more avid collector, and many items from their travels are displayed here. These are not costly pieces by renowned designers or artists but rather objects that simply appealed to them. It’s like a collection of souvenirs before the concept of souvenirs even existed.

In 1925 Helen died of cancer after only six years of marriage and Frederic left Florida and moved back to Chicago. For the next six years, he returned to Bonnet House only sporadically, although the house was constantly looked after by the staff.

The renaissance of the house

In 1931, Frederic remarried Evelyn Lilly, who had previously been married to the founder of Lilly Pharmacepticals (now the world's largest pharmaceutical company). Evelyn loved Bonnet House and embraced the house with great passion.

Evelyn was not an artist when she met Frederic, but as the years went by she began to paint. And painting became a bit of a passion. In one part of the house there is an exhibition of her fantastic portraits of family members and friends with a lot of heart and color. One of my favorites is the portrait of Frederic and Evelyn's daughter sitting on a red sofa, a painting with a lot of soul and with a lot of realism.

Walking through Bonnet House feels like stepping back in time to the life of a wealthy couple in the early 20th century. It was an era of boundless possibilities and a deep desire to explore the world. In one corridor, shells are embedded in the walls as decorations, while the ceiling lamps evoke a Moroccan aesthetic. This is not a house shaped by the trends of its time; instead, everything reflects passion and individuality, exactly as Frederic and Helen envisioned it.

Monkeys turn out to be a recurring theme in several places in the house. Evelyn had around 40 monkeys living at Bonnet House for a period of time, but there is also a large statue of a monkey dressed as a pirate and bronze statues of monkeys in strange poses. In the dining room there is a whole tableware with monkeys on it, hand painted by Evelyn herself. Today, there are no macaques left, but there are plenty of invasive large iguanas and raccoons.

We walk from room to room, one room more eccentric than the other. The collections come in different shapes and colors. There are so many details that I almost feel overwhelmed by all the gadgets, but in a positive way.

At the orchid house, you’ll find a small shell museum and a bamboo bar. A photograph of Evelyn mixing drinks hangs in the bar. It’s easy to imagine her entertaining guests here after a refreshing swim in the sea. Champagne and cocktails flowed, and laughter filled the air among the orchids and shells. The signature drinks were the Bonnet House Cocktail and the Rangpur Lime Cocktail, said to be so strong that one glass was enough.

Frederic passed away in 1953, but Evelyn continued to nurture and develop the house after his death. In 1983, Evelyn donated the Bonnet House to the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation, with the condition that the site should be preserved for future generations.

Evelyn spent her final winter at Bonnet House in 1995 and passed away in 2006 at the remarkable age of 109. What she left behind is truly one-of-a-kind: a glimpse into the life of an eccentric, affluent family in mid-20th-century Florida. Bonnet House is neither a castle nor a dollhouse—it’s a time capsule of Fort Lauderdale’s history, far removed from the city’s glitzy hotels and waterfront villas. A hidden gem well worth a visit.

How do I get to Bonnet House?

Bonnet House is centrally located in Fort Lauderdale in Florida, USA. Today the house is a museum with admission and you can go on a guided tour through your mobile. For those of who want to visit the house virtually, you can just as well take the guided tour on your mobile phone from home Begin House Tour – Bonnet House.

Read more about Bonnet House on the official page about Bonnet House.

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