At 335 SE 6th Ave, beside the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale, the Historic Stranahan House Museum is the city’s oldest surviving structure. Built in 1901 by Frank Stranahan, it began as a trading post and later became a family home. A self-guided audio tour leads through rooms with period furnishings and personal items belonging to Frank and Ivy Stranahan, while explaining the house’s changing roles in the early town. Leave time to sit on the upstairs veranda and watch boats pass on the river.
A trading post on the New River
Frank Stranahan built the wood-frame house in 1901 on the New River. It first served as a trading post, where he conducted business with local Seminole people. The building later took on several community roles, including post office and town hall, before becoming a home for Frank and Ivy Stranahan around 1906.
The house is identified as Broward County’s oldest surviving structure. Its history offers a view of Fort Lauderdale’s early development through one building and the family who lived and worked there. Ivy Stranahan was the area’s first schoolteacher; accounts of the house also describe her teaching English to Seminole children.
Rooms and furnishings
The self-guided tour uses handheld audio devices. Select the number for a room to hear information about its history and contents, and move through the house at your own pace. Downstairs, the route includes the foyer, office, parlor, dining room and kitchen. Upstairs are bedrooms and bathrooms.
Antiques, period objects and clothing help show how the house was furnished. Personal effects belonging to Frank and Ivy Stranahan add a family dimension to the account of the building’s public and private uses. Allow roughly 40 to 60 minutes for the tour, depending on how long you spend in each room.
The veranda above the river
The house’s wide, wraparound porches are a defining part of its wood-frame design. The upstairs veranda looks over New River, where yachts, water taxis, ferries and tour boats pass. Seating is available, so you can pause there after the indoor rooms and watch the river traffic.
The museum is at 335 SE 6th Ave, close to downtown streets and the Riverwalk. It is also near a Water Taxi stop. The historic house sits among modern downtown buildings, making its early 20th-century architecture especially easy to notice from the riverfront.
Häufige Fragen
How long does a visit to the Historic Stranahan House Museum take?
Allow about 40 to 60 minutes for the self-guided audio tour. You can spend longer if you want to sit on the upstairs veranda.
Is the tour self-guided?
Yes. Handheld audio devices provide information for each room, and you can explore at your own pace.
Where is the Historic Stranahan House Museum?
It is at 335 SE 6th Ave, Fort Lauderdale, beside the New River.
Should I book tickets in advance?
The museum recommends getting tickets in advance.
