By Wilson Clement, Student CLE Davie
The city of Fort Lauderdale has many hidden secrets that most people don’t know about. One of the biggest surprises is that Fort Lauderdale, which was incorporated in March, 1911, was originally part of Miami-Dade County until April, 1915, when Broward County was founded. Here are some other fun facts you may not know about the Fort Lauderdale area:
Broward College opened its doors in 1960 as Junior College of Broward County where the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport is now. In August 1963, Central Campus opened in Davie, followed by North Campus in Coconut Creek in February 1972, Downtown Campus in Fort Lauderdale in October 1973, and South Campus in Pembroke Pines in January 1978.
You may already know that the Stranahan House (home to Frank and Ivy) is the oldest surviving house in Fort Lauderdale. But what you may not know is that it was used for a variety of things prior to becoming a museum in 1984. It was used as a bank, a post office, a store and a restaurant. In 1969, Ivy gave a 10-year contract to allow for the 1st floor of her home to be used as a restaurant. She died in August 1971 at age 90.
In 1899, the first schoolhouse opened on what is now part of the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society’s (FLHS) property. The first schoolteacher was 18 year-old Ivy Cromartie from Lemon City (currently known as North Miami). She quit teaching school in 1900 when she married 36-year-old Frank Stranahan. (In those days, married women did not generally hold jobs.) Her salary was $48.00 per month. Nowadays, that’s $1,345.66 per month / $16,147.92 per year.
The 1st Hotel in Ft. Lauderdale was the New River Inn (now part of FLHS). It had 23 rooms and 2 bathrooms and was only $3.00 per night! It was built in 1905, at a time when people were only making $1.00 a week or less. By today’s standards, that’s $78.95 per night, comparable to a one-night stay at the Hampton Inn!
The reason Stranahan House and many FLHS structures have been standing as long as they have (since the early 1900’s in sunny South Florida) is because they were built out of very sturdy Dade County Pine. Now extinct, this type of wood is termite resistant but highly flammable due to the sap.
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SOURCES:
“Stranahan House History.” Stranahan House Museum, Stranahan House. Accessed 28 Apr. 2017.
“History of Broward College.” Broward College History, Broward College, Accessed 28 Apr. 2017.
What about some African American history such as my family member was an employee of the Cromartie family. Also, i grew up in a home on Sistrunk Blvd that was built out of Dade county pine and my mother still has the original 1942 deed in her possession? With a smile.