Bonnet House has been a fundamental part of Fort Lauderdale’s unique history since 1920. In the last century, Bonnet House and the Fort Lauderdale community have seen tremendous cultural and environmental change. As we celebrate our 100th anniversary in 2020, we want to provide the South Florida community with opportunities to learn about our fascinating history. Starting in January, Bonnet House will be hosting a monthly lecture series featuring expert historians including Susan Gillis, Cynthia Strachan, Denyse Cunningham and Patrick Scott.
Susan Gillis is a local historian and has written several books on Fort Lauderdale’s history featuring collections of old photographs and postcards, as well as information on Fort Lauderdale during the prohibition era. She will be speaking about the Fort Lauderdale Boom & Bust on Monday, January 13th, 2020.
On February 10th, 2020, historian and entertainer Cynthia Strachan and Bonnet House Curator Denyse Cunningham will give a presentation honoring Black History Month. Cynthia Strachan is a talented vocalist, songwriter, actress and author. She currently owns and maintains the first Broward County Designated Historical Site, her family home of Bowles-Strachan House, and she even operates the associated museum on site. Her lecture with our curator will highlight 100 years of Black History in Fort Lauderdale, and will surely be fascinating for all in attendance.
Our lecture series continues on March 9th, 2020 with local historian Patrick Scott as he describes ‘A Walk Through Fort Lauderdale.’ Patrick Scott was born and raised right here in Fort Lauderdale, and his Cuban grandmother moved to the community as a newlywed in 1927. He is now a lawyer, and has studied, written and lectured on local history history for nearly 30 years. His specific specialty covers early settlements in the South Florida region.
Each lecture is free for members and $5 for nonmembers and will last from 10:00am-11:30am. We hope you’ll join us for these unique opportunities to learn more about Fort Lauderdale’s unique history. If you have any questions, or would like to register in advance for any or all of these events, visit our events calendar.
