Bonnet House, a 35 acre estate on a protected barrier island habitat, is accredited by the American Association of Museums and is a designated Fort Lauderdale historical landmark. Seven habitats associated with a barrier island ecosystem exist on the property, including a coastal beach, a freshwater slough, and a mangrove swamp.
Hugh Taylor Birch, a successful Chicago lawyer and early settler of Florida, purchased three miles of coastal wilderness in 1893. By this time, the land had already witnessed 4,000 years of Florida history. In 1984, Dade County archaeologist Robert S. Carr conducted an excavation on the grounds of Bonnet House and discovered historic and prehistoric remains. These remains indicate that the site was frequented by early settlers, both Native Americans and Europeans, due to its upland location. A shell midden left by the Tequesta people indicates that human activity on the site dates back to 2,000 B.C.
One unusual find on the site was a queen conch shell that had a large slit opening made by a metal blade. Most conch tools that are found in southern Florida are associated with pre-Spanish use; however, the incision on this conch tool indicates direct European and Native American contact. Carbon 14 dating supports the hypothesis that the conch was opened with the use of metal tools between 1490 and 1540 AD. This suggests that the Bonnet House grounds may have seen one of the first sites of Spanish contact with the new world. Broken glass bottle fragments were also found, which date from the mid to late 19th century.
Bonnet House's modern history began when Hugh Taylor Birch's daughter Helen married Frederic Clay Bartlett in 1919, and Mr. Birch gave them a 55-acre parcel (now 35 acres) of this land as a wedding present. The property has been owned by the Birch-Bartlett family ever since. The Bonnet House property and Hugh Taylor Birch's gift to the state in 1942 (180 acres of land known as Hugh Taylor Birch State Recreation Area, which is located just north of the Bonnet House) are the only remaining natural coastal environments in Fort Lauderdale.
Mr. Bartlett constructed a home on the property in the early 1920s. Mr. Birch suggested the name "Bonnet House" after the native bright yellow flower, the bonnet lily, which grew in the freshwater marsh on their property. The house, designed as Mr. Bartlett's interpretation of a Caribbean-style plantation, was intended to be used as a winter retreat by the newlywed couple. Here Frederic, an artist, designer, and self-taught architect, and Helen, a published composer and poet, could pursue their arts.
In 1925, Helen died from breast cancer. Frederic's visits to Bonnet House became sporadic until 1931, when he married Evelyn Fortune Lilly. With their marriage, a renaissance occurred at Bonnet House as Frederic and Evelyn began to embellish Bonnet House with the decorative elements that delight visitors today.
The strictest preservation standards are practiced at Bonnet House, but the house still feels as though the owners just stepped out. All the furnishings and decorations on exhibit are original to the estate. Bonnet House's beautiful setting, combined with the whimsical art and architecture, give visitors a respite from the 21st century.
Frederic died in 1953, but Evelyn continued to return each winter. In 1983, Evelyn gave Bonnet House to the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation which was, at the time, the largest charitable gift in Florida history. Evelyn's gift ensured that the site would be preserved for the enjoyment and education of future generations.
Bonnet House has been open to the public year round since 1996. It offers classes on history, art, ecology, horticulture, music, and historic preservation. Educational programs are offered throughout the year and are designed to encourage lifelong learning. Over 180 local residents volunteer at Bonnet House as tour guides, gift shop assistants, and administrative aids.
Bonnet House was included in the National Trust for Historic Preservation's
Save America's Treasures program in 2004. It was also on the 2008 List of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places due to the threat of extensive nearby high-rise development.
Photography by:
Jillian Krickovich
In 1989, the Snake Warrior's Island area was marked for a housing development and a shopping center, but the project never got off the ground. In 1992, the property was purchased first by the Trust for Public Lands and then by the state of Florida, thereby protecting the land and preserving its heritage forever. 
In 1999, the Broward County Parks and Recreation Division and the Broward County Office of Environmental Services came together to restore the historic wetlands of Snake Warrior's Island. Because of this restoration, many species of resident and migratory birds visit Snake Warrior's Island daily. In fact, Snake Warrior's Island is part of the Great Florida Birding Trail, a collection of 489 sites in Florida that have been chosen for their excellent bird watching or bird education opportunities. 
