Stranahan House



The Stranahan House is the oldest surviving building in Broward County, Florida. Built in 1901, Frank Stranahan was the first settler along the New River. He made the trip to Fort Lauderdale in 1893 due to health reasons. Frank decided to use the site to run his Barge Ferry as part of the new road between Lantana and North Miami. Stranahan was also Forth Lauderdale’s first postmaster as well as a banker and businessman. This trading post for settlers and Seminole Indians soon became a community center and town hall for the area. Frank married Ivy Julia Cromartie, one of the area’s first schoolteacher.

The upper floors hosted community festivals and dances until 1906 when it became the Stranahans permanent residence. The house came with modern plumbing, electric wiring, wide porches, running water, interior stairways, and bay windows. Throughout the years, it was remodeled and expanded to represent the original 1913-1915 look. The original furnishings were either sold or given away over the years. Stranahan House has since been restored to its original interior and exterior.

Frank Stranahan committed suicide by drowning himself during the Great Depression. His bank failed, leaving him unable to repay the many friends he owed. At the hour of his death, his wife stopped all the clocks in the house as it was a custom in the 1900s. After his death, Ivy lived on the upper floors while renting the first floor to outsiders for use as a restaurant. In 1971, Ivy passed on as well. The restaurant closed eight years later when the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society took over ownership. Today, it operates as a museum owned and managed by Stranahan House Inc.

While Stranahan House does not have a bloody history, it still has had numerous paranormal occurrences. Days after the house became a museum, the clock in the parlor began to tick on its own. The ticking originally was stopped after Frank’s death. Burglar alarms have a tendency to go off where no intruders can be found. The mysterious smell of a woman’s perfume often makes its presence known. Some say Frank and Ivy have never left their Fort Lauderdale home. If you speak to them during a visit, they may make an appearance in one of your photos.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Black Aggie

Image
First of all, I would like to wish everyone a Happy Horror Day. Later on tonight, you will have a chance to win 1,000 BlogMad credits. Keep checking for that. Now on to tonight's first story. Henry Adams hired American sculpture Augustus St. Gaudens to construct a memorial for his beloved wife, Marian "Clover" Adams who committed suicide after the death of her father. After four years, the piece was finished in 1891. It was never officially named, but it was mostly known as the "Adams Memorial" and later "Grief". Stories vary as to how it received that nickname. The statue was so fascinating that a sculpture named Eduard L.A. Pausch copied it. The statue would go to be named "Black Aggie". General Felix Agnus purchased the copy in 1905 to place at his family's tomb. Then had a monument and pedestal created that would closely match the setting of the Adams Memorial in Washington. No one knows exactly why he chose this statue. A year later,
Read more

Edna Collings Bridge

Edna Collings Bridge also known as Edna Collins Bridge was built in 1922 over Little Walnut Creek. It was the last covered bridge built in Putnam County, Indiana replacing a concrete bridge washed out in high waters. And it's believed to be haunted. The most common story is Edna Collins was a little girl who went swimming in Little Walnut Creek often as she lived nearby. Her parents would drop her off on their way to town. When they returned, they would honk the horn three times to let her know it was time to leave. One day, her parents followed their usual routine except this time Edna failed to respond. Upon searching the creek, she was found dead (allegedly by her father), having drown. Circumstances concerning her death unknown. Variations of this story has her mother following her in death. Grieving over lost of her child, her mother placed a noose around her neck and hung herself. Another piece has her father being the one who built the bridge and named it after his daugh
Read more

Lorelei Inn

In Green Bay, Wisconsin and looking for some good German food? Lorelei Inn may be the place for you. Built in 1926, this restaurant was named after a woman in Germanic folklore named Lorelei. She falsely accused of bewitching men but was soon pardoned. Unfortunately her victory would be short lived. She climbed a rock looking for her unfaithful lover, slipped and fell to her death. Lorelei Inn has only been owned by two families and doesn't have a seedy past. However, it is believed to be haunted by several spirits. Footsteps have been heard in the upstairs area. One of the spirits believed to haunting this restaurant is a former owner named Leonard Hack. He supposedly hangs out at his once favorite place, the bar. Many have felt his presence there as well as smelled cigarette smoke. He is also believed to visit the basement area where the office is located. Objects move around on their own, sometimes pots fall off hooks. The TV turns on by itself. There's also a haunted ta
Read more