About 30 miles north of Miami on Interstate 95 sandwiched between Pompano Beach to the north and Hollywood to the south, Fort Lauderdale, Florida is part of the Miami metropolitan area and the seat of Broward County. Originally inhabited for nearly 4,000 years by the Tequesta Native Americans, the area which would become Fort Lauderdale didn’t see American settlement until well into the 19th century. In 1837 Major William Lauderdale and a contingent of Tennessee volunteers built a fort on New River to defend against Creek and Seminole warriors during the Second Seminole War. The war is considered the fiercest engagement between American troops and Native Americans in the history of the various wars fought between the two sides during the 1800’s. More than 1,500 soldiers and many more civilians would be killed in the bloody war which raged until 1842 and was finally ended by the forced removal of Native Americans from Florida to Oklahoma. Major Lauderdale spent very little time at the newly purposed fort which would be abandoned after the war. His name, however, remains. Significant development arrived in Fort Lauderdale with the building of the Florida East Coast Railroad in the 1890’s connecting the various enclaves sprouting up along the picturesque Atlantic shoreline. More growth occurred during the Florida Land Boom of the 1920’s. Unfortunately, the 1926 Miami Hurricane and the onslaught of the Great Depression retarded commercial and residential progress in Fort Lauderdale. During World War II the United States established a major naval base bringing thousands of personnel, many of whom ultimately stayed in the area creating another boom in real estate and the city’s economy. In fact, the city’s population doubled between 1940 and 1950. It continues to climb and is today the ninth largest city in Florida.
It’s certain a Fort Lauderdale tutor will keep you ahead of the academic curve so you can take some time away from the books to enjoy Fort Lauderdale and the greater Miami region. With more than seven miles of spectacular beaches, Fort Lauderdale is popular with tourists and is considered a world class resort destination. Widely known for many years as a hangout for college students celebrating spring break, the city’s council passed a law in the 1980’s prohibiting public drinking to change the city’s image and appeal to a broader spectrum of visitors. Fort Lauderdale Beach now boasts a variety of trendy shops, restaurants, sidewalk cafes and entertainment venues. Recreational opportunities include boating, wind surfing, kayaking and snorkeling.
A fully restored example of plantation style architecture, Bonnet House Museum and Gardens in Fort Lauderdale has been opened to the public since the 1980’s. Designed and built in the 1920’s by artist and art collector Frederic Clay Bartlett, the house is named after the Bonnet Lily flower, examples of which can be found in the house’s garden. The gardens and grounds of Bonnet House feature five distinct natural ecosystems including dune, wetlands and forest. Much of the house’s tree canopy was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina but a restoration project begun in 2008 has brought much of the grounds back to their original splendor. Inside the house visitors can view many examples of Bartlett’s colorful paintings and murals.
For automobile enthusiasts, the city is home to the Fort Lauderdale Antique Car Museum which has the largest collection of vintage Packard cars and memorabilia in the world. The 30,000-square foot museum houses models dating back to the turn of the century. Cars include a 1915 Model E 2.5-ton C-Cab, a 1948 “Woodie” and a 1958 Hawk. The museum hosts weddings and social events throughout the year.