House of Refuge at Gilbert's Bar

What is this Blog all about? We love this part of Florida. Not just for the weather (many of us really do think of it as “Paradise”) but also for its’ rich culture and history. So we decided to spotlight many of the little known “treasures” that are here. Not just the sunken ships but the treasures that are on land in plain sight and undiscovered by most visitors and even most of the residents.

House of Refuge at Gilbert's Bar

“On the coast of Florida, when vessels strand, they usually come well up to the shore, so that sailors find little difficulty in reaching the land. Until of late, however, these shores were almost uninhabited and mariners cast upon them were exposed to the terrors of starvation and thirst. On this account there are provided for their relief ten stations of an exceptional type, denominated houses of refuge.” ~Sumner I. Kimball~ (1890)

It’s easy to believe the House of Refuge is the oldest structure in Martin County.

Looking at the House of Refuge immediately brings a full picture of what life was like in 1876. Standing high on the "St. Lucie Rocks", an outcropping of the Anastasia Formation (rocks formed from shell and limestone) it’s easy to believe it’s the oldest structure in Martin County. The land it stands on is now called Gilberts Bar (shoal). It was named by early mapmakers after one of the last active pirates operating along this coastline, Don Pedro Gilbert, was executed in Boston in 1835 along with four members of his crew. He was one of the last remaining pirates operating in these waters.

Only one House remains out of the original ten

The Gilbert’s Bar House of Refuge is the only House of the ten commissioned by the U.S. Lifesaving Service in 1876 that is still standing. Originally designed to help stranded sailors, they stood at intervals along the coast from St. Augustine to the Florida Keys. It now serves as a museum abundantly filled with artifacts testifying to its long colorful history!

Houses of Refuge had no trained lifesaving crews. Occupied by a Keeper and his family, they were responsible for continuously walking the shoreline and searching for shipwreck victims after a storm or hurricane. They were required to maintain the station, its equipment, and purchase the supplies. Stocking the House with food and medical supplies was paid for by the Keepers since they did not receive any additional budget from the government. Daily logs and wreck reports also had to be regularly submitted to the U.S. Lifesaving Service. These Keepers were undoubtedly fully committed to their service!

A Lonely Vigil

In between shipwrecks, theirs was a lonely vigil. One description of a Keepers life taken from one of the sign markers on the site is: "A "Keeper's life is one of monotony punctuated by terror!" Sparse, and completely devoid of modern conveniences, it’s hard to imagine the life the Keepers and their families had to endure. Surely it was a sense of mission that kept them at their posts! 

The first floor of the House is divided into three rooms, a bedroom, a living room and a kitchen. The second floor served as a dormitory. The only diversion from daily life was a Victorian Era phonograph. No video games, internet, or TV!

Long Distinguished Service

The House of Refuge served as a lookout for enemy submarines during World War II. A tower was built by the U.S. Coast Guard to scan the waters for German U-boats after freighters were torpedoed off the Treasure Coast in 1942. In April of 1945, the Gilbert's Bar Coast Guard Station was decommissioned after a long and distinguished service record.

 Martin County Commissioners get a bargain

Today it is owned by the Martin County government. The Martin County Board of Commissioners purchased it in 1953 after it sat empty for years following its’ decommission from the Coast Guard. The building, plus 16.8 acres of surplus government land, was acquired for the grand sum of $168. (Talk about a great deal!)

In addition, and under the direction of Ross Witham , Marine Turtle Coordinator for the Department of Natural Resources from 1963 to 1987, this area also serves as a refuge for sea turtles.

In 2004 Indian artifacts were uncovered on the reef as the result of hurricane damage sustained to the nearby shoreline. (Remember Jeannie and Francis?). The midden that was uncovered contained charred fish bones, pottery and shells used by the Ais (also known as the Az or Ays) Indians, who inhabited the area from 2000 B.C. to the 18th century. You can see some of this collection displayed in the House.

On May 3, 1974, the House of Refuge was added to the U.S. national Register of Historic Places. In addition to the House being a National Historic site, the waters, off the coast in front of the House of Refuge, have become a State of Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserve. An Italian brigantine, the Georges Valentine, while carrying a cargo of mahogany, sank in October of 1904. Seven crew members were rescued by Keeper Captain William E. Rea and his wife. The ship still lies scattered in a large debris field approximately 100 yards off the coastline in front of the House. The wreckage is partially buried in the sand and is broken into five prominent sections. The sea life here changes from season to season due to the shifting sands and has an abundance of marine life making this a very popular diving spot.

Current Activities

In the current issue of the official newsletter of the Historical Society of Martin County, Innovative Times, Jim McCormick, Keeper of the House of Refuge, states that the staff welcomes tour groups since it is a wonderful opportunity to bring history alive for students and adults alike. Check their website for more current activities. http://www.elliottmuseumfl.org/.

With the permission of the Martin County Historical Society, the Florida Ghost Team investigated this historic site in 2004. There were a few events during the investigation that rose suspicion of paranormal activity. (H-m-m…no surprise there!).

There is so much more to see than we’ve been able to describe in this blog. All we can say is that you’ll be fascinated by the rich history this museum has to offer. Our thanks to Martin County for having the foresight to preserve this last remaining House of Refuge for our Treasure Coast! A true Treasure!

The House of Refuge is located at 310 SE McArthur Blvd. on Hutchinson Island in Stuart
The hours of operation are Monday through Saturday from 10am to 4pm and on Sunday from 1pm to 4pm
For more information call: 772-225-1875


References

House of Refuge Wikipeida

The Elliott Museum, Stuart, FL