Houses of Refuge in Florida

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This view of the Biscayne House of Refuge shows the typical appearance and beach setting of the houses of refuge. (Photograph from the collection of the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science)

The Houses of Refuge in Florida were a series of stations operated by the United States Life-Saving Service along the coast of Florida to rescue and shelter ship-wrecked sailors. Five houses were built on the east coast in 1876, with five more added in 1885. There was also two Life Saving Stations built, one just south of the Jupiter Inlet, the other on the Gulf coast on Santa Rosa Island near Pensacola, Florida. A house of refuge was planned for the Marquesas Keys, but was never put into commission. The houses were manned by civilian contractors who lived in the houses with their families. Most of these houses remained in service as life-saving stations until 1915 or later. Some of the locations became United States Coast Guard stations after the Life Saving Service was merged into the Coast Guard in 1915. The houses were built of Florida pine, using 8x8 heartwood timbers for the foundation and frame. They were intended to withstand hurricanes, although several of them were destroyed by hurricanes in later years. The main floor was divided into four rooms, and a wide porch surrounded the building. The North room was the kitchen. Next was the dining room, living room and at the South end was the bedroom. All the stations were alike and all the Keepers used the rooms in the same manner. The station keeper's family occupied the main floor, and the attic was a dormitory for ship-wrecked sailors.

[edit] Locations

Locations of Houses of Refuge in Florida

The houses of refuge on the east coast of Florida were (from north to south):

Smith's Creek, 20 miles south of Matanzas Inlet, 29°26′10″N, 81°06′25″W
Mosquito Lagoon, east of the Mosquito Lagoon, 28°51′30″N, 80°46′20″W
Chester Shoal, 11 miles north of Cape Canaveral, 28°36′40″N, 80°35′50″W
Cape Malabar, 30 miles south of Cape Canaveral, 28°03′10″N, 80°32′45″W
Indian River or Bethel Creek, sixteen miles north of the Indian River Inlet (now known as the Fort Pierce Inlet), 27°40′00″N, 80°21′20″W
Indian River Inlet, on the south side of the Indian River Inlet (now known as the Fort Pierce Inlet), 27°29′45″N, 80°17′50″W
Gilbert's Bar or Saint Lucie Rocks, two miles north of what is now the St. Lucie Inlet, near Stuart, Florida, 27°12′00″N, 80°09′50″W
Jupiter Inlet, near the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse. This station was a Life Saving Station, rather than a House of Refuge, 26°55′40″N, 80°04′00″W
Orange Grove, in what is now Delray Beach, Florida
Fort Lauderdale, in what is now Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 26°08′00″N, 80°06′00″W
Biscayne or Indian Creek, at what is now 72nd Street on Miami Beach, Florida, 25°54′10″N, 80°08′00″W

The Gilbert's Bar House of Refuge is the only one still standing, and is now a museum, operated by the Historical Society Of Martin County. It is open to visitors and has various re-enactments and history programs year round.

[edit] References

Charles W. Pierce (1970). Pioneer Life in Southeast Florida. University of Miami Press, 264. ISBN 0-87024-163-X.
Gilbert's Bar House of Refuge: A Brief History URL retrieved June 18, 2006

Coast Guard histories of the Houses of Refuge in Florida URLs retrieved June 18, 2006