The Stranahan House

The Stranahan House

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The History of the Stranahan House

Built in 1901 by Frank Stranahan & Edwin T. King.

Historical Landmark of Downtown Fort Lauderdale.

Home of Frank & Ivy Stranahan

Home of Fort Lauderdale's pioneers Ivy and Frank Stranahan. The house is the 3rd building to be established on the locations. 2 previous buildings were Trading Posts/ Post Offices on the Himmarshee (The New River).

Frank Stranahan was hired to run a ferry boat operation from Downtown Fort Lauderdale to Miami. He took on the job of Post Man, when our "Barefooted Mailman" was eaten by alligators in a lagoon near Halbrook Ave. He also started the first Fire Station in Fort Lauderdale and stood on the city board for most of his life. Until his demise at the age of 63 years of age.

Ivy Cromartie Stranahan was our first school teacher. She arrived here in Fort Lauderdale at the young age of 19 years old. She lived in the Rio Vista Area till she married Frank in the year 1900. She started the first Sufferjet group here in Fort Lauderdale with 11 other women. Although her teaching license was taken away, due to laws about married women teaching. She continued to teach Seminole children from her home. Known as "White Mother" to the Seminoles who lived in town. Ivy Cromartie Stranahan was president of the Historical Society of Fort Lauderdale, until her death at the age of 90 years of age.

Picture of Ivy and Frank Stranahan.

Ivy (about age 22) and Frank (age 39).

People who died on the property.....

Pink Cromartie Moss- Sister of Ivy. Died of complication after given a still birth in the Living Room Parlor.
Frank Stranahan- Committed suicide by hurling himself into the New River with a sewer cap tied to his waist under the shade of a Mangrove Trees which are still there today.
Albert Cromartie- Brother of Ivy. Died of illness. Contracted TB/Tuberculosis and died in the Guest Bedroom.
Sarah (Seminole Native)SEE UPDATE!!!!- Elderly lady who came to the Trading Post to purchase a cauldren pot. She died in the doorway exit of the Trading Post part of the house. She apparently died of a Heart Attack. She was very old. Update: During our first Investigation in September, we kept getting a young girl voice as a EVP on a analog tape of Lacey Fox. Chris Rodriguez , Marlene Pardo and Lacey Fox contacted the spirit of a yound Seminole Girl named Lucpel. The used Dowsing Rods to make contact. After our Second Investigation, The Stranahan House did some research into this young girl. With help from the Historical Society, they uncovered that indeed, a young Seminole girl did die inside the Stranahan House. They address the mistake of Sarah, and now convey that it is a yound Seminole girl, that died near the stairs and the back door.
Augustos Cromartie- Father of Ivy. Died of old age (he was in his late 70's) in the back bedroom, which is known as the Gift Shop Area now.
Ivy Cromartie Stranahan- Died of old age in her master bedroom at the age of 90.

The Stranahan today.

Accessible by boat, it's a Museum devoted to Frank and Ivy Stranahan.

This is the second building on the location.

Frank had a Trading Post and Post Office at his Ferry's Boat pier.

Click here to get to the Stranahan Internet Site

In 1971, after the death of Ivy Stranahan, The house was turned into a restaurant, called "The Pioneer House". Which lasted 2 years of it's 5 year lease agreement.

A foundation was formed to establish the home as a historical landmark. The Stranahan House, Inc. has been taking care of the building after taking it over from the restaurant.

Today, it's a museum. Open during the daytime to tour it's old furnishings and pioneer living. Tour are given by docents, who are familiar with it's history and now haunted past.

Stories from the employees, of what they witness and felt, as they worked in The Stranahan House became well known. A radio station with NPR, was brought in on Halloween Eve, to witness themselves the ghosts of The Stranahan. They were not dissappointed. At 15 minutes before 12 a.m., the rocking chair in front of the fireplace, rocked on it's own for 15 minutes. Footsteps were heard walking up and down the wooden staircase in the center of the home.

Featured on the Travel Channel, on a program called "Frightening Florida", they tell you briefly some of the paranormal happenings that occur in the house.

SEFGR, PORTAL, & Miami Ghosts as a joint effort investigated the house 2 times. In both occasions, paranormal occurences did happen.

On the following web pages, read about some of the paranormal happenings that we witnessed.

The Stranahan House, Fort Lauderdale's Most Haunted House

The Haunted Chronicles.com

Bringing you the best in Haunted Entertainment.

SEFGR-South East Florida Ghost Research

Investigating the paranormal since 1998.