Florida Back Roads: The House of Refuge

People ask me why I fight so hard for our life here in Martin County. It’s because we are different. Yes, there has been some changes since I moved here and there are some things coming I’m not ok with but for the most part the people who live here really care about our county and our way of life.

This is one of the first places I visited when I moved here.

The House of Refuge at Gilbert’s Bar is the only remaining House of Refuge. It was built as one of ten along the east coast of Florida, it is the oldest structure in Martin County and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Houses of Refuge were designated as havens for shipwrecked sailors and travelers along the sparsely populated Atlantic coastline of Florida. Run by the United States Lifesaving Service, the Houses played a critical role in a time when sailing ships dominated the world commerce.

This week we have big waves and big tides. We had the full blood moon and we have Hurricane Joaquin out there.

Yesterday was the first gorgeous day after a long, hot summer so I went down and took some photos.

The House of Refuge is located at 301 Southeast MacArthur Blvd, Stuart, FL