Florida Flowers and Gardens: April Luncheon and Tour at The Burroughs Home and Gardens in Fort Myers

Burroughs Home and Gardens

The Burroughs Home is a historic home in Fort Myers, Florida. John T. Murphy, a cattle rancher, had it built in 1901. It remains one of the first Georgian Revival style homes still standing. Nelson Burroughs bought the house in 1919. Occupied by the Burroughs family, it still features most of the original furnishings. The house was the scene of many social events that hosted the elite of Fort Myers. It is now featured on the US National Register of Historic Places.

Daughter Jettie lived in the house until 1971, and the other daughter, Mona, until 1978. Mona bequeathed the house to the city of Fort Myers to be preserved in perpetuity as a public garden or museum. The home has become an award-winning mansion wedding venue.

Members of the Estero Island Garden Club on Mona’s Dancing Porch

Diane & Sharon

Becky

Karen, Laura & Susan

Joanie & Laura

Ann & Carol

Cathy, Ethel & Carol

Katie & Bobbi

Nina

Ginnie, Paula & Bernadette

Docent Donna elaborated on the history of the house

Mary Louise & Jan

The ramp leads from the home, through the gardens and ends up at the open-air pavilion overlooking the Caloosahatchee River

Grand staircase in foyer of house with an elaborate period costume on display

Hand painted mural by Diane Hays Mayer

Salon with grand piano

Dining Room

Butler's pantry

Kitchen

Jettie’s bedroom

Jettie’s bureau with hats

Nelson Burroughs’ bedroom

Nelson Burroughs’ settee

Religious Triptych

Study

Machines in study

Uniform of James Newton

Servants’ quarters on top floor

Open-air Pavilion & bridge

The home sits on 2 acres of lush gardens along the Caloosahatchee River.

The Gayle McBride Pavilion, built in 2015

The Uncommon Friends Foundation, which manages this historic property, hopes that leasing the Pavilion for public and private events will hope fund their mission, “to promote character education in schools, business ethics in the workplace and historic preservation of the Burroughs House and James Newton Archives.”

James Newton’s Uncommon Friends is a memoir in which Newton recalls a lifetime of friendship with Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone, Alexis Carrel and Charles Lindbergh. The Uncommon Friends Foundation was established in 1993 and is dedicated to lifelong character-building among today’s youth and business leaders.

Caterer for luncheon buffet

Potato Salad

Chicken

Rolls & butter

Polky with Best Hat of All

It’s also a hat with a history because it was previously worn at the Kentucky Derby.

Table One

Table Two

Table Three

Table Four

Table Five

After lunch, Susan Lawson, President of Fort Myers/Lee County Garden Council, conducted the installation of new club officers. She presented each new officer with a kaleidoscope whose color related to the officer’s duties