Perched on the shoreline at Gilbert’s Bar, the House of Refuge is Martin County’s oldest building—and the only surviving House of Refuge out of the 10 such structures built on Florida’s east coast in the 1870s. Long before A1A bustled with beachgoers, the coastline was a remote and dangerous place. Constructed as a haven for stranded sailors, the House of Refuge weathered storms and welcomed survivors of wrecks like the Georges Valentine, an Italian ship whose remains rest 100 yards offshore.
Freshly reopened after a $1.8 million renovation, the landmark now stands ready for its next chapter. Visitors can explore Martin County’s rich maritime history, including stories of the Ais Indians (among the original inhabitants of Stuart), plus tales of pirates, shipwrecks, and the brave Floridians who dedicated themselves to saving lives one storm at a time.
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