The Gamble Mansion was built shortly after the Second Seminole War ended, opening the area for settlement. Robert Gamble, a major during the war, built a sugar plantation on the Little Manatee River, starting in 1844. He was a bachelor, and yet he built a lavish 10-room two-story mansion on the Gamble plantation. Its tabby walls are nearly two feet thick, and it has wide shaded verandas wrapping around three sides of the house. The photos are from one of several visits I have made there, it is 6 miles from our home.
Gamble Mansion was destroyed during the Civil war, and was in ruins, when Dudley Patton, bought the plantation for $3,000 back taxes.
The one above is called the Mansion, this is the Patton House, and the other house on the plantation and was built in 1872. This is the one I would live in, if given the choice.
Above is the in fireplace inside the mansion and below are the biscuits they were cooking when we took the tour.
There were no cabinets, and the cooking pots were stored under the huge kitchen table.
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| Click to enlarge for details. |
The women that were cooking had on long period dresses and when I asked why there was a cloak hanging on the door, I was told it was the 1872 fire extinguisher.
(There was a red one behind the door, like the one in my kitchen now. that was then and this is now)
She explained that during that period of time, fire was the #2 killer of women, with childbirth #1.
Most of the skirts/dresses were cotton. Cotton is very flammable, and even getting close to hot coals, would burst into flames burning quickly. Did you know you can burn cottone balls? that they burn like wood and smell like wood when burning.
No, I have not tried the cotton balls in my closet. YET
In every room that had a fireplace, there were woolen blankets or a woolen cloak, kept close by to smother the flames on the skirts that dragged into the hot coals and burst into flames.
this cloak is the equivalent of the fire blankets I purchased last week, to use in my kitchen in case of fire.
For the history of Gamble Mansion is, HERE the link to its history on Florida Chamber of Commerce.The label Gamble includes many of my photos on several visits. Twice I went to Civil War Reenactments. The Biscuits were for the soldiers outside in tents. No, they would not let me have one.
18 comments:
omg thw first house reminds me of tara from gone with the wind... I love to dive into the past, so many thanks for that post...
You know I never thought about the firs risk of wearing those enormous dresses. What a life women subjected themselves to in those days? Maybe the blook who built the enormous house was hoping it might attract a mate - like aa bower bird building its bower.
Ooh I would love that second house with the wrap around porch on both stories.
How horrible that would be to have your clothing catch on fire. I can't imagine.
Hello,
It is a beautiful house, I love the porch.
Any kind of fire scares me.
Take care, have a great day!
I did not know any of the facts you told..about fire being #2 killer, etc. Just so much stuff j never thought about. I love that second house too.
Hari Om
What a wonderful history post - yes, that fire risk was very real; in India, it was the saris brushing against oil lamps that resulted in incendiary deaths of women. The majority of daily saris being made, of course, from cotton - but silk is also highly flammable. YAM xx
A very interesting post. Just a heads up, I will be pretty much out of commission for the next couple of weeks so if I don’t visit your blog you’ll know why. I have a friend from Australia staying with me and we will shortly be leaving for Cuba where we will be in remote areas without internet. Should be great birds though!
Cast iron skillets make the very best food EVER. My Annie Ma had so many of them.
Hugs Cecilia
PS love the Spanish Moss on the tree...I feel a gentle summer breeze.
I did not know about this, or else I did, but forgot. SO, did the new house replace the old one, or are they both still there? Did they tear down the old one that had been destroyed? Or was it burnt down in the war? The biscuits look really good. And all the pots (cauldrons, really) under the table don't really look bad. Did you know that a lot of toddlers caught on fire and died? Mothers took to burning their child's hand on purpose so they would know, and not go near fire.
Now I want to go visit this!
Like you, I'm more attracted to the second (Patton) home, but guessing it's not open to the public.
Catchy title! That's darn interesting about steps taken to make sure ladies of those times didn't go up in flames. More fascinating, that tidbit about cotton balls. You know I want to try that, too!
I love the Living History enactments. It makes everything more real and understandable. Interesting about the cloak..hadn't thought of that and cotton being so flammable..
Thanks for my history lesson today.
Sue
Those biscuits look good! That's neat about the wool for smothering fires.
Thank you for sharing this story. Very interesting.
I had to laugh about the cotton balls because I thought for sure you would have done that.
How fascinating!! Thanks so much for sharing!
I like both of those places, very classy! I'll bet the biscuits smelled good!
I appreciate you sharing with me about the fire blankets....I ordered some, thanks to you!
Lovely houses! I never realised that cotton was so flammable.
Fascinating history and beautiful photos! I didn't know that about cotton either.
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