Gamble Plantation Historic State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Judah P. Benjamin Confederate Memorial at Gamble Plantation Historic State Park |
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 Judah P. Benjamin Confederate Memorial at Gamble Plantation Historic State Park
Location in Florida
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| Location | Ellenton, Florida, USA |
| Governing body | Florida Department of Environmental Protection |
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Robert Gamble House
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| Built | 1845–1850 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival Vernacular |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000189 |
| Added to NRHP | August 12, 1970 |
The Gamble Plantation Historic State Park, also known as the Gamble Mansion, is a Florida State Park in Ellenton, Florida. It's a special place that tells the story of a large sugarcane farm from long ago.
The park includes the old mansion, which was built before the American Civil War. It also has a huge 40,000-gallon water tank called a cistern. The park covers about 16 acres of what used to be a much larger sugarcane farm. At its biggest, the farm was 3,500 acres. The owner, Major Robert Gamble, forced more than 200 people to work on the farm and process the sugarcane.
The mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its strong columns and two-foot-thick walls are made from a unique material called tabby. This material was used instead of bricks in the area.
The park also has the Patten House, a two-story wooden house built in 1872.
In 1925, a group called the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) bought the mansion and land. They gave it to the state to honor Judah P. Benjamin. He was an important leader during the American Civil War. Benjamin stayed at the plantation in May 1865 while escaping from Union forces. He later sailed to England and started a new career there.
Today, the Gamble Mansion is home to the Florida Division of the UDC. In 1937, they put up a special plaque to remember Judah P. Benjamin. There is also a monument for Confederate veterans on the grounds. In 2002, the state added the ruins of the plantation's sugar mill to the park. It was one of the largest sugar mills in the Southern United States.
Contents
Exploring the Plantation's Past
The Gamble Plantation has a rich history, from its early days with Native Americans to its role as a major sugarcane farm.
Early Inhabitants: Native Americans
For thousands of years, different groups of Native Americans lived in this coastal area. They left behind large shell mounds, showing they relied on seafood. Later tribes in this area included the Tocobaga, Creek, Yamasee, and Seminole.
Building a Sugar Empire
After the Seminole Wars ended in 1842, the United States allowed European Americans to settle in Florida. Major Robert Gamble Jr. arrived in 1844. He received 160 acres of land for homesteading. Other sugar planters from places like South Carolina soon joined him along the rich Manatee River valley.
These planters forced many people into slavery to clear the land. They also made them plant, harvest, and process sugarcane. Enslaved people also built the plantation houses, mills, and other buildings. By 1845, many plantations along the river were sending their sugar to New Orleans.
The Mansion's Construction
The Gamble Mansion was mostly built by enslaved people, including skilled workers. It took five to six years to build. The mansion is a great example of the antebellum (pre-Civil War) style.
Its columns and thick walls are made of tabby. This special concrete was first used by Spanish and English settlers. It was an alternative to clay bricks, which were hard to make in the coastal soil. Enslaved African Americans brought their knowledge of making tabby to Florida. They made it by mixing crushed oyster shells, sand, water, and lime (from burning oyster shells). This mixture was poured into molds to harden, just like bricks. There were plenty of oyster shells from old Native American villages.
Next to the house is a large, covered cistern that holds 40,000 gallons of water. It has a wood-shake roof. Gamble built it to provide fresh water for the household. Fish were even kept in the cistern to eat insects and help keep the water clean.
Life on the Plantation
Gamble lived in the mansion and used it as the center of his large sugar farm. By 1850, he had an overseer named David Lanner. Gamble owned 3,500 acres and forced more than 200 enslaved people to live and work there. Besides the mansion, he built many other buildings and slave quarters using tabby. He also built a wharf to ship sugar and molasses.
However, due to a drop in sugar prices and debts, Gamble had to sell the property in 1856. The Gamble Mansion is the only plantation house from that time still standing in peninsular Florida.
Judah P. Benjamin's Escape
During the American Civil War, Captain Archibald McNeill lived in the mansion. He was a famous blockade runner for the Confederacy. In May 1865, Judah P. Benjamin, who was a very important leader for the Confederacy, found safety here. He was escaping from Union troops after the Confederacy's defeat. Benjamin feared he would not get a fair trial after the war. McNeill helped Benjamin escape to the Bahamas. From there, Benjamin sailed to England and became a very successful lawyer.
The Sugar Mill Ruins
The Gamble sugar mill was one of the largest before the Civil War. Union raiders destroyed it in 1864. The brick ruins are about half a mile north of the mansion. In 2002, the State of Florida bought the mill property. They have cleared the plants around the ruins so visitors can see them, and a fence protects them.
The Patten House Story
In 1895, Dudley Patten, the youngest son of a later owner, built a wooden, two-story Victorian style house for his family. This house, called the Patten House, is also part of the park.
The state has worked to restore the Patten House. In 2014, it had to close due to termite and water damage. There was talk of tearing it down, but the community fought to save it. Renovation began in 2016. The damage was worse than expected, but the community's strong support once again helped save the home from demolition. In 2018, the Patten House was named one of Florida's "11 to Save" by the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation. This program helps raise awareness about saving Florida's historic places.
Saving the Mansion
Tabby is not as strong as brick, and by 1902, the mansion was falling apart. In 1923, the Judah P. Benjamin Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) started raising money to save the home. By 1925, they bought the house and 16 acres. They gave the property to the state to be preserved as a memorial to Judah Benjamin. The state finished restoring the house in 1927.
In 1937, the UDC placed a memorial plaque to honor Judah Philip Benjamin's service to the Confederacy. Today, the mansion is decorated to look like a successful plantation home from the mid-1800s.
In 2010, a historian named Janet Snyder Matthews led a workshop at the plantation. Her goal was for students to study the plantation and its people. They hoped to upgrade the plantation's historic status to show how important it is.
Visiting the Park
The park is open every day from 8 a.m. until sundown. You can take guided tours of the Gamble Mansion to learn more about its history.
Images for kids
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Gamble Mansion, state historical plaque
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Gamble Mansion, side view with 40,000-gal. covered cistern
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Covered cistern, Gamble Mansion
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Covered cistern (interior), Gamble Mansion
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Sugar rollers, Gamble Mansion
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Portrait of Major Robert Gamble, Gamble Mansion
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Judah P. Benjamin, Confederate Secretary of State
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Judah P. Benjamin, UDC Memorial plaque
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Approximate site of the slave quarters, Gamble Plantation
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Tabby Columns, Gamble Mansion
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Kitchen hearth, Gamble Mansion
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Kitchen items, Gamble Mansion
