HOMES OF THE TREASURE COAST
Mansion
Makeover
Tuckahoe Mansion, a Jensen Beach landmark,
was home to prominent families and a couple
of colleges until it fell into disrepair. But big
plans are in the works to bring it back to its
former glory.
This is the front view of the
Tuckahoe Mansion. The first
step in the restoration process
is to install new windows and
fully protect the interior from
bad weather.
STORY AND PHOTOS BY GREG GARDNER
T
he spirits of 4,000-year-old Ais Indians may soon greet visitors to the famous Jensen
Beach mansion known as Tuckahoe, a Native American word for welcome.
Situated on the second tallest Indian mound in Florida, the Tuckahoe mansion is perhaps
the only building in the United States to share historical designation with an archaeological
site at the same location.
Thanks to Martin County voters’ passage of a half-cent sales tax for parks in November,
work is set to begin by January on renovating the three-story, 14,000 square-foot mansion
known both as the Tuckahoe mansion and Mount Elizabeth. While the county has budgeted
money for the restoration, a non-profit group, Friends of Mount Elizabeth, is raising money for
the interior furnishings. Mount Elizabeth board members hope continual operation costs will
be covered by usage fees.
“It’s a historic place and it represents an important era in the history of Martin County. It
was the only mansion at the time,” said Jane Greenwasser, research and development director
for Friends of Mount Elizabeth.
“It’s prominent visually and historically and we don’t have many buildings that are usable. I
can see there will be a use for it. It was a grand home for its time in this place. It was kind of a
social center for the ladies. And we were just coming out of the Depression,” said Sandra
Thurlow, local historian.
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