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Plantation Christmas Gamble Mansion

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Plantation Christmas was held in Ellenton, Florida on Sunday, Dec 11, 2011. Carol Tomlinson, Tammy Moore and Candy Tilton (prospective member) of the Granville Beville 2234, Bushnell Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy along with Annette Harrell and Charlotte Thompson of the Anna Jackson 224, Tallahassee, decorated the Parlor of the Gamble Mansion owned by Robert Gamble. They were joined by Joyce White on Sunday and served as docents as the Mansion was toured by the public. Decorations used were from the time period of the War Between the States, 1861-1865. Scrub pines, magnolia leaves, oranges, nuts, holly was used as the decorations for the room and the Christmas tree was decorated with homemade ornaments made from scrapes of material and pew dolls made from handkerchief, popcorn strung with cranberry's and dried flowers.

The Gamble Mansion is furnished by period correct furniture. Major Robert Gamble and his family came to Florida in the mid 1800's and built the plantation, which took 5-6 years (1845-1850). He sold the plantation due to declining sugar market and debts. It sold in 1856 and was the only surviving plantation house in South Florida. The United Daughters of the Confederacy in 1925 bought and donated the Gamble Plantation to the state a memorial to Judah P. Benjamin, who served three Cabinet positions under Confederate President Jefferson Davis during War Between the States. He stayed in May 1865 before escaping the Federal Forces and sailing to England. In 1872, postwar owner George Patten built a wooden, vernacular Victorian style, two story house because he found the mansion in too poor condition for living.

In 2002 the state acquired the property which holds the ruins of the plantation's sugar mill, one of the South's largest, and added it to the historic park complex. Gamble Plantation Historic State Park is open 365 days per year. Tours are available Thursday through Monday's from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.