There aren't a lot of 19th century history in Florida (air conditioners for the win) so this is a little treasure for history lovers. We did go on a Friday, but the tour guide for the 1 pm said no one had been by all day, which is a shame. I hope it's more busy on weekends/not summer time. There is a small exhibit at the visitor center which is worth checking out, but it can be done before or after. Most of the tour was about the original owner Robert Gamble, the follow up owners the Pattens and just a little about Judah P. Benjamin's brief stay. A lot of the furnishings are original or time period accurate, and our tour guide was great at answering questions about the house and the people who lived here. I'm glad this house was preserved and is open to the public today since there isn't a lot of old history in the area that still remains. Hopefully one day, the other house on the property is restored enough to be open for tours. Only complaint about the site is the gift shop is practically non-existent. It would have been nice to get a postcard or some small memento, but they must not have enough visitors to justify the upfront cost. Luckily this site is owned and operated by the Florida Park Services so it will continue to be available as a cultural relic and hopefully people people keep visiting. read more

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The Gamble Mansion. You will see signs for it and it will make you curious. It has nothing to do with Gambling or Casinos it was just the name of the slave owners of this property. Very unique piece of property and history that survived old Florida from being burned down or taken over. Cheap tour was $6. And $4 per child under 12. That is what it cost to see the inside. You can walk around the outside grounds for free. Worth the tour and history lesson. Very well kept property it almost seems like it was built a few years ago and not actually 1872. Florida history is something else read more

Gamble Plantation - front of mansion - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Ellenton, Florida

My mom and I went to visit the plantation and really enjoyed ourselves. The guide was so informative and friendly. We had an amazing time. I would definitely recommend this to everyone! read more

I stopped because I always see the sign for it on 1-75 south. Come for the mansion, stay for the walking around the grounds. Walking around is free. read more

Gamble Plantation - The Gamble Mansion - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Ellenton, Florida

Surprisingly nice little state park to visit in Ellenton. This is a 1840s antebellum mansion that was donated by the Daughters of the Confederacy in 1925 to the state of Florida. The remaining grounds are a state park with open space, picnic tables, and even small BBQ pits. There's a small museum (free) in the visitor's center. And for $6, you can get a 30 minute tour of the mansion. I was prepared for anything with the tour, but it was actually lovely and informative. We were able to see all the restored rooms in the mansion, and while none of the contents are original to the Gamble (or Patten) days, they are contemporaneous, and the state ranger was able to provide information about how people in the 1800s did things without the technology we have now. He also was well versed in how many idioms came to be, like "sleep tight" or "pop goes the weasel." While the tour guide did not overtly decry slavery, he did not glorify the old plantation ways, which I appreciated. Overall, this was a nice way to use up an hour in Manatee County, and I learned a bit about 1800s domestic life. read more

The Gamble Plantation is a 10 room, 2 story Greek Revival Vernacular plantation house located in Ellenton, Florida in the Judah P. Benjamin Confederate Memorial at Gamble Plantation Historic State Park. This plantation house offers visitors a glimpse into the antebellum period of Florida. It is the only surviving plantation house in South Florida and as such holds a significant place in the areas history. The Gamble Plantation provides a fascinating look into the lifestyle of Major Robert Gamble and his extensive extensive sugar plantation during the mid 19th century. Also living at the plantation were hundreds of slaves that worked in the fields, as skilled laborers, and in the house. Visitors to the park can take $6 guided tours of the mansion six times a day. A tour lasts 45 minutes and you must be part of a tour to see the inside. You are not free to just walk around inside the mansion. Our guide was Jesse who shared his knowledge and insights into the history of the home along with a dash of humor. Notable features of the house include its columns and two foot thick walls made out of tabby, a unique type of concrete first used by Spanish and English settlers as a stand in for bricks. By 1856 Major Robert Gamble was in financial ruins and he left the house. His slaves were taken to pay his debts. During the Civil War the Gamble Plantation was occupied by Captain Archibald McNeill, a famous Confederate blockade runner. The house holds particular historical significance because it is thought that Confederate Secretary of State Judah P. Benjamin took refuge here after the fall of the Confederacy until his safe passage to England could be secured. At the time he was being accused of having arranged the assassination of President Lincoln. With McNeil's help he first escaped to the Bahamas and then to England where he ended up having a successful law career. The plantations sugar mills were destroyed by the Union in 1864. After the war the house was left decaying and abandoned until the Daughter of the Confederacy restored it in 1925 and donated it and 16 acres of land to the State of Florida. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 12, 1970. The mansion had a further exterior renovation in 2020. Unfortunately the original furnishings were removed and accidentally burned in a fire. There is minimal period furnishings in the rooms and not all of the rooms are open as some are used as storage. This house doesn't have the same grandeur as say Boone Hall in Charleston. Think of this as a frontier plantation. At the time there wasn't anything around here although today there is a Popeye's Chicken across the street and a major road runs in front of the house that is visible from the upstairs veranda. The surrounding grounds of the house once held gardens. Today the house is a popular destination for area weddings. On the grounds there is a visitors center with exhibits that provide additional historical context to the Gamble Plantation. As a history enthusiast, the Gamble Plantation was a must-visit destination for me. Thank you Mary Ann for being amicable to stopping by for a visit and waiting for the next tour. I will never forget our Popeyes picnic. The well-preserved mansion, grounds, friendly staff, and educational programming make history come alive here. As someone who loves architecture and exploring historical sites, the Gamble Plantation offers a unique and informative journey into Florida's past. read more

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Antebellum mansion of former sugar plantation. Beautiful trees on the property. Small museum area with artifacts of the time which gave some interesting information about the place. The mansion itself was very plain and not grand in any way one would expect of a plantation mansion. It's kind of a let-down, honestly. Tour ($6) guide was just okay. Felt like he just wanted to recite his script and seemed to be genuinely annoyed with us for asking questions. Mind you, my family were the only ones on the tour. We love doing these smaller historical sites and have never been made to feel so unwelcome. If you're in the immediate area, a quick, interesting stop on lively grounds. Definitely not a destination in and of itself. read more

Gamble Plantation - Gamble Plantation - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Ellenton, Florida

The Gamble Plantation is the last surviving plantation in South Florida. There is no entry fee but tours are $6 per person (for 2, I was charged $12.01 on my credit card) and there is plenty of free parking. Please note that dogs are allowed on the grounds but not allowed on the tour. I came by this plantation with my husband on a Saturday afternoon, around 1:45 pm. We were able to catch the 2 pm tour, as we walked in the main office and paid our admission (please note that there are restrooms right outside the main office. The ladies restroom was clean and adequately stocked w/ the essentials). Our tour guide, Park Ranger Jessie, is rather an interesting and quirky man. He has a different type of humor but still found him to be informative during this 45 minute long tour. We learned that Major Robert Gamble Jr was the one who built this plantation and was a sugar planter. During this time period, 1800's, he had numerous of slaves working the plantation. Due to low sales of sugar, in the late 1850's, Mr. Gamble ended up selling his plantation. Then during the Civil War, Captain Archibald McNeill lived in the mansion. Judah P. Benjamin, who was the Confederate Secretary of State, took refuge here during in May 1865, while making his escape from Federal troops following defeat of the Confederacy. Judah P. Benjamin eventually left and went to England. He later became a lawyer and ended up being part of the Queen's counsel. The Gamble Plantation was eventually destroyed during the war time and the Daughters of the Confederacy had this mansion restored. On the same property, there is the Patton House, which is not part of the tour and guests are not able to go inside to look around. It is currently being restored, as it has had damage and is unsafe for visitors to go inside. It was interesting to see some of the furniture during this time period when this home was built and used. But the furniture may not necessarily be the original. According to Jessie, the pieces placed may just be appropriate for the time period. For this tour, you will be required to go up stairs and stand the entire duration of time. Just thought I would mention this, as there was an elderly woman who did receive assistance from her daughter and grand daughter, as the tour group made their way around the various parts of the plantation. Overall, this tour was nice and educational. Also great the the tour was pretty cheap. I wished we would have been able to see some of the other rooms that were closed off to the public. Definitely a nice place to check out if you are in this part of Florida, but I don't know if it is worth a special visit. Please note that tours start every hour. If you miss the a tour, you can just wait for the next one. Of if you come 5 minutes after the tour has began, you may be lucky for Jessie to let you join the tour anyway and just pay afterwards (this is what he did for 2 separate parties once the tour had began). read more

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I was enroute to a meeting in Sarasota, Florida and pulled off to get gas and seen this park. I decided to take a moment to check it out. This is a park to enjoy the lovely Florida weather, but it is so much more than that. It is a glimpse into the past, into a different world that the continuous steps of time keeps us seperated. If you find yourself in the area, I recommend a visit here. Park your car and walk into another time. read more

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The day we were here, both of the "regular" tour folks were out. We were glad at least they didn't turn us away but I think we got less of the "flavor" that the regular tour guides would have imparted. Stuff happens. The poor guy who inherited the duties of giving the tour (bless his heart) did his best under the circumstances. We were here on MLK weekend (happened to be in the area for kayak fishing but got blown out by the winds). I did wonder if it would be inappropriate to visit on a holiday celebrating a civil rights leader who fought for minority voices to be heard (and to be treated like human beings). I did know that this plantation had employed a lot of slaves. I wasn't sure what to expect. After touring this property, I can respond to other reviews that complained about the lack of mention of the slaves. Please recognize that this tour is about the building not about the era or about slavery. The folks who fought to preserve this building did just that, preserved the building. Also, this tour is run by the State of Florida and if they talk about slavery, they will inevitably be criticized for HOW they talk about slavery. If you come here, manage your expectations. This tour is about the building, not much more. On this tour we learned some very interesting things about how buildings were constructed back in the day to defend against attacks (interior perimeter walls, materials used to construct those walls). We also were reminded how brutal the elements are here in Florida and what an uphill challenge it is to continue to maintain an historic building in those elements (heat, humidity and termites!). I was disappointed that the tour did not include any details about sugar farming. Afterall, this was a sugar plantation and there is an impressive piece of machinery on the grounds (sugar cane roller) that I expected would be mentioned (but was not). The visitor center does have some exhibits which are worth exploring. Unfortunately the day we were there, they had to close down the visitor center because the person who manned it was also the person who was giving the tours! We'll be back and hope to learn more (from the regular tour guide) about this very interesting building and the grounds. Also, there is another building on the property, the Patten House, that the Daughters of the Confederacy are struggling to save. There are plans to restore that as well and we hope to visit both next time. read more

This is the second time I have tried to visit. The website says open, but sadly the Plantation is not open. The park is but not the Plantation. I was wanting to get my State Park stamp for my passport but nope. Also called number and although there are two Rangers cars here no reposonse. read more

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Awesome place. So much history. Tours are hourly and last 30-40 minutes. $6 per person for the tour. We came on a Sunday and had a really nice time. Bottom Line: It's a nice change to do something with the family that doesn't involve social media. You get to learn some history and tour a real southern mansion. It's a win-win. read more

We were looking for something to do after going and having a big lunch at Yoder's. I have always seen the sign for the plantation on I-75 and thought we would check it out on the way back home. The Gamble Plantation is run by the Florida State Parks, which is great. To take a tour, it is only $6 per person for adults. A park ranger will take you on an hour long tour of the mansion and then after that you can walk around the grounds if you'd like. We stopped by on a Saturday and it was a little overcast. We were lucky enough to be the only people on the tour too! Lots of great information about how Florida was in the 1800s. Our tour guide, Pat, was very friendly and knowledgeable. We enjoyed it. There is a covered pavilion with picnic tables and grills as well as other picnic spots throughout the property as well so it would be a nice place for a picnic or maybe a big get together. I am sure you can rent the pavilion. Pat also told us they have some classic car shows during the year as well as a Christmas Open House where the Daughters of the Confederate dress up in period costumes. read more

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We drive out here to see this , 2 hours but due to the virus it was closed. The man there" Tony" was very nice and allowed us to walk around it and look in the windows. It is a beautiful place and I will come back again at a later date read more

Gamble Plantation - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Ellenton, Florida

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Drove three hours to get to the Gamble Plantation and everyone agreed it was very worth it! Went on the tour of the plantation house for $6 and it was a whole hour long. And our tour guide was awesome! The grounds are beautiful and the history of the place is fascinating! It begins from the end of the Seminole War to the 1920s, when the place was purchased and deeded to the state. We also learned little tidbits regarding the origin of "pop goes the weasel", "hush puppies" etc. I was very hesitant checking out a plantation but there is no glorifying of slavery or the Confederacy. read more

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Really beautiful place. I Love history, I hope to learn a bit more. Tour guide, Jesse was awesome. Funny & informative. read more

Gamble Plantation - Gamble Mansion - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Ellenton, Florida

Located right of the US 301 some 2 miles west from I-75 (exit 224). I've passed this park multiple times before finally stopping by on my last mini-workation (taking a vacation to do work). It's a Historic State Park that takes you back to the early pioneer days of the Florida Sun Coast (1840s). Gamble came from a wealth family in Tallahassee and quickly increased his land holdings to 3500 acres, of which 1500 were in cultivation. Like many of the plantation owners in the area, Sugarcane was the staple crop. He brought in machinery from New Orleans for the sugar refinery, but withing 20 years as crops prices fell, he went bankrupt. After years of decay, the property was purchased in 1920s, revitalized and deeded to the State of Florida. When you enter the park you are on axis with the Gamble Mansion. It's the oldest building in Manatee County and is a great little example of Antebellum architecture (Latin for "before the war"). Think of a quaint Front Porch jacked-up on steroids. The columns are massive 2 story chunks that wrap 3 side of the building. Our own Floridian Greek Temple.... ok, maybe not. There's also a picnic area and pavilion in the back of the Mansion. Everything under the old majestic Oaks that sprinkle the property. To the east of the Gamble Mansion is the Patten House. A Florida pioneer farmhouse. The interior has many original period furniture pieces, photos, rugs, lamps, kitchen and dining area. Through the years the house had additions, but you can easily pick up on the original 4 rooms of the structure. There's a second floor but visitors are not allowed up the stair (safety). My visit to the area coincided with the Spring Open House (1st Sunday in March) While I couldn't make it to the event, it was filled with: Free Tours of the Mansion & Patten House Live Civil War Era Weapons Period Costumes & Uniforms Civil War Field Equipment Music and Food Check the website or call for other events throughout the year. read more

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Gamble Plantation Historic State Park consists of an antebellum mansion constructed in the Doric Revivalist Vernacular architectural style, developed by its first owner, Major Robert Gamble. It is the only surviving plantation in South Florida, and a popular wedding destination. Its columns and two-foot-thick walls are constructed of tabby, a regional material developed as a substitute for brick. In addition to the plantation is a 40,000-gallon cistern to provide the household with fresh water (fish were kept in the cistern to eat insects and help keep the water clean), and a 16 acre sugar plantation. At its peak, the plantation occupied 3500 acres in South Florida, and Gamble likely held more than 600 slaves. The park also includes the restored wood-frame, two-story, Victorian-style Patten House, built in 1872 for owner George Patten. The mansion would have been left to decay, had it not been for the United Daughters of the Confederacy, who purchased it after finding out that Judah P. Benjamin, who served in three Cabinet positions under Confederate President Jefferson Davis during the American Civil War, had hidden out in the mansion. He stayed at the plantation in May 1865 before escaping Federal forces. After remaining abandoned for some time, George Patten bought the property in 1872 but decided the mansion was in poor condition and built a two-story Victorian-style house directly in front of it, in which he lived. The Patten house remains, though it has been moved to the side to allow the restored and imposing plantation to be the star of the show. By the way, if you're a history buff, you may want to head north on State Road 683 to see the ruins of the original sugar mill. Inside the building where you purchase tickets on the Gamble Plantation Historic Park, is a small museum exhibit that is worth checking out (it is free). The guided tours are $6, but WARNING! You will NOT be allowed inside the Gamble plantation at ALL unless you pay for the tour. Even if you try to pay for the tour and it has already started, you will NOT be allowed to do so and join the tour. I wish the website had stated this because we came at 4:15, thinking we'd be allowed to roam the home until 5, giving us plenty of time, until we were told by the lady behind the counter that the interior of the mansion was off-limits and to return the next day. This was a frustrating waste of time since it's about 30 minutes away from the downtown Sarasota area, so I thought I would do you all the favor of informing you about this. Tour times, by the way, are 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., Thursday through Monday. Because of this, I deducted a star, and in addition, the Patten house is only open on Sundays if the UDC are around to open it, there is no set opening time. It seems like a halfway done effort to have one house available for viewing but not the other. There is really no reason why both houses cannot be open for touring, so that is why I took off another star. My friend, who has been to several plantations in South Carolina, Mississippi and Savannah, said this is one of the plainest ones he has seen (both the exterior and interior) -- this was meant to be a frontier mansion, not some elaborate "show-off" mansion in which no expense was spared, so be realistic in your expectations. read more

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Very informative. The tour guide, Jesse did a wonderful job telling the story's related to the plantation. Definitely worth $6. read more

Gamble Mansion and Plantation is an antebellum sugar plantation. A guided tour of the mansion costs $6 and takes about 45 minutes. Our park ranger for the guided tour was knowledgeable and entertaining. The museum in the visitors center has a lot of artifacts from the plantation life after the Second Seminole War through 1925 and the other owners of the mansion. On the property is the Patten House, which was not open because of renovations. The park area has picnic tables, benches, and a gazebo. read more

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We viewed the Plantation home, and the grounds available to us....all very interesting information. Part of the history of the state of Florida. Gave us insight into how people previously lived in the state. Great for people to take in. It didn't take that long. Pictures, drawings all very interesting. I would recommend it read more

My son and I love history. I do wish I could have spent more time in the rooms of the mansion. The guide did an outstanding job but did not have any additional time to leave the welcome center/museum open between tours. Would have been 5 stars if we could have gone back into the museum. read more

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Clean and quiet. Wish it had more of its history posted in pictures and such. The museum is closed per Covid but I had to look up the history and old pictures online. Fascinating history! read more

Great place to learn about the Gamble family and how they made their fortune from sugar and slavery. Learn how Robert Gamble employed endless efforts to avoid Seminole instrusion. See the magnificent home he lived in that was built by slave labor. Located in sleepy Palmetto, Florida and a must for American history buffs. Tour is only 45 minutes and costs only $5 bucks. See this place. read more

Gamble Plantation - Gamble Plantion (Palmetto, Florida) - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Ellenton, Florida

Really, if you're a history buff, you want to visit this sole surviving antebellum mansion on the FL peninsula. Nicely restored, with period furnishings, and a knowledgeable and entertaining tour, for only $6. They are perfectly up front about the first owner having used slave labor to run his plantation, which was poorly managed and then failed. The later history of the house was also interesting, as was the small museum. This is a very non-commercial operation, no big store or other distraction. The grounds are nice for strolling too. read more

Great place to learn about the gamble family and their family history. Tour only takes 45 minutes and is 5 bucks. My only complaint is the sparse parking. I would complain about the accessibility issue but considering the fact that the building is a historical building and they don't want to deface it. I can understand, but they should at least have an area set up for those that can't go upstairs, so they can watch a DVD about the upstairs area. read more

Gamble Plantation - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Ellenton, Florida

Informative of Old South,antebellum sugar cane production and press civil war crash. History has a way of repeating itself. $6 bucks only 1/2 hour to plantation from St Pete /Clearwater read more

Definitely one of the best tours we have ever been on thoroughly enjoyed our experience here at the gamble mansion. The $6 tour was a bargain! Our tour guide Ted was amazing! He gave us so much information. We will definitely plan on returning when we are back in the area. I would recommend wearing something cool and comfortable there is no air conditioning for the tour only in the visitors center. read more

I have always been so fond of antebellum style homes, and when my husband and I passed the sign on I-75 saying there was this mansion in Ellenton, only about 30 minutes away from where we stayed, I was very interested and found it was the only remaining of its kind in South Florida. We went to enjoy the tour and the small museum, and we had a great time there. Jesse, the Park Ranger and Tour Guide, was a fun and silly gentleman. I highly recommend the tour, as I found it most entertaining, and educational. I had never before visited a plantation home, so I was thrilled, and it was certainly a fun experience. read more

Not much to see on the grounds. Need to go on a tour to enter the mansion. Tours are only at 9:30, 10:30, 1, 2, 3 and 4. Mansion is not air conditioned, so be aware that the temperatures could get 90 degrees or more. read more