There aren't a lot of 19th century history in Florida (air conditioners for the win) so this is a…read morelittle 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.

The Gamble Mansion. You will see signs for it and it will make you curious. It has nothing to do…read morewith 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

The correct name for this historic site is the Judah P. Benjamin Confederate Memorial at Gamble…read morePlantation Historic State Park but the right name is too long for Yelp. This is one of Florida's 175 State Parks. Florida has one of the largest State Park systems in the country and includes nearly 800,000 acres and 100 miles of beach. The Florida State Park System is the first four-time winner of the Gold Medal honoring the nation's best state park system. This State Park in Ellenton contains the only surviving plantation house in South Florida. In 1843 Major Robert Gamble established a sugar plantation in a remote region along the Manatee River. It took six years to build the Gamble Plantation. Gamble was a bachelor but he built a lavish for the times 10-room, two-story mansion with two feet thick tabby walls and wide shaded verandas wrapping around three sides of the house. Gamble only operated the plantation for 12 years and left for good in 1856 due to sinking sugar prices. After the Civil War it is thought that Confederate Secretary of State Judah P. Benjamin hid out here after the fall of the Confederacy. Benjamin was a prominent Jewish New Orleans plantation owner and a trusted confidante of Confederate President Jefferson Davis. At the Gamble Plantation he was helped by Archibald McNeil, a blockade runner who secured his passage to the Bahamas before he escaped to England. In 1925, the house and 16 acres of land were saved by the United Daughters of the Confederacy who restored the house and and donated to the state. The jewel of the park is the mansion which you can tour six times a day ,Thursday through Monday for $6. In addition to the Gamble Mansion the visitors center has a small museum with exhibits and a few objects from the Civil War. One of the most moving displays is a Census Bureau document listing the enslaved people on the plantation by name. During the tour park Ranger Jesse mentions it with a pledge "We know their names and we honor every one of them." Also in the park is the 1895 Patten House, a pioneer farmhouse also preserved and maintained by the United Daughters of the Confederacy but not open for tours during our visit. Other park amenities include picnic tables, benches, and restrooms. The visitor center is open from 9 to 11:45 a.m. and 12:45 to 5 p.m., Thursday through Monday; it is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

Looks pretty cool. Would love to be able to get in to see all the markers but all gates are closedread more

This archaeological site in Manatee county is in need of some love. The signs are faded, hard to…read moreread, or vague. There are 2 parking spots, but I guess that's ok, it doesn't seem to be heavily visited. The mound is literally in front of several people's homes, which means something, I'm sure. One picnic table, an In need of repair earthen stairway that leads to the top of the mound and 3 signs of any significance. Seems maybe there could be more.

Madira Bickell Mounds is a nice place off the beaten path to have a picnic. It is nestled in a…read moreresidential area which unfortunately has been built upon an archeologically rich area. What remains is the small area and the preserved mound used by Native Americans. The park itself is very small, and the mound is overgrown by vegetation and is hard to see. There are some signs that provide information about the historical significance of the mounds. This is not a major stop of a state park. It is very small and is best suited for anyone who does have an interest in the historical aspects of the park.

I often bring our grandson here and he absolutely loves it. I love watching him get excited about…read morebooks. All of the Manatee County Libraries have been amazing. I've heard they are going to be revamping this branch and changing up the children's area so I am excited for that!

Very friendly staff here and it is easy to request books from other branches. Funny to say out loud…read morebut this branch seems to offer more large print books than normal size font books. I experienced that mistake once and learned my lesson! Yikes, knock wood, not ready for that option yet.... Appreciate that you can drop off food donations for the Manatee food bank and donate books for the library book sale. Last weekend, there were plenty of kiddos enjoying a Saturday morning activity which was fun to see their enjoyment. This branch seems to offer many community activities, posted on their outdoor marquee, which is appreciated.

This is marker commemorates the history of Mr. Beall and his shop that became Bealls. His civic…read moreroll in bringing the Cardinals to town for spring training is also noted.

This was such a great experience! We did the Murder Mystery ride and it was amazing! The…read morecharacters were engaging and involved the audience in solving the murder in a fun way. The staff was friendly and welcoming and the food was delicious! Highly recommend this experience!

Went on the Polar Express train tonight...was in a First Class car which was quite comfortable…read more(sadly the parlor car was sold out when we booked). Kristi was our attendant and she was friendly and attentive. There were some carolers going through the cars. When we arrived at the North Pole, there were several tents sent up. We went to the food tent and had a delicious chargrilled chicken pita and fries, although they also offered a delicious smelling London broil sandwich, Nathan's hot dogs, and some other choices. Staff was friendly. We were entertained by four MSA ( Manatee School of the Arts),singing Christmas songs and leading games...but this awesome trip was literally dampened by a large and long thunder storm with torrential rains and flooding. The storm led to the stoppage of campfires, the bouncy house and a bunch of activities we didn't see because we were in the tent the entire time. The rain got so bad the singers literally stopped/ left... Nevertheless, everyone was friendly, the area was beautifully decorated, and most were dressed up in holiday fun wear. Entire trip was supposed to be 3.5 hours, with about 2 hours at the "North Pole" ( the museum and grounds), but the train returned early to take us back. Definitely returning.