Palm Cottage

Palm Cottage Review

Houses in 19th-century South Florida were often built of a concrete-like material made of sand and seashells called tabby mortar. For a fine example of such construction, stop by Palm Cottage, built in 1895 and one of the Lower Gulf Coast's few surviving tabby homes. The historically accurate interior contains simple furnishings typical of the period. Next door to the cottage, Norris Gardens was designed to reflect turn-of-the-last-century garden trends. Docent tours of the home are included with admission; for an extra $6, join the weekly two-hour walking tour of the garden and historic district (reservations are required for the historic district tours, which are held on Wednesday mornings).