In 1855, about 100 acres of land along the Indian River was purchased by explorer Henry William Racey. His son, Charles Henry Racey, built a home atop the 4,500 year old mound; the site became known as “Mount Elizabeth”. Around 1891 he built a three-story wooden house atop the mound and started a pineapple plantation. That house burned to the ground in 1921.
In 1936, Atlanta businessman Willaford Leach and his wife Anne Bates Leach, a Coca Cola heiress, purchased Mount Elizabeth and the surrounding property and built the Mediterranean Revival home that exists today. Named “Tuckahoe” (thought to be a Native American term for “Welcome”), the estate was completed in 1939 with the latest in architectural design for that time. Sitting on approximately 54 acres of riverfront woodland and rolling lawns, Tuckahoe was the hub of social life in Martin County and the setting for countless parties attended by the local social set and WWII soldiers from nearby Camp Murphy.
The Leach family moved to Palm Beach in 1950 and sold Tuckahoe estate to the Catholic Church for use as a Novitiate of the Sisters of St. Joseph. The Sisters later operated Florida’s only 2-year liberal arts college until 1972 when the entire property was purchased by Florida Institute of Technology (FIT), a 4-year college offering degrees in marine science. The Mansion became the college’s administrative offices. After closing FIT in 1986, The Mansion and surrounding property stood vacant for more than a decade until local community leaders led a referendum drive to encourage Martin County to purchase the property. Purchased by the County in 1997, the property became the site of Indian RiverSide Park. During the accompanying restoration of the Tuckahoe mansion, archaeological excavations were undertaken to study the Mount Elizabeth Mound.
This burial and ceremonial mound was constructed approximately 4,500 years ago by people of the Late Archaic Period, and is the highest mound in South Florida, presently at 40 ft. above sea level. It was seasonally occupied or used for ceremonial purposes from that time up until around 800 A.D.. The mound, which was originally 60-feet high, contains broken pottery, tools, fish bone and shell ornaments and other discarded items used their daily lives. The people of this site were subsistence hunter-gatherers who at first hunted big game mammals inland on what was then vast wet marshland and coastal hammocks. As they progressed to the coast, they included fish and smaller game along with gathered flora foods and shellfish. The abundant shells that make up this large midden were harvested from the Indian River Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean.
Overlooking the beautiful Indian River Lagoon within Martin County’s Indian RiverSide Park, The Mansion at Tuckahoe, sits atop Mount Elizabeth Mound, and together, they create one of the most historically significant sites in Florida.
Set against a backdrop of beautiful sunsets and tropical palm trees, the Mansion at Tuckahoe, located within Indian RiverSide Park at 1707 NE Indian River Drive in Jensen Beach, balances southern elegance with old Florida charm. Offering breathtaking waterfront views overlooking the Indian River Lagoon, the Mansion at Tuckahoe is one of the most historically significant sites in Florida. This restored facility is the Treasure Coast’s premier event venue and is available for weddings, showers, parties, special events and more. The Mansion at Tuckahoe is currently operated by the Martin County Parks & Recreation Department of Martin County.
Explore the rich history and take a free tour of The Mansion at Tuckahoe. This historic site was once the home of Coca-Cola heiress Anne Bates Leach. Tours take place every first and third Wednesday of the month, starting on October 19, 2022, through May 2023, at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. (Arrive 15 minutes ahead of tour time.) Tours will be conducted by reservation only. Please send an email at TheMansion@martin.fl.us to reserve your spot. Guided historic tours of the Mansion occur between mid September and May on the first and third Wednesdays of the month.
Indian RiverSide Park is the premier family destination park in Martin County. Located at 1707 NE Indian River Drive in Jensen Beach, Indian RiverSide Park is a 63 acre park that sits along the Indian River Lagoon.
Park amenities include a ½ mile of waterfront space, a ¾ mile walking path and mangrove boardwalk, 780 foot fishing pier, free interactive play fountain, beach, four picnic pavilions, and beautifully landscaped gardens and open grass fields. Indian RiverSide Park features three rental venues ideal for special events, weddings, parties, meetings and more. They include the Frances Langford Dockside Pavilion, the Mansion at Tuckahoe, and Historic Captain Henry Sewall’s House. IRSP is also home to the Treasure Coast Children's Museum and U.S. Sailing Center.
ABOUT CAPTAIN HENRY SEWALL'S HOUSE
This historic structure, built in 1889 at the tip of the peninsula that became Sewall’s Point, was once the home of local pioneer and developer Henry E. Sewall. When Captain Sewall became the postmaster, he established the Sewall's Point post office in his home in 1891. Captain Sewall and his wife Abbie lived in the house until 1910. It was then moved to Willoughby Creek in Port Sewall where it stood 90 years.
A unanimous vote of the Board of County Commissioners saved the building from demolition in 2006 and it was incorporated into the master plan of Indian RiverSide Park. In 2009, the Historic Preservation Board placed the building on the Martin County Register of Historic Landmarks. After years of restoration by Martin County, this historic treasure was open to the public in November 2012. Now owned by the residents of Martin County, its colorful story is one to be shared and celebrated.
Free, historical docent tours of Captain Henry Sewall's House are held every first and third Wednesday of the month from November 2022 through May 2023. The tours run at 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. No reservation required. For more information, please call Indian RiverSide Park at (772) 463-3201.
page information credit: Martin County, Historical Markers Database, Wikipedia, Florida Memory Project, Tuckahoe Mansion, jacquithurlowlippisch.com
photos from the sources listed above, as well as publicly posted online sites with thanks to the contributors