Tiki History - Kona Kottage, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Here are three postcards for the Kona Kottage (a personal residence)in Ft. Lauderdale, Fl.

This is part of an article about the waterfront homes in Ft. Lauderdale that discusses the history of the Kona Kottage.

Waterfront News (April 2000)

"...Driving along Las Olas Boulevard, passersby can look to the north to spot the jungle-like structure that marks the entryway to Las Olas' first group of islands, stretching from the business section of the boulevard down to the Intracoastal Waterway.

At first glance, the structure looks like a treehouse surrounded by exotic foliage. Pull onto Gordon Road, however, and this is no tree house. Instead, what comes into view is a large, spacious estate once known as Kona Kottage, converted in 1959 into a Polynesian-style structure by then-owner Morton L. Browne.

For years, Kona Kottage captured the attention of thousands of vacationing tourists with its Japanese umbrellas, waterfalls, colored lights and tree houses. It also featured a basement bomb shelter equipped to serve up to 60 people should the need arise. Tourist traffic became so heavy around the Kottage complex that in 1965 authorities wound up restricting the number of visitors permitted to tour the grounds.

It looked like Tarzan could have lived there. And for awhile, it was rumored that the actor who played Tarzan in the movies, Olympic swimming great Johnny Weismuller, was Navarro Isles' most famous resident...."

A call to Hukilau bound urban archelogists - This place deserves an update. What's happended to this place? Let's see some pics.

Turns out, it is onlt 5.5 miles from the Mai Kai, and right around the corner from the Yankee Clipper.

The Mai Kai is location A, the Kona Kottage is location B (I think the address of the place is 220 S. Gordon Road).

Good Hunting!

[ Edited by: ZuluMagoo on 2004-09-22 18:34 ]

[ Edited by: ZuluMagoo 2007-01-01 15:50 ]

cool!

hey im up for checking that out with anyone who wants to go during hukilau

(im not getting in until saturday, but oh well)

Bump - Broken picture links repaired

A couple more postcards that I have picked up since my initial post a few years ago.

An update....

The place is not as colorful as it used to be, but they do still have a Moai guarding the front.

And! If you happen to have 2.7 mil lying around it can be yours....

http://www.intercoastalrealty.com/listings/full_details.asp?ID=-2008054681