History comes alive at the House of Refuge on the second Saturday of each month beginning this Saturday, October 10 th. From 10:30 am to 1:30 pm noted local historian and re-enactment player, Marty Baum, will conduct very special tours of the historic property. Dressed in period costume, Marty will welcome you and escort you through the House much as a turn of the century Keeper might.

With historical facts and amusing anecdotes, Marty will transport you back to the early days of the House of Refuge. Learn about the lives that were saved the important work accomplished by the Keepers. Begin to understand the pioneer lifestyle and the significant role of the Keeper's wife in maintaining the House and its mission.

The Marty Baum re-enactment tours will be limited in size to allow for lively discussion and individual attention. Tours are planned throughout the season on the second Saturday of each month between the hours of 10:30 am and 1:30 pm. Bring the kids and out of town visitors to "experience" pioneer life on the Treasure Coast.

Tours are included with the admission fee to the museum. Adult tickets are $6, and for children ages 5 through 12, the fee is $3. Children under 5 years of age are admitted free of charge. For further information call 772-225-1875

Plan also to tour the newly redone, botanically accurate garden surrounding the House of Refuge. The House of Refuge is located at 301 SE MacArthur Boulevard in Stuart on Hutchinson Island.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the House of Refuge is Martin County's oldest structure. One of ten built by the U.S. Treasury Department in 1876, the House provided safe haven to sailors of shipwrecks along Florida's Coast. Of the ten built, the Gilbert's Bar House of Refuge is the only one that remains. More than a century of American and maritime history come together in this remarkable building and museum.

For over four decades, The Elliott Museum on Hutchinson Island in Stuart, Florida, has served as a cultural and educational resource for thousands of residents, tourists and automobile enthusiasts.The Elliott Museum is a celebration of innovation . . . of how creativity and ingenuity have changed lives, and made history. It is owned and operated by the Historical Society of Martin County, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and interpreting our region's heritage. The mission of the Elliott Museum is to interpret and celebrate the genius of innovation, creativity and the historical events in Martin County and the surrounding region, all within an environment of learning and discovery.

The Historical Society of Martin County, headquartered at the Elliott Museum in Stuart, was founded in 1955 and operates both the Elliott Museum and the House of Refuge at Gilbert's Bar, Martin County's oldest building. The HSMC collects and preserves American life in the context of the St. Lucie River region. A private non-profit organization, the HSMC relies on membership and charitable donations to continue the mission of educating the community about the richness of our area. The Elliott Museum houses one of the finest collections of American antiques, decorative arts, baseball memorabilia and vintage automobiles that celebrate the Golden Age of American creativity, and of course, local and Florida history.

For more information about membership in the Historical Society of Martin County please call 772-225-1961, ext. 108 or log onto www.elliottmuseumfl.org.