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SANIBEL HISTORICAL MUSEUM AND VILLAGE
The Rutland House today at the Sanibel Historical Museum and Village.
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SANIBEL HISTORICAL MUSEUM AND VILLAGE
The Rutland House post-Hurricane Ian at the Sanibel Historical Museum and Village.
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SANIBEL HISTORICAL MUSEUM AND VILLAGE
The Rutland House in its original location on Periwinkle Way.
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The Sanibel Historical Museum and Village reported that the roof replacement project for the Rutland House, which sustained damaged during Hurricane Ian in 2022, was scheduled to begin on Oct. 14.
As property owner and village partner, the city of Sanibel is funding the project and has selected Quick Roofing to perform the work. It will include removal and replacement of the metal roofing system, as well as a structure retrofit and installation of sheathing to comply with current building and wind codes.
“This is the first essential repair to be completed post-Hurricane Ian before reopening the house to the public,” the village shared.
Built in 1913, Rutland was originally located on Periwinkle Way, west of the current Periwinkle Park. It is constructed of slash pine and is a cracker architectural design identified with elements including the wood frame structure with a low-slung roof and a wide front porch. Cracker refers to early pioneers in Florida and their descendants.
Clarence Rutland purchased the home in 1928 and lived there until his death in 1982. He was the son of Irene Rutland. After her first husband’s death, Irene Rutland married Henry Shanahan, the Sanibel lighthouse keeper in the early 1900s.
Rutland and his wife, Ruth (Wiles), had no children, but everyone referred to him as Uncle Clarence, and he was known as a “jack of all trades.” His wife became ill and passed away in 1952. After Rutland’s death, the building was brought to the village in 1982 and for many years housed the entire museum, which opened in 1984.
For more information, visit https://sanibelmuseum.org/.
The Sanibel Historical Museum and Village is at 950 Dunlop Road, Sanibel.