Gertrude Denison

Photograph

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History Fort Lauderdale

Gertrude Denison 1915-1997: History Fort Lauderdale Denison Family Collection
Gertrude Denison 1915-1997

History Fort Lauderdale Denison Family Collection

Name/Title

Gertrude Denison

Tags

Women's History, Gertrude Denison

Description

Denison Negatives 001. Gertrude Denison 1915-1997

Photograph Details

Subject Person or Organization

Gertrude Denison

Collection

Women's History, History Fort Lauderdale Photograph Collection, History Fort Lauderdale Denison Family Collection

Cataloged By

Emeri Cejka

Category

photographs

Acquisition

Source (if not Accessioned)

Denison Family

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Secondary Object Term

Print, Photographic

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Photograph

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Graphic Documents

Nomenclature Class

Documentary Objects

Nomenclature Category

Category 08: Communication Objects

General Notes

Note Type

Historical Note

Note

Gertrude Denison 1915-1997 The “Mother of Luxury Yacht Interior Design”, Gertrude Denison paved the way for today’s yachting industry. In 1948, while on their honeymoon in Fort Lauderdale, Gertrude and her husband, Frank Denison, purchased Dooley’s Basin and Dry Dock and founded Broward Marine. Located on the New River, Broward Marine secured an $11,000,000 contract to build eleven minesweepers for the U.S. Navy and allied NATO governments. This contract, and the expansion it required, made Broward Marine Florida’s largest defense contractor, and eventually, Broward County’s largest employer. A savvy businesswomen and the company’s majority stockholder, Gertrude headed Broward Marine’s Fort Lauderdale office. In 1960, she expanded Broward Marine’s yachting influence by establishing Yacht Interiors. Gertrude’s designs, such as the first “country kitchen” galley continue to remain popular features in yacht design. A difficult process and fraught with much more risks and challenges than traditional interior design. One minor mistake, such as a miscalculation of measurement or inappropriate choice of material could be a disaster on the water. Gertrude designed stunning yacht interiors for the likes of John F. Kennedy and Barbara Mandrell. Broward Marine has become the county’s oldest and one of the largest yacht builders in the world with Gertrude’s yacht interior design company setting the standard for today’s yachting industry. Gertrude was a member of the Fort Lauderdale Yacht Club, the Ocean Reef Club, and the Daughters of the American Revolution. In 1995, Showboat Magazine honored Gertrude Denison with a lifetime achievement award for her contributions to the marine industry.

Created By

eandrews@historyfortlauderdale.org

Create Date

November 28, 2023

Updated By

eandrews@historyfortlauderdale.org

Update Date

December 20, 2023