Note Type
Historical NoteNote
Elsie Bellamy Blackwell 1906-2001
Elsie Bellamy was born in Port Orange, FL. Shortly after her birth, her family moved by boat to the
Dania Beach area. Tragically, at the age of six, she would lose her mother to tuberculosis. Although the
new move was stricken by sadness early on, Elsie’s spark remained. In her new home of Dania Beach,
she established herself, playing high school basketball, becoming a well-known community member and,
eventually, meeting her future husband and business partner, Etson Blackwell.
In 1926, everything changed when a powerful unnamed hurricane struck the area, taking the Blackwell’s
home and business from them. But rather than despair, the couple rebuilt. Over the following years,
Elsie and Etson would build a commercial empire spanning states: Blackwell’s Pharmacy and Breeze Inn
food stop and gas station in Dania Beach, the tea room in the Hollywood Beach Hotel, the Green Candle
Tea Room in the Cumberland Hotel in Lousiville, KY, and The Pioneer House in Fort Lauderdale’s historic
Stranahan House.
Elsie and Etson leased from homeowner Ivy Stranahan to establish the restaurant out of the home.
After opening in 1940, The Pioneer House became just one of three restaurants serving Fort Lauderdale
diners. The Blackwells operated the establishment from the house’s first floor through 1979 and shared
the living space with their children and Mrs. Stranahan until her death in 1971. During their career, the
Blackwells would also spread their business into North Carolina, opening the Farm House Inn in Blowing
Rock, where Elsie would become instrumental in establishing the location as a summer getaway for South
Floridians.