On March 11, 1948, the Elks Club purchased the five-acre estate known as Brickell Point from Maude Brickell for $250,000. The Brickell Point property included a frontage of 280 feet on Brickell Avenue, a depth of 540 feet, and a bay and river frontage of 500 feet.
On March 4, 1898, Mary Brickell won a land title case that included 640 acres of the Jonathon Lewis grant, which was roughly from today's SE 15th Road to Vizcaya, along Brickell Avenue, including an area known as the "Punch Bowl".
On March 3, 1896, John and EG Sewell, along with twelve laborers, arrived in what would later incorporate as the City of Miami to begin clearing the grounds for the Royal Palm Hotel.
On February 28, 1926, the Venetian Causeway formally opened in the afternoon. This causeway replaced the Collins Bridge, which was considered the longest wooden bridge in the USA at the time of its opening in 1913. Attached are couple of aerial photos of the causeway in 1925 and 1935 respectively.
The latest podcast episode shares the history of the Olympia Theater. Listen to my conversation with Dr. Paul S. George on the people, stories, and events that have shaped Miami’s most iconic theater which opened in February 1926 and is located at 174 E Flagler Street in the heart of downtown Miami.
On February 26, 1946, Winston Churchill received an honorary juris doctorate degree from the University of Miami in a ceremony conducted at Roddy Burdine Stadium, which would later be renamed to the Orange Bowl. Click on the link to read more about the ceremony.
On February 24, 1899, the Miami Telephone Company began service to the three year old City of Miami. Read more by clicking on the link.
On February 23, 1900, the Miami Board of Trade was organized to help promote the young City of Miami. It later merged into the Miami Chamber of Commerce. Attached is a photo of the Board of Trade building (on corner), in 1913.
100th Anniversary of Fulford Speedway. On February 22, 1926, the first and only race took place at the recently completed Fulford-Miami Speedway in Fulford-on-the-Sea in North Dade County.
On February 22, 1819, Spain's Minister to the United States, Don Luis de Onis, and Secretary of State, John Quincy Adams, signed a treaty of cession of Florida to United States. Florida became a territory until March 3, 1845, when it became the country's twenty-seventh state.
On February 20, 1979, Miami Pioneer Kathryn Highleyman died at the age of 97. At the time of her death, she was the oldest member of Miami Pioneers Club. Click on the link to read more about the life of this Miami pioneer.
On February 19, 1940, the Mayor of Miami Beach, John H. Levi, appeared on the cover of Time Magazine. Click on the link to read more.
Happy 100th Birthday for the Olympia Theater (174 East Flagler Street in downtown Miami), which celebrated its official grand opening on the evening of February 18, 1926. Read what went into the grand opening of the theater, and how Paramount officials and local leaders welcomed the new venue.
The story of the Bulmer Apartments which were constructed by William Brickell III in 1918 at the end of SE Eighth Street.
On February 17, 1920, the new County Causeway connecting Miami to Miami Beach opened. In addition to the Collins wooden bridge, the County Causeway provided a second thoroughfare to get to Miami Beach. It was later renamed the MacArthur Causeway.
On February 15, 1910, the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club opened their new clubhouse at the terminus of Eleventh Street (now NE First Street), in downtown Miami on Biscayne Bay.
On the evening of February 15, 1933, 93-years ago today, a deranged anarchist named Giuseppe Zangara attempted to assassinate president elect, Franklin D. Roosevelt, in Bayfront Park. Click on the link to read more.
A colorized view of Southeast Second Avenue in downtown Miami in 1921. This stretch of downtown Miami slowly evolved from a residential quarter to a commercial district today. This photo captures the street during the dawn of the building boom decade.
On Sunday, February 13, 1926, the Roney Plaza Hotel at 2301 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, celebrated is formal grand opening. Attached is an aerial photo of the hotel in 1926.
Remembering Miami Beach founding pioneer John Collins who passed away on this day, February 11, 1928, at the age of 90. Collins Avenue and Collins Canal were named in his honor. Attached is portrait of John Collins on Miami Beach. Date unknown.
The story of the Brickell Apartments which once stood at the end of SE Eighth Street (where the Four Ambassadors are today), from 1917 until 1961. The article has been updated with more content and new images.
On February 8, 1880, Miami Pioneer and founder of the First National Bank, Edward C. Romfh, was born in Camden, Arkansas. Click on the link more about Romfh and his impact on Miami. He is the gentleman in the middle of the cover photo.
On February 6, 1896, Isidor Cohen, Miami's first permanent Jewish settler, arrived on the shores of Biscayne Bay in Miami. Isidor became a prominent pioneer merchant in early Miami, and provided an historical account of the pioneer days of early Miami.
On February 4, 1926, George Merrick spoke at the cornerstone laying of the University of Miami. George dedicated the first building at the university to his deceased father.
On January 30, 1946, Winston Churchill and his wife, Clementine, visit Hialeah Racetrack with General Hap Arnold as their guest. The party joined John C. Clark, owner of the venue, in his box as they watched several races that afternoon.
Read about the early Avenue D business district in Miami during its founding year of 1896. Avenue D was later renamed to Miami Avenue, and the view in the cover photo is of today's South Miami Avenue from SE Third Street looking north.
The latest article published on the Miami History Substack page shares the story of the grand opening weekend for the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, Florida. A couple of elegant dinner banquets and an event filled three days of celebration occurred beginning on Friday, January 15, 1926.
On January 23, 1921, the Christian Hospital was dedicated at 1218 NW First Place in Overtown. It was the first hospital for the black community in segregated Miami. Attached is a photograph of the Christian Hospital dedication on that day.
On January 22, 1941, the Mayflower Restaurant held its grand opening for their location on the corner of Biscayne Boulevard and SE First Street in downtown Miami. Click on the link to read more.
On January 22, 1912, Henry Flagler arrived in Key West on the FEC Oversea Railway. The Oversea Extension was the culmination of 8 years of work and connected the railway from Miami all the way to Key West.
