The city of Opa Locka was built during Florida's land boom years in the 1920's. During this time,…read morethe Middle East was a cultural fad thanks to movies like The Sheik and The Thief of Baghdad. When famous aviator Glenn Curtiss developed Opa Locka he designed it in an Arabian Nights theme. He first named the new development Opa-tisha-wocka-locka, meaning a big island covered with many trees and swamps, but it was later shortened to Opa-locka. Architect Bernhardt Emil Muller was hired to design the town and the streets were given names like Ali Baba Avenue and Sabur Lane. Eight six buildings were built in a Moorish Revival style. Curtiss boasted that he had built the "Baghdad of Dade County." The Hurricane of 1926 destroyed many of the Moorish style buildings but some survived and were added to the National Register of Historic Places. On March 22, 1982, the old city hall known as the Opa-locka Company administration building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places along with the nineteen Moorish Revival style buildings that still survived. The crown jewel of the buildings was the Opa-locka Company administration building whose design was inspired by the palace of Emperor Kosroushah in One Thousand and One Nights. Glenn Curtiss used it as the headquarters for his company, the Opa-locka Company which was the headquarters for the development and sale of land in Opa- locka. He designed it to be the anchor of his new city. later on it became the town hall. By the 1950's the buildings had begun to lose their thematic cohesiveness. The city is now a shadow of it's former glory and has one of the highest crime rates in the nation. The city hall was boarded up as of October 2017 and is in an advanced state of decay. It's a shame that Glenn Curtiss's dream died with his death and a building that was once so beautiful has been allowed to rot away. While I was trying to photograph it a man walked up next to me and started peeing on the vase near my feet. That was my cue to leave.

I came here to have a look at the unusual Pueblo revival style architecture before this sad…read morebuilding demolishes even more. It probably once was a very majestic building, such a crying shame it was allowed to get into such disrepair. I won't tell you all about the history as someone else has kindly told it (thank you). I did look on the internet though, and it would seem that there has been movement to restore it, although no evidence so far from what I saw. Fingers crossed this does happen as Opa Locka certainly needs a revamp!

I first saw - and entered El Jardin in 1982/83. At that time it contained the office of Father…read moreRoger Radloff, a Catholic priest and Jungian psychologist which he used in relation to a private practice that he maintained in addition to being the "shrink for the diocese" as he put it. His assistant at that time was Eugene Ritter. I believe Radloff also offered services to students at the adjoining Carrollton School, which owned the gatehouse. As with all Miami revival architecture, El Jardin is at one with the earth, looks organic, and is built with color, shapes and textures as well as stone.

I went to coconut Grove to see as many historical places as possible, and spotted this one. See…read moreinfo I got from the net regarding it. El Jardin is a house located at 3747 Main Highway in Miami, Florida. It is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. El Jardin is now home to Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart in Miami, Florida. It was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on August 30, 1974. Built in 1918 along a ridge of oolitic limestone, El Jardin expresses the broad training of its architect, Richard Kiehnel of Kiehnel and Elliott, and the experience of its owner, John Bindley, then president of Pittsburgh Steel. Kiehnel, in a September 1928 article for Tropical Home and Garden, referred to the house as a "progenitor of the Modern Mediterranean style home." Kiehnel relocated to Miami from Pittsburgh and became the architect for many landmark buildings, including the Coral Gables Congregational Church, Miami Senior High, and the Coral Gables Elementary School.

You won't find a European building this old in the Americas! Built in the 12th century in Spain,…read moreit was packed up and brought to Miami last Century. Peaceful grounds and remarkable antiquity, the Monastery offers a unique experience in Miami. 44 minutes is more than enough time for a self-guided wander across the grounds, but arrive by Noon for a guided tour (which I missed). Also, check the calendar on their website as they close for many private events.

I came to this establishment because I greatly enjoy history and wanted to have the opportunity to…read moretake photos of the architecture and perhaps a video explaining what I've learned about this beautiful place. Unfortunately, the business that runs this monastery is predatory in nature. As it happens, my ancestor, William R. Hearst, was the original proprietor of the monestary when it arrived in the United States. They insist that photos can only be taken from Wednesday to Saturday, and you must schedule an appointment with a fee of nearly $400 to take portraits or photographs. The woman at the front desk was preventing us from entering the monastery without discarding any equipment that can be used for taking photos. I will add that she was extremely rude, yelling at me and my mother when we were clearly unaware of the rule. Don't come here; it's a complete waste of time; the history is very fascinating, and the building seems to be relatively well kept, but they not only charge you for entry, but additionally charge for you to take photos. $400 mandatory. There are many other beautiful historic places around Miami to visit; I would never recommend going here. Save yourself the $410 and go to the nearby lighthouse, or early 1890s church in Miami instead. The Art Deco District is also very nice. The fact that they charge an exorbitant fee to enter the premises for taking photographs is highly reminiscent of the exact reason why Martin Luther had nailed his list to the door of the Catholic Church. God frowns upon an institution that calls itself religious and charges up the wazoo for people to share information about it. To the people running this facility: do better. Be nicer. Let people explore and interact with this treasure.

Most people drive past this place, but have you ever bothhered to actually lok at the beautiful…read morebuilding. Unlike today, when we assume that so much of it has to be big and ugly so we hide it and neglect it, Miami used to prize its infrastructure. For example, just like the swimming pools of Miami Beach, Miami created showplaces for its drinking water too, like the Bay Shore Pump House and the Miami Municipal Water Softening Plant. Built at 700 West Second Avenue, the water softening plant has been much expanded over the years, with its original coral rock structure surrounded by much more utilitarian-looking modern structures, snaking systems of water pipes, and chain-link fences, almost entirely forgotten but still there. The original building is still in operation.

In Cooley Landing in Sailboat Bend you will a boat ramp and a picnic pavilion but there is also a…read moremarker standing witness to an important piece of Ft. Lauderdale history that took place here. This monument marks the site where the William Cooley Plantation one stood. Arriving in 1824, William Cooley was one of the first pioneers of the New River Settlement now known as Ft. Lauderdale. He became wealthy with an arrowroot plantation and he traded with Seminole and Creek nations nearby. In 1835, white settlers killed a Creek chief named Alibama and were acquitted. The Creek blamed Cooley for this injustice and when he was away for business in Key West the Creek entered the plantation on January 6, 1836 and killed Cooley's wife, infant son, son, daughter, and the children's tutor. The house was set on fire. The Cooley massacre sparked the Second Seminole War. The army established the first Fort Lauderdale in 1838. The eventual outcome was the Indian Removal Act where the native people were forced out of Florida to the west on the Trail of Tears. It is believed that the massacre was committed by the creek but the settlers in the area could not distinguish between the Creek and the Seminoles. Led by chief Abiaka, the remaining 200 Seminoles fled to Pine Island Ridge where they were able to outlast the army. Cooley left Ft. Lauderdale but lived in Florida until his death. There is another marker dedicated in 1934 in Cooley Hammock Park near Las Olas Boulevard that says it was the site of the Cooley Plantation. It has now been established that this information is not correct but the neighborhood did not want the marker removed. The correct location is Cooley Landing and this marker was installed in 1993 by the City of Ft. Lauderdale. .

Coral Gables offers a charming blend of history and architecture for visitors to enjoy. The tower…read morestands out as a true masterpiece, capturing the attention of photography enthusiasts looking for the perfect subject.

in a sophisticated residential area, this attraction may seem modest at first glance, yet it…read moreundeniably offers a tranquil and exquisite setting. The ambiance is calming and inviting, making it well worth a visit. On this particularly gorgeous day, the clear blue skies served as the perfect backdrop for capturing stunning photos, some of which I have shared for you to appreciate. If you enjoy what you see, feel free to show your approval by liking this post!

Overlooking the Thrive District, a 5.3-acre, 80,000-square-foot redevelopment project in Fort…read moreLauderdale's Progresso Village neighborhood, stands this water tower. The Progresso section of Fort Lauderdale emerged during the city's first land boom between 1910 and 1911. This is the last remaining water tower in Fort Lauderdale. Standing 160 feet tall and built in the 1950s, this 70-year-old landmark welcomes residents and visitors alike. The tower holds one million gallons of water. The tower was transformed into a permanent public artwork by community members who did not want to see it replaced with a new ground-level tank structure. The tank was completely refurbished, and an 11-color pastel mural was added to beautify the structure, along with the words "All-American City Ft. Lauderdale" to promote Fort Lauderdale's "All-America City" designation. Contributors to this project include SUEZ Advanced Solutions, OmniTech, LLC, Hazen and Sawyer, and the City of Fort Lauderdale. The project won the 2019 national Sherwin-Williams Water and Wastewater Impact Award. This iconic structure can be seen from just about anywhere in Progresso Village.

This multi-colored 160 ft water tower holding 1M gallons sits just east of the new Thrive Art…read moreDistrict with a strong visual from Flagler Village and the Brightline tri-rail station. The jubilant pastel colors project the perfect vibe for the trendy Fort Lauderdale area. Basically, for seven decades this tower stood next to warehouse and junkyard districts just north of Broward Blvd. Sherwin-Williams restored the old tower with two coats of macropoxy with new paint creating a sealant for many more years to come.

I love discovering old places, and if they are abandoned even better for me! It is surely worthy of…read morea trip - lets hope they GET ON WITH RESTORING IT, and stop wasting money on just maintaining it!! (its been owned by the state since 2007 after all!!!) Here is some more information and history about this house (sourced from https://www.visitflorida.com/en-us/things-to-do/arts-history/marjory-stoneman-douglas-house.html) Almost 68 years after Marjory Stoneman Douglas' "The Everglades: River of Grass" changed the popular conception of the Everglades from worthless swamp to treasured ecosystem, the Stoneman Douglas house in Miami's leafy Coconut Grove neighborhood will be designated a national historic landmark. During his first visit to Everglades National Park in April 2015, President Barack Obama declared the protective designation for the conservationist's modest 1926 cottage at 3744 Stewart Ave. No plans have been announced yet for opening the stucco-covered, wood-frame Stoneman Douglas house to the public, although fans still can go by the historic one-story home, now surrounded by million-dollar mansions. Preservationists and environmentalists have argued for years with neighbors over the fate of the bungalow and concerns that turning it into an education center or attraction would overwhelm the area with traffic and violate residential land use codes. A plan to move the house three miles from its South Grove location to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden was scrapped in 2006. The Stoneman Douglas house and property have been owned by the State of Florida and since 2007 has been maintained by the Florida Park Service as a lasting memorial to a remarkable "woman who saved the Everglades." As a 34-year-old divorced woman living with her father, buying her own house represented independence to Douglas. In her autobiography, "Voice of the River," she wrote about her desire to have a place of her own. I didn't need much of a house, just a workshop, a place of my own. All I wanted was one big room with living quarters tacked on. I knew an architect, George Hyde, who drew up some plans. He mostly built factories, which was fortunate, because I hoped my little house would be as stout and as sparse as a factory with not much to worry about. Because she never learned to drive, the house had no driveway (or air conditioning, electric stove or dishwasher). Part Tudor Revival and part Medieval Revival in design, the house, created by well-known architect George Hyde, is noted for its hip roof, half-timbering, post-hurricane wood floors, elegant detailing, and cast bronze hardware. Starting out as a young writer working for her father at The Miami Herald in 1915 following her brief marriage, Marjory Stoneman Douglas eventually produced more than 100 short stories for popular magazines. "River of Grass," published in 1947, was her most influential work. Later in life, she became a relentless crusader for the natural preservation and restoration of the nature of South Florida. She recognized that the Everglades was a system that depended not only on the flow of water from Lake Okeechobee into the park, but also upon the Kissimmee River which feeds the lake. To add a voting constituency to her efforts, in 1970 she formed the Friends of the Everglades, and was active as the head of the organization. Dubbed the "Grande Dame of the Everglades," she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Upon her death at the age of 108 in 1998, The Independent in London stated, "In the history of the American environmental movement, there have been few more remarkable figures than Marjory Stoneman Douglas." Today, Everglades National Park, the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States, protects over 1.5 million acres. It's the third-largest national park in the lower 48 states, behind Yellowstone National Park and Death Valley National Park. There are three ways to access the park by car. The main entrance in Homestead connects visitors to the Royal Palm Area and the Flamingo Area of Everglades National Park. The Shark Valley entrance is in Miami and the Gulf Coast Entrance is in Everglades City.

Marjorie Stoneman Douglas lived in this home in Coconut Grove. It was built in 1926 by George Hyde…read moreand is designed to look like an English Cotswolds country cottage. The house looks like it is out of a fairy tale. The house is extremely small, barely 900 feet. Marjorie considered it more of a workshop than a home. It is a single story wood frame T shaped structure with a stucco, brick, and half-timbered exterior walls and a sloping roof covered in wood shingles. The interior has hardwood flooring, plaster walls, and plaster ceilings with exposed beams. The interior has one large room that used to be dominated by Marjorie Stoneman Douglas's desk. The other rooms are a little bedroom and a tiny kitchen that only held a hot plate and toaster. Furnishings in the home were very simple. The house didn't have a driveway because she never learned to drive or central air conditioning. Marjorie did much of her writing in the home including the 1947 book The Everglades: River of Grass which spawned a movement to save the Everglades from development. The state of Florida purchased the house in 1991. Marjory was allowed to live out the rest of her life in her home which she did until she passed away at the age of 108 in 1998. The house was designated a national landmark in 2015. The house sits vacant as the people in the neighborhood have fought any attempts at turning the house into a museum fearing the traffic it would bring to the area. With the shooting that took place at the high school named in Marjorie Stoneman Douglas's honor in Parkland her name has been thrust back in the spotlight and there is renewed interest in finally doing something with the house. It seems like the neighbors may finally be coming around to allowing access to the house on a limited basis. Before that can happen the state needs to repair termite damage and mold caused by an air conditioner leak. Some of the ideas for the house are to turn it into a museum to honor Marjory or to allow a writer to live there in residence. A plan that has been scraped is to move the house to Fairchild tropical Gardens where there is a statue of Marjory Stoneman Douglas sitting on a bench. I am a long time Marjory Stoneman Douglas fan. As someone who loves the Everglades I appreciate her and everything she did to save it from development. I have seen many lovely pictures of her outside her home usually with a cat. Visiting her house was a thrill. I especially loved discovering the seahorse on the outside fireplace and the hand shaped doorknocker on the front door. I truly hope the neighbors and the state can come to an agreement to allow people access to the property. Right now you can easily park in front of the house and take a peek in the windows. Marjory Stoneman Douglas created a lasting environmental legacy and her home deserves to be protected and maintained. Maybe even more so after what happened in Parkland. The house belongs to all of us and we should be able to pay our respects to her there.