The city of Hialeah was named by a Seminole Indian named Willie Willie, When developer James Bright…read moreasked him to describe the property, he called it Hi-ale-ah, translating to pretty prairie or high prairie. Bright was from Missouri where he made his money in cattle. He came to Miami in 1909 and bought 640 acres of submerged land northwest of the city. He dug the Miami canal and pumped out the land. He joined with famed aviator and developer Glenn Curtiss and incorporated Hialeah in 1921. The Deer Creek neighborhood that this house is in was once an airfield for Glenn Curtiss. The H.R. Howell House is located at 2 Circle Drive in the Deer Park section of Hialeah. J.J. Mullins was the contractor and ground broke in 1922. The ornate Mediterranean Revival style house was built during Florida's land boom years at a cost of $22,000, a fortune at the time when a typical house was 8 or 9 thousand dollars. The home was built for H.R. Howell, the developer of Country Club Estates for Glenn Curtiss and James Bright company, Curtiss-Bright. The home is a private residence so you can only see it from the outside. It is nice to see it still standing and providing a home to a family today.

if you like to see and hear about a bit of history in Miami, visit this house. it is called H. R…read more Howell home and is located in the Deer Park section of Hialeah. It was built in 1922 by contractor J.J. Mullins at a cost of $22,000. It is located opposite the deer park, which is now been renamed as the Ken Mattingly park after an astronaut from Hialeah! (see my other review for that) H.R. Howell was the developer of Country Club Estates (Miami Springs) for the Curtiss-Bright Company. Black & white photos from State of Florida archives.

Another historical site to see in Coconut Grove - this town has so much history! - Listed below is…read moresome information for you to read, and come and look yourself. Mariah Brown House 3298 Charles Avenue Year Built: circa 1890 Architect/Builder: Unknown Date Designated: 1995 This one-and-one-half story Frame Vernacular house was constructed by one of Coconut Grove's first African-Bahamian residents and is thought to be one of the first houses with a black owner. Mariah Brown, who immigrated to Florida in 1880, was working at the Peacock Inn when she built this house within walking distance of the hotel. The Brown residence is typical of the wooden houses built in Key West and the Bahamas in the late 1800s. At this time, the house is undergoing reconstruction work.

Evangelist Street is a historic street in Coconut Grove that has been renamed Charles Avenue. It…read morewas built by Bahamian immigrates who moved to the area known today as West Grove in Coconut Grove. Most of the Bahamians that settled in Coconut Grove were from the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. Many were former slaves from West Indian Plantations. A mass immigration from the Bahamas to South Florida and the Keys took place in the late 1800's when agriculture became unsustainable due to rocky soil. Florida had a similar geography and climate so the people who immigrated knew how to farm the land. Later in the 1920's, many were hired by George Merrick to build nearby Coral Gables. One of the first settles to the area was Mariah Brown whose house is now a landmark. The Mariah Brown house is located on historic Charles Street in Coconut Grove. Brown was born in Upper Bogue, Eleuthera in 1851. She immigrated from the Bahamas in 1880 to Key West where she lived with her three daughters as she worked as a laundress. In 1889 she moved to Coconut Grove where she was joined by her husband Ernest. The couple went to work at the nearby Peacock Inn before Miami was even a city. The couple purchased a plot of land for $50 from local landowner Joseph Frow to build their home. Their 1890 frame vernacular house made of Dade County Pine which is impervious to termites is a type of Conch house you would find in Key West and the Bahamas. These homes had a lower sloped roof and larger roof overhangs to protect against tropical weather storms. Other features of these home include clapboard siding, foundation piers, high ceilings, porches, and operable sash windows. This is thought to be the first house in the area owned by a black person. Mariah passed away in the 1920s and the house remained in the Brown's family until the 1930s when it was purchased by Sarah Gardner. The home remains largely in it's original condition except for a rear addition that was built circa 1910, electrical wiring that was added in the late 1920s, and a rear exterior stairway that was removed. The home is currently unoccupied and has not been restored. It is owned by the Coconut Grove Cemetery Association which maintains the historic cemetery on Charles Street. The house was designated a historic site in 1995 by the city of Miami. Historic marker F-891 was installed in front of the house that same year.

Visited on a weekday when there were very few visitors. This place is a hidden gem, so beautiful…read moreand peaceful to walk around and reflect. Short film on the history of, which is amazing!!! Definitely worth the stop.

This Ancient Spanish Monastery located in North Miami is an enclave for European architecture and…read morehistory. Built in Spain in 1133, the cloisters and outbuildings were purchased by William Randolph Hearst in 1925 with plans to bring them to the United States. Taken apart stone by stone, it was packed in 11,000 wooden crates. In 1952, two Miami businessmen purchased the Monastery with plans to turn it into a tourist attraction. Time magazine called it "the biggest jigsaw puzzle in history," completed in 1953 and $20 million dollars. Sold to Robert Pentland Jr. in 1964, he in turn gave it to the Bishop of Florida. It is currently owned by the Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida. There is a museum with historic Spanish artifacts. While the church is at its core, the monastery surrounded by beautiful gardens and courtyard is an oasis of peace and serenity. A great place for special events. A wedding was being set up while we were there on a Sunday. Open 10-4 Monday to Friday and varies on weekends depending on events. Entrance fee is $10.

Being English I am a history buff, here in Miami. So I decided to check out this place on the…read moreHistorical list. This is what I found out about the place - although now it houses a Ballet studio and school. This impressive Neo-Classical building was designed for J.W. Warner, founder of South Florida's first floral company. The home's fine craftsmanship is especially evident in its massive columns, Palladian window and porte-cochère. Wide porches and verandas adapt the J.W. Warner House to the Florida climate with a graciousness that evokes the elegance of Florida's early years. This house was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

The J.W. Warner House is a historic Greek Revival house that was added to the U.S. National…read moreregister of Historic Place in 1983. James Warner came to Miami in 1906 to work as an accountant for Henry Flagler's railroad. Having lived in Palm Beach James wife Susan noticed that there were no florists in Miami. Susan began to grow flowers and made arrangements for friends and family. She then decided to turn her hobby into a business which turned out to be quite profitable. The Miami Floral Company was founded in 1906 and it did so well that James left his at Miami Electric to work at the flower business. In addition to working at the family business James was also active in politics and civic organizations. As the family became wealthy James desired to have a house reminiscent of the Plantation style homes he grew up with in Georgia. He hired German architect George L. Pfeiffer to design the neoclassical home. Unlike the wood homes that were standard in Miami at the time the Warners decided to build their home with reinforced concrete to withstand hurricanes. The house was completed in 1912 and also unlike other homes at the time had both electricity and indoor plumbing. after James death atthe age of 54 in 1922 Susan and her children continued to run the floral building until her death at the age of 69 in 1942. Two of the children continued to run the company until 1972 when they finally shut it down after being in business for 66 years. George Warner the son of James and Susan passed away and left the house to his widow Autumn and her daughter. By that time the house had become run down and was too large for her to manage. Preservationists were able to buy the home from Autumn Warner and renovated it and leased it to commercial businesses. Today the home is used by the Miami Hispanic Ballet. They purchased the house in 2009 with a grant from the city of Miami. They received a second grant in 2012 to remodel it and it now includes a space to exhibit art and two dance studios. The house is instantly recognizable with it's six three story columns along the front. When the Warner's occupied the house it had 22 bedrooms and a view of the Miami River. Today culture and history mix in the home that once belonged to one of the founding pioneer families of Miami.

I came here for Saturday night mass and seeing as I had never been here before, I loved the…read moreinterior of the church. I was told this had not always been the way it was but some serious renovations were made but it looks great!. The Church's architecture is different from what you're used to if you've gone to many churches as I have. Parking can be a bit of a headache so I suggest you get there early before whichever time mass starts. The bathroom did kind of flood while I was there, by flooding I mean there was water all over the floor so that wasn't great seeing as i had to go to the bathroom REALLY badly! Mass was excellent but just beware they do start a little late so be prepared to wait. I loved my experience at this church and plan on going back!

I love this church. I have never felt more at home and enjoyed mass more. There are 2 fathers who…read moregive mass, 1 for english,.1 spanish. The inside of the church is beaufiful, but not overwhelmingly ornate. Mass usually has a guest speaker at the end and something following the service. I have been going for a year and a half. the comment about parking is true, try.the park or surrounding streets. I recommend it to.anyone looking.for a.peaceful new home. P.s the gift shop has beautiful rosarys and other items. So help support.

Alhambra Entrance - Suggesting twin towers and a bridge, the stone archway entrance to Coral…read moreGables at Alhambra Circle is located where Madeira Avenue meets Douglas Road. The address is SW 37th Avenue (Douglas Road), Majorca Avenue and Alhambra Circle. The Alhambra entry arch is also known as the commercial entry to Coral Gables, as Alhambra Circle leads to the central business district of the City of Coral Gables and Miracle Mile. A worthy photo op.

When George Merrick designed Coral Gables he wanted a series of gates to enter the city. They are…read morereminiscent of the medieval gates in Europe and were meant to show that Coral Gables is separate from the surrounding city. This is the one at the Alhambra entrance. They are made out of native stone and have benches to sit on. All of the Mediterranean style gates to the city were designed by Denman Fink, George Merrick's uncle. Denman Fink was an artist and magazine illustrator. In addition to the gates he designed the Venetian Pool and the Alhambra Water Tower. He served as the artistic adviser for the City of Coral Gables. I looked closely at the gate and after I cleared away some weeds as I able to find his seal with a D and G entwined. It was such a cool find to see his mark left on the gate. Since he was not a licensed architect he had architects Phineas Paist and Walter De Garmo do the final sign off. The gate is so beautiful. I loved looking at all of the intricate details in it. Parts of it are covered in bougainvillea. It's easy to imagine a medieval princess sitting on the bench waiting for her prince. The lovely gates are just one of the reasons Coral Gables has the well earned nickname city beautiful.

The Hunting Lodge is a historic log cabin in Miami Springs. It was built in 1924 by famed aviator…read moreand developer Glenn H. Curtiss for use as a hunting and fishing lodge. It was the first building he constructed in the northern Everglades which became the development, Country Club Estates. The lodge soon became the hub for social events in the fledgling town. Curtiss used logs brought to Florida from Kentucky and Tennessee for the construction. Interior features of the lodge include a coral rock fireplace, Dade County pine wood flooring that is prized because it is impervious to termites, cathedral exposed log beam ceilings, and multi pane original casement windows. The winding road to the lodge is still called Hunting Lodge Drive. Later on the building was used as a school until 1933 for the quickly expanding town. It also served as a library, a perfume factory, an airplane factory, and as the headquarters for the Miami Gun and Archery Club. This property was registered with the City of Miami Springs Historic Preservation Board in 1994. The lodge was last sold in January of 2018 for $315,000.

A very pleasant modern church. I love the look of the outside with all the Palm trees. Inside it…read morewas clean and modern.

Beautiful church inside and out. This is a Catholic Church in South Miami, which when you walk in…read moreyou will be in awe! When the organ is played you can really feel the vibrations, and the acoustics sound really good.