Miami History

10/07/2026

On October 6, 1920, the Miami City Council approved the Chaille Plan, a comprehensive proposal to rename the streets of the City of Miami.

The plan established the grid system still familiar to Miamians today, using the intersection of Flagler Street and Miami Avenue as the center point for the city’s northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest quadrants.

Photo is of the intersection of Flagler Street and Miami Avenue in 1920. Courtesy of Museum of Miami.

10/06/2026

Reminder: I am giving a tour of the Miami Freedom Tower tomorrow from noon to 1pm EDT.

The tour is free with your museum entrance ticket which can be purchased online or the day of the event. Arrive by 11:30am to purchase your ticket in person the day of the event.

To purchase online, click on this link: https://freedomtower.mdc.edu/visit/plan-your-visit/

10/03/2026

The attached photograph captures the White Palace Hotel, which once stood on the north side of the intersection of Avenue B and Twelfth Street, today’s NE Second Avenue and Flagler Street, in downtown Miami.

Construction of the hotel began in 1901 under the direction of Salem and Emily Graham. The establishment officially opened on January 20, 1906, as the Halcyon Hall Hotel.

In 1909, the hotel was renamed the White Palace, a name it retained until 1911, when Minnie March acquired the property and restored its original name, Halcyon Hall Hotel.

The early downtown Miami structure was demolished in 1937 to make way for the Alfred I. duPont Building, which still stands on the site today.

The photograph was digitally enhanced using ChatGpt Ai and Adobe Photoshop.

10/03/2026

On October 2, 1982, the $110 million James L. Knight Center was dedicated in a ceremony hosted by Miami Mayor Maurice Ferre.

The convention center is located at the Miami River on the west side of SE Second Avenue.

10/02/2026

On October 2, 1937, the Walgreens store at 200 East Flagler Street in downtown Miami opened for business.

10/02/2026

On October 2, 1885, Florida's first female representative in Congress and Miami resident, Ruth Bryan Owen, daughter of William Jennings Bryan, was born in Illinois.

Mrs. Owen served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1929 until 1933. In 1933 she became American's first female envoy, serving as ambassador to Denmark until 1936.

After WWII Owen worked as a delegate to the San Francisco Conference which resulted in the creation of the United Nations Charter.

Owen was also an original officer of the first board of regents for the University of Miami.

09/30/2026

On September 30, 1843, William Burdine was born in Monroe County, Mississippi. Burdine formed W.M. Burdine & Son store that would later become the Burdines Department Store after his death in 1911.

His establishment was considered the finest store in Miami at the time of his death. The store continued to grow under Roddy Burdine's stewardship.

09/30/2026

Just published: The Glenn Miller Story Movie Premiere in 1954.

The latest article on the Miami History Substack shares the details of the world premiere of the movie “The Glenn Miller Story” which premiered in South Florida in January 1954.

The movie starred Jimmy Stewart and was shown at three different Wometco theaters in Coral Gables, downtown Miami, and on Lincoln Road in Miami Beach.

Click on the link attached to read more.

The world premiere of the Glenn Miller Story movie which took place over several days at several South Florida theaters beginning on Saturday, January 16, 1954.

09/28/2026

If you are located in South Florida and are passionate about South Florida history, you are invited to attend a free event celebrating the Miami Pioneer Historical Society's 90th anniversary.

There will be a presentation on the historical events that took place in 1936, the year the Miami Pioneer’s organization was founded.

In addition, learn about the charter members and their early contributions to the early development of the Magic City.

The event will take place on Saturday, October 10, 2026, from 2:00pm - 4:00pm EDT, at the Pinecrest Branch Library next to Pinecrest Gardens.

Save the date if you will be in town and would like to attend. Just show up early for a good seat.

09/27/2026

On September 27, 1963, demolition of Miami's downtown Florida East Coast Railway Station began.

The station opened in 1912 and was the second permanent railway station in downtown Miami.

Locals complained about how the train depot would constrict automobile traffic in and around the county courthouse.

The razing of the structure was met more with celebration than nostalgia when it was demolished in 1963.

Attached is the front page of the Miami Herald the next day with photos of the demolition.