On September 9, 1944, Lieutenant CO Huttoe, head of the city's moral’s squad, was suspended by the Miami Police Department on multiple charges of participating in politics.

OTD: September 10, 1925 - City of Hialeah Incorporated

On Thursday, September 10, 1925, the City of Hialeah was incorporated during the height of South Florida’s great real estate boom. The new municipality developed rapidly from land promoted beginning in 1921 by aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss and Missouri cattleman James H. Bright, who envisioned Hialeah as a residential community and center for recreation west of Miami.

By the time of incorporation, Hialeah had grown to a population of roughly 1,500 residents and already featured new neighborhoods, businesses, municipal services, and recreational attractions. J.P. Grethen was selected as the city’s first mayor, receiving a unanimous 234 votes.

Listen to the podcast episode on the history of the City of Hialeah by clicking on the button below.

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OTD: September 14, 1898 - Remembering Julia Tuttle

Remembering Julia Tuttle on the anniversary of her passing on September 14, 1898. She was only 49 years of age at the time of her death. She is a principal founding pioneer of the City of Miami and is fondly remembered for her vision and contributions for the creation of what became the Magic City.

Click on the button below to hear a Miami History podcast episode on the life and contributions of Julia Tuttle to the formation of the City of Miami.

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OTD: September 14, 1933 - Roddy Burdine Gets Re-Married

On September 14, 1933, Roddy Burdine, the prince merchant of Burdines Department Store, got married to Lillian Jennette Chapman. Lillian was Roddy's second wife.

OTD: September 15, 1850 - Coconut Grove Pioneer Kirk Munroe was Born

On September 15, 1850, Kirk Munroe, early Coconut Grove pioneer, writer and conservationist, was born in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. Explorer, author and adventurer are three words to describe Munroe. He traveled the world and wrote stories based on his experiences. He arrived and settled in Coconut Grove ten years prior to Miami incorporating as a city. For more information about Munroe, click the ‘Read More’ button below.

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OTD: September 15, 1961 - Legendary Dolphin’s Quarterback Dan Marino was Born

On September 15, 1961, Miami Dolphin quarterback legend, Dan Marino, was born in Pittsburgh, PA. Dolphin fans miss the days when Dan would "pick a guy and let it fly".

OTD: September 15, 1903 - Miami Evening Record Published First Newspaper

On September 15, 1903, Frank B. Stoneman, father to environmentalist and writer Marjory Stoneman Douglas, began publishing the Miami Evening Record. In 1910, the paper reorganized and became the Miami Herald under the leadership of Stoneman and Frank B. Shutts.

OTD: September 16, 1916 - Dr. Jackson’s Residence and Office Diverted to Brickell

On September 16, 1916, Dr. James Jackson's home and office / surgery center were diverted and moved by barge from downtown Miami to South Bayshore Drive and 12th Terrace, in the Brickell neighborhood. The buildings were originally destined for Ocean Beach, or the future Miami Beach, before the change in destination moved them to the Brickell neighborhood.

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OTD: September 16, 1928 - Deadly Hurricane Floods Lake Okeechobee

On September 16, 1928, a massive storm, known as the San Felipe Segundo hurricane, hit Florida near West Palm Beach and proceeded to dump tons of water into Lake Okeechobee. The loss of life was estimated over 2000 people. It was one of the deadliest hurricanes ever recorded in the North America basin. The storm killed an estimated 2,500 people, with most of the fatalities near Lake Okeechobee.

Brickell Avenue Neighborhood Book

Get your signed copy of the Brickell Avenue Neighborhood Book by ordering online on the Miami History Blog website. The book shares a pictorial history of the Brickell neighborhood from 1870 through the 1980s. Read more about the contents of this book and purchase your copy by clicking on the ‘Learn More’ button below. Scroll to the bottom of the page to purchase your signed copy online.

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This podcast episode tells the story of the Wagner family, among the earliest permanent settlers along the Miami River during the middle decades of the nineteenth century. William Wagner, a veteran of the Mexican War, arrived at Fort Dallas in 1855 with his business partner, Captain Sinclair. The two men came as sutlers, supplying soldiers after the U.S. Army reoccupied the fort during the Third Seminole War. In addition to operating their business near the mouth of the Miami River, Wagner and Sinclair established a coontie mill along a nearby tributary that would later become known as Wagner Creek.

After the war ended and the soldiers departed in 1858, Wagner was joined in South Florida by his wife and young children. The family remained along the Miami River and continued operating the coontie mill, becoming part of the small but growing community that preceded modern Miami. In 1875, the Wagners constructed a chapel on their homestead that became an important early center of Catholic worship in sparsely populated Dade County. It was there that their daughter Rose Wagner married Adam Richards in a ceremony performed by a visiting Catholic priest on September 5, 1876.

Rose Wagner and her children later became valuable sources of oral history, preserving firsthand accounts of life along the Miami River before the arrival of the railroad and the incorporation of Miami in 1896. Their recollections provide a rare glimpse into the isolated frontier community that existed during the second half of the nineteenth century.

William Wagner spent the final years of his life on his original homestead near what is today the Culmer Metrorail Station. Although he sold the property to Julia Tuttle in 1893, he financed part of the transaction and regained the land following Tuttle’s death in 1898 after the outstanding loan was not repaid. The story of the Wagner family offers a remarkable window into Miami’s transformation from a remote settlement along the river into the city that emerged at the close of the nineteenth century.

Tune into this week’s podcast episode to hear more about the Wagner family. You can download this episode on your favorite podcast platform (iTunes, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Spotify) or listen directly on the Miami-History website. Please remember to click on the subscribe button and to provide a rating and comment on any of the platforms where this podcast episode is available.

On September 1, 1944, the Miami Police Department swore in their first five black police officers. The department was segregated at the time and black officers were responsible for patrolling Overtown, the black section of Coconut Grove, and Liberty City until the force was desegregated in 1963. From left to right, the men were Ralph White, John Milledge, Clyde Lee, Edward Kimble, and Moody Hall.

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OTD: September 2, 1995 - Miami Heat Hires Pat Riley

On September 1, 1995, Pat Riley was traded to the Miami Heat from the New York Knicks for a first round pick and was officially hired by the Heat the next day, on September 2. During Riley's introductory press conference, he stated "I imagine in my mind about the symbolic championship parade. Maybe right down Biscayne Boulevard." He delivered on that promise on June 23, 2006, after the Heat beat the Dallas Mavericks at the end of the 2005-06 NBA season.

OTD: September 2, 1935 - Labor Day Hurricane

On Labor Day, September 2, 1935, the strongest hurricane ever recorded, with winds at 200 miles per hour, roared across the Keys and took an estimated 800+ lives, but only 408 were recovered, most of them veterans of WWI working on an oversea highway.

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OTD: September 5, 1876 - Pioneer Wedding Along the Miami River

On September 5, 1876, Rose Wagner married Adam Richards at the homestead of the bride's family near the Miami River off of Wagner Creek. The wedding was officiated by Father Hugan of Key West who traveled to the sparsely populated area, which was later incorporated as the City of Miami, for the ceremony.

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OTD: September 6, 1928 - Dade County Courthouse was Dedicated

On September 6, 1928, the Dade County Courthouse was dedicated. The 28-story structure cost $4,062,779 to construct, and it was Dade County’s sixth courthouse since its formation in 1835. More than 7,000 people, many of whom stood in the late afternoon sun for nearly an hour, participated in the dedication of the courthouse. During the dedication, the lobby was crowded with people waiting for the elevators to take them to the twenty-fourth floor and observation balcony. Hundreds walked up the stairs and visited the various county and city offices.

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OTD: September 8, 1565 - Saint Augustine, Florida Founded

On September 8, 1565, Pedro Menendez de Aviles established Florida's first permanent European settlement. He gave it the name St. Augustine after the saints feast day.

Brickell Avenue Neighborhood Book

Get your signed copy of the Brickell Avenue Neighborhood Book by ordering online on the Miami History Blog website. The book shares a pictorial history of the Brickell neighborhood from 1870 through the 1980s. Read more about the contents of this book and purchase your copy by clicking on the ‘Learn More’ button below. Scroll to the bottom of the page to purchase your signed copy online.

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As the Miami Dolphins approach the start of their 60^th season, it should be noted that the Dolphins were not the first professional football team in Miami. The Dolphins first season began in 1966, but it was 20 years earlier that the Miami Seahawks played their one and only season in Miami as part of the All American Football Conference (AAFC).

Although the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) may be unfamiliar to many football fans today, it posed a serious challenge to the established NFL during the postwar years of the late 1940s. When the AAFC folded after the 1949 season, several of its franchises were absorbed into the NFL in 1950.

Among them were the Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers, two teams that remain prominent NFL franchises today. The original Buffalo Bills also competed in the AAFC before the name was later revived by a new franchise in the American Football League in 1960. The Miami Seahawks, however, followed a very different path, one that ultimately created an intriguing historical connection to today’s Indianapolis Colts.

All American Football Conference

As the end of World War II came into view, wealthy investors across the United States began looking ahead to the opportunities of the postwar era. By 1944, the National Football League had been in existence for nearly a quarter century and appeared poised to resume its role as a monopoly in professional football once the war ended.

At the same time, a growing number of wealthy businessmen wanted an opportunity to enter the professional football market. Many of the NFL’s established owners, however, resisted expansion, believing that adding new franchises would divide fan interest and reduce the earning potential of existing teams. Their refusal to expand left prospective owners with few options for joining the league. Rather than abandon their ambitions, some of these investors chose another path, one that would ultimately lead to the creation of rival professional football leagues.

One organization was particularly well positioned to challenge the NFL’s established standing. The All-America Football Conference (AAFC) was founded by Chicago Tribune sports editor Arch Ward and formally introduced on September 2, 1944. Ward was already a prominent figure in American sports, having originated the Major League Baseball and college football All-Star games.

Drawing on his extensive connections in the sports world, he assembled a group of wealthy football enthusiasts willing to finance and operate franchises in the new league. With substantial financial backing and access to major media outlets, the AAFC entered the professional football landscape with the resources and visibility necessary to pose a serious challenge to the NFL.

On November 21, 1944, Ward hired Jim Crowley to serve as commissioner of the new league. Crowley brought considerable football prestige to the position as one of the legendary “Four Horsemen of Notre Dame,” who played under famed coach Knute Rockne. In an interesting twist, the NFL commissioner at the time was Elmer Layden, another member of Rockne’s celebrated Four Horsemen. The two rival professional football leagues were therefore headed by former Notre Dame teammates who now found themselves competing for players, fans, and media attention in the rapidly changing postwar sports landscape.

The new league quickly assembled six franchises including: Buffalo, Chicago, Cleveland, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco. The Cleveland franchise hired as their first head coach, Paul Brown who had coached Massillon High School in Ohio to six championships in nine years and led Ohio State to the 1942 National Championship. Paul Brown’s innovations would not only impact the excitement of the game played in the AAFC, but led to changes in the NFL that help guide the evolution of the game to what it is today.

Brooklyn would later be added as the seventh franchise. The league had hoped to add Baltimore as the eighth franchise. Baltimore’s ownership group was headed by retired boxer, Gene Tunney, and the group was considered well-funded and well positioned to round out the original set of franchises. However, Baltimore was unable to get an agreement with Municipal Stadium in time to be awarded a franchise.

The AAFC needed to add one more team to have a properly balanced league. In addition to Baltimore, there were several other cities that were competing for the last franchise. However, it was an unexpected candidate that ultimately got the eighth and final franchise for the inaugural season.

Miami Awarded AAFC Franchise

At an AAFC ownership meeting on December 8, 1944, the league awarded its eighth and final franchise to Miami. Two days later, the Miami News reported that the franchise had been acquired by Harvey Hester and his partner, Doug Wycoff, a former football star at Georgia Tech. Hester explained that “he and Wycoff were the principal men involved right now, but they were hoping to include some of Miami’s business leaders in the venture.” Their successful bid brought Miami into the new professional football league ahead of four other cities that had also been competing for the final franchise.

The announcement generated considerable excitement in Miami, which was preparing to welcome a major professional football team for the first time. The new franchise adopted the name of the Miami Seahawks and secured an agreement to play its home games at Roddey Burdine Stadium. The stadium, already one of Miami’s most important sporting venues, would later become known as the Orange Bowl. With a name, ownership group, and home field in place, the Seahawks were positioned to represent Miami when the AAFC began play.

Harvey Hester was an Atlanta restaurateur who also maintained business interests in Miami. Compared with the other owners in the newly formed AAFC, however, Hester had relatively modest financial resources. In fact, he was the only franchise owner in the league who was not a millionaire, a distinction that would become increasingly important as the Seahawks attempted to compete with better-financed teams.

Hester quickly went to work assembling his football organization and hired Jack Meagher as the Seahawks’ first head coach. Like AAFC commissioner Jim Crowley, Meagher had ties to Notre Dame, where he played in 1916 under then-assistant coach Knute Rockne as a backup tight end. He later served in the U.S. Marines during World War I and played for the Chicago Tigers during the American Professional Football Association’s (APFA), inaugural season in 1920. The Tigers only lasted one season in the APFA which was later renamed to the National Football League in 1922. Meagher went on to build an extensive coaching résumé that included stops at Rice University and the Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks before taking charge of Miami’s new professional football team.

The Seahawks also assembled an experienced group of assistant coaches. Hamp Pool, a standout player at Stanford who later played professionally for the Chicago Bears, was hired to coach the backfield. Hank Crisp, who had spent 25 years coaching highly regarded lines at the University of Alabama, was brought in as the Seahawks’ line coach. Together, Meagher, Pool, and Crisp gave the fledgling Miami franchise a coaching staff with extensive experience in both college and professional football.

By December 1945, the Miami Seahawks’ roster was beginning to take shape. In its December 13 edition, The Miami News reported that owner Harvey Hester believed he had a legitimate chance to persuade Sid Luckman, the celebrated quarterback of the Chicago Bears, to come to Miami. Luckman ultimately remained with Chicago and went on to lead the Bears to their fifth NFL championship in 1946.

The AAFC understood that attracting top players away from the established NFL would require aggressive spending. New league owners often offered substantially higher salaries to proven veterans and sought-after draft choices, a strategy that angered longtime NFL owners such as George Halas. The competition forced NFL teams to respond financially, either by increasing what they were willing to pay their players and prospects or risk losing them to the rival league.

By the time the Seahawks reported for their first training camp, Hester was optimistic about the roster and coaching staff he had assembled. That confidence was shared by many in South Florida, where excitement was building around the arrival of a professional football team representing Miami on a national stage.

One and Only Season in 1946

The All-America Football Conference structured its inaugural-season schedule in part around the expected weather conditions in each city. Buffalo, for example, was given a schedule that placed more of its home games early in the season, reducing the likelihood that the team would have to play too many late-season contests in snow and bitter cold.

Miami faced the opposite situation. Because of South Florida’s heat and humidity during the early fall, the Seahawks opened the season with three consecutive road games and were scheduled to play seven of their first eight contests away from home. Although Miami residents were eager to see the city’s first professional sports franchise in action, they would have only one opportunity to watch the Seahawks at home before the middle of November 1946.

The difficult schedule did little to help the expansion team find its footing. Miami opened against the Cleveland Browns, followed by games against the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Dons. The Seahawks lost all three contests by a combined score of 95–28. After the third defeat, one local newspaper columnist offered a particularly harsh assessment of the struggling team, describing the Seahawks as “woefully inept.”

The Seahawks arrived at Roddy Burdine Stadium for their first home game carrying a 0–3 record. On Tuesday, October 8, 1946, Miami suffered its fourth consecutive defeat, losing to the San Francisco 49ers by a score of 34–7 before a crowd of approximately 7,500 fans. The early losing streak quickly began to erode some of the enthusiasm that had surrounded the arrival of professional football in Miami. Following the disappointing home debut, the Seahawks returned to the road for three consecutive Friday night games.

Their next stop was Buffalo on October 11, 1946, where the Seahawks finally earned the first victory in franchise history by defeating the Bisons, 17–14. The celebration was short-lived. One week later, Miami traveled to Chicago and lost to the Rockets, 28–7. The defeat dropped the Seahawks to 1–5 on the season and underscored just how difficult their inaugural campaign had become.

The Seahawks’ difficult start eventually led to a change in leadership. On October 22, 1946, head coach Jack Meagher abruptly resigned. His departure came as little surprise, and the team’s Board of Directors quickly accepted his resignation. Team president Harvey Hester announced that assistant coaches Hamp Pool and Hank Crisp would jointly direct the Seahawks for the remainder of the season, expressing confidence in the abilities of both men. Hester also acknowledged problems with the construction of the roster, stating, “I was misinformed about players I signed and that there would be changes made.”

Pool and Crisp had little time to make those changes before their first game in charge. Just three nights later, the Seahawks traveled to Brooklyn to face the Dodgers. Unfortunately, the coaching change did little to alter Miami’s fortunes. Brooklyn defeated the Seahawks decisively, 30–7, extending what had already become a frustrating season.

Following the loss in Brooklyn, the Seahawks finally returned to Miami for an extended stretch of home games. They opened a six-game homestand with three consecutive Monday night contests at Roddy Burdine Stadium. It marked the first time a professional football team had played more than one home game on Monday night during a season. The unusual scheduling arrangement provided an early precedent for the concept of Monday night football, an idea that the NFL would adopt many years later.

The Seahawks lost two of their three consecutive Monday night games, but they did manage to defeat the Buffalo Bisons for a second time, completing a season sweep of their northern rival. It is an accomplishment that Miami Dolphins fans would undoubtedly enjoy seeing repeated against Buffalo today.

Miami then dropped its next two home games before giving local fans something to celebrate in the season finale. The Seahawks closed their inaugural campaign with a 31–20 victory over the Los Angeles Dons at Roddy Burdine Stadium, ending an otherwise difficult season on a positive note.

The 1946 season proved to be a frustrating one for owner Harvey Hester, and his troubles did not end when the final whistle sounded. After leaving Roddy Burdine Stadium following the last game of the season, Hester was involved in an automobile accident. The Miami News reported on December 16 that the accident was minor and resulted in no injuries, although Hester’s car sustained significant damage. He was subsequently charged with reckless driving.

Save the Miami Seahawks

As the AAFC’s inaugural season drew to a close, considerable uncertainty surrounded the future of the Miami Seahawks. The franchise was reportedly about $350,000 in debt, including approximately $80,000 in unpaid payroll and travel expenses. Owner and team president Harvey Hester had stretched his personal finances well beyond their limits in an effort to keep the team operating.

In early December, AAFC commissioner Jim Crowley traveled to Miami to help address the Seahawks’ growing financial problems. While meeting with prospective ownership groups at the McAllister Hotel on Biscayne Boulevard, Crowley also arranged for the league to provide emergency loans to keep the franchise afloat.

Most importantly, the assistance ensured that players would receive their scheduled December 16 paychecks. League funds were also used to satisfy obligations to United Airlines, cover rent at Roddy Burdine Stadium and pay other outstanding expenses as the Seahawks struggled to make it through the end of their first season.

Several groups, both local and from outside Miami, expressed interest in taking control of the struggling Seahawks franchise. One local effort was led by James F.X. O’Brien, president of the Quarterbacks Club and owner of the Tycoon Tackle Company. O’Brien organized a group of investors determined to keep the team in Miami and even explored whether the Seahawks could improve attendance by playing home games on Sunday afternoons, something that was discouraged in Miami in 1946. He approached Mayor Perrine Palmer Jr. and two city commissioners about the possibility, and all indicated that they had “no personal objection” to Sunday football.

A second local group was led by Frank Harney, a prominent sportsman and owner of Manning’s Restaurant at 801 Biscayne Boulevard. Harney assured AAFC commissioner Jim Crowley that “his group could put up the money on 24 hours notice, provided that they didn’t have to assume the present indebtedness of the Seahawks.” His group was prepared to move quickly, but only if it could acquire the franchise without inheriting the financial burden accumulated under the existing ownership.

That condition became the central obstacle for both Miami groups. Neither was willing to assume the Seahawks’ substantial debt, making the financial obligations of the franchise a potential deal breaker. At the same time, interest from outside Miami was growing, with several prospective ownership groups willing to take control of the team if they could relocate the franchise to another city. The Seahawks had therefore reached a critical point: the question was no longer simply who would own the team, but whether professional football would remain in Miami at all.

Bankruptcy and AAFC Takes Over Team

Among those who met with Commissioner Jim Crowley during his stay in Miami was Dr. Mal Stevens, the former head coach of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Stevens discussed the possibility of transferring the struggling franchise to out-of-town investors and was believed to be representing prospective ownership groups from both Philadelphia and Baltimore.

Before either the local or outside groups could present an acceptable offer, however, Harvey Hester filed for bankruptcy on behalf of the Seahawks. Crowley quickly stepped in and assumed control of the franchise for the AAFC, effectively ending Hester’s ownership of the team.

Behind the scenes, Crowley and other league officials were increasingly opposed to keeping the franchise in Miami. Although the city was growing rapidly in the years immediately following World War II, Miami was still only the 42nd-largest city in the United States in 1946. Attendance had also declined sharply as the season progressed.

The team’s poor performance and heavily back-loaded home schedule certainly contributed to the problem, but the Seahawks averaged fewer than 10,000 spectators during their final six home games, a level the league considered unsustainable. With the Miami franchise now under league control, Crowley believed there were other markets that offered a better opportunity for the Seahawks to survive.

Seahawks Franchise to Baltimore

Ultimately, the AAFC awarded control of the former Miami franchise to Washington, D.C., attorney Robert D. Rodenburg and four other businessmen. After securing a stadium agreement in Baltimore, the new ownership group relocated the team and reorganized it as the Baltimore Colts, bringing an end to the Miami Seahawks after just one season in South Florida.

The original Baltimore Colts began play in the AAFC in 1947 and were among the teams absorbed into the NFL in 1950. Their stay in the NFL was brief, however, as continuing financial difficulties forced the franchise to fold after the 1950 season.

Three years later, a new Baltimore Colts franchise was established in the NFL and adopted the name and identity of the earlier team. That second incarnation of the Colts remained in Baltimore until 1984, when the franchise relocated to Indianapolis and became the Indianapolis Colts.

The Miami-to-Baltimore story would take an interesting turn more than two decades later. In 1970, the Miami Dolphins made perhaps the most important acquisition in franchise history when they hired Don Shula away from the Baltimore Colts.

Miami had lost its first professional football team to Baltimore in 1947, but 23 years later Baltimore lost to Miami the man who would become the winningest head coach in NFL history. Under Shula, the Dolphins would soon emerge as one of professional football’s dominant teams, giving the Miami-Baltimore connection a fitting historical twist.

Twenty Years Later

Twenty years after Miami lost the Seahawks to Baltimore, professional football returned to South Florida when Joe Robbie, Danny Thomas, and the Miami community were awarded an American Football League franchise, the Miami Dolphins, in 1966. For fans who have followed the team from the beginning, the Dolphins became source of civic pride throughout South Florida, particularly during the franchise’s remarkable championship run in the early 1970s.

Like Harvey Hester’s Seahawks two decades earlier, the Dolphins encountered serious financial challenges during their early years, and by 1969 the possibility of relocation had become very real. Joe Robbie, however, was able to navigate those difficulties and persuade local business leaders to invest in both the team and his vision for its future.

Robbie’s fiscal discipline also meant that the Dolphins were not overwhelmed by debt, making it possible for new investors to buy out his partner, Bud Keland, who favored moving the franchise. In an ironic twist, the proposed destination was Seattle. Seven years later, in 1976, the NFL awarded Seattle an expansion franchise that adopted a very familiar name: the Seahawks.

The Dolphins have not won a Super Bowl since the 1974 season and have not appeared in one since the 1984 season, but each new year brings hope that the franchise can eventually return to championship contention. As Dolphins fans settle in for another NFL season, it is worth remembering how differently Miami’s professional football history might have unfolded. Had the events of 1946 taken another course, South Florida fans might be chanting “Let’s Go Hawks” today instead. The challenging 1946 season for the Miami Seahawks lasted only one year, but its brief legacy remains an intriguing chapter in the history of professional football in Miami.

Resources:

• Book: “From Sandlots to the Super Bowl – The National Football League, 1920 – 1967”, Craig R. Coenen

• Miami News: “Miami Gets Franchise in New Pro Loop”, December 10^th, 1944

• Miami News: “Hester’s Pockets Bulge with Juicy Contracts”, December 13^th, 1945

• Miami News: “Officials Depart – Miami Grid Pros About Ready”, July 14^th, 1946

• Miami News: “Jack Meagher Resigns As Seahawks Coach”, October 22^nd, 1946

• Miami News: “Hester Plans More Changes In Hawks”, October 23^rd, 1946

• Miami News: “Sale or Shakeup in Seahawks Soon”, December 8^th, 1946

• Miami News: “O’Brien and Crowley Confer Over Hawks”, December 12^th, 1946

• Miami News: “Many Dicker for Seahawks”, December 13^th, 1946

This podcast episode explores the incorporation and early development of Miami Springs, a community founded during South Florida’s extraordinary building boom of the 1920s. After helping establish Hialeah and Opa-locka, aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss and James Bright founded Country Club Estates on August 23, 1926. The community was later renamed Miami Springs, and this year marks the centennial of the founding of this distinctive South Florida municipality.

Like other master-planned communities developed during the era, including Coral Gables and Miami Shores, Miami Springs was carefully designed with its own architectural identity. What distinguished the community was its prominent use of Pueblo Revival architecture. Curtiss had traveled extensively throughout the American Southwest while promoting aviation and became fascinated by the region’s architecture. That influence helped inspire the Pueblo-style homes and buildings that became one of Miami Springs’ most recognizable and enduring characteristics.

Tune into this week’s podcast episode to hear more about the founding and development of the City of Miami Springs during its centennial year. You can download this episode on your favorite podcast platform (iTunes, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Spotify) or listen directly on the Miami-History website. Please remember to click on the subscribe button and to provide a rating and comment on any of the platforms where this podcast episode is available.

On August 17, 1931, the Florida National Bank & Trust, owned by Alfred I Dupont, opened its first branch in Miami at 118 East Flagler Street. The bank purchased the assets of City National Bank & Trust after that bank, headed by J.C. Penney, abruptly closed in December of 1930.

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OTD: August 18, 1920 - Nineteenth Amendment Passed

On August 18, 1920, the nineteenth amendment to the US Constitution was ratified. This amendment gave women the right to vote.

OTD: August 19, 1916 - Dr. Jackson Residence Moved to Barge

On August 19, 1916, Dr. James Jackson's house and office were moved from downtown to a barge located at the end of Flagler Street on Biscayne Bay, to prepare for a move to Ocean Beach. They were ultimately moved to the Brickell neighborhood in September of 1916.

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OTD: August 20, 1981 - Venetian Pool Added to National Register

On August 20, 1981, the Venetian Pool in Coral Gables was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

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OTD: August 21, 1972 - National Convention for the Republican Party Began in Miami Beach Convention Center

On August 21, 1972, the national convention of the Republican Party took place at the Miami Beach Convention Center. The three day convention culminated with the nomination of Richard Nixon as their presidential candidate for reelection.

OTD: August 24, 1992 - Hurricane Andrew Made Landfall

On August 24, 1992, at approximately 5:05am, Hurricane Andrew made landfall in southern Dade County near Homestead as a Category hurricane, becoming one of the most destructive storms in South Florida history. Andrew was a relatively compact but extremely powerful hurricane, with maximum sustained winds now estimated at 165 mph and gusts reaching at least 175 mph.

Its eyewall swept across communities from Kendall south through Cutler Ridge, Homestead and Florida City, leaving entire neighborhoods virtually unrecognizable. Homes were reduced to piles of lumber, roofs were torn from buildings, trees and utility poles were snapped, and thousands of residents emerged after sunrise to scenes of extraordinary devastation.

Click on the watch button to see and hear more about the destruction of Hurricane Andrew.

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Brickell Avenue Neighborhood Book

Get your signed copy of the Brickell Avenue Neighborhood Book by ordering online on the Miami History Blog website. The book shares a pictorial history of the Brickell neighborhood from 1870 through the 1980s. Read more about the contents of this book and purchase your copy by clicking on the ‘Learn More’ button below. Scroll to the bottom of the page to purchase your signed copy online.

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As 1978 gave way to 1979, members of the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church awaited the outcome of the nuisance lawsuit filed against them by the City of Miami Beach and the Dade County State Attorney’s Office. They hoped the courts would uphold their claim that the sacramental use of ganja was protected by the First Amendment. Instead, an unfavorable ruling intensified the campaign to remove the congregation from Star Island.

The church’s legal troubles deepened in October 1979, when a plane carrying more than a ton of marijuana crashed in the Everglades west of Fort Lauderdale. Among the wreckage, investigators discovered the body of one of the Zion Coptic’s senior leaders. The evidence recovered from the crash provided local and federal law-enforcement agencies with a crucial link to the organization’s alleged marijuana-trafficking network.

Part 2 of the Zion Coptic story follows the coordinated investigation that led to the indictments and convictions of Brother Louv and 18 other members of the sect. Those prosecutions ultimately brought an end to the church’s presence on Star Island. After years of legal battles and financial difficulties, the deteriorating mansion at 43 Star Island Drive was sold in 1988.

Nuisance Suit Hearing – Day One

The state’s nuisance case against the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church went to trial on Wednesday, January 10, 1979, before Circuit Court Judge Frederick Barad. The City of Miami Beach joined the action, alleging that the congregation’s use of 43 Star Island Drive violated the island’s single-family residential zoning. Even with the zoning issue added to the case, much of the testimony focused on complaints from neighboring residents, who cited the persistent odor of marijuana, increased traffic and trespassing by visitors, and early-morning chanting and singing associated with the church’s prayer services.

Prosecutors Hank Adorno, Heath Bayard and Arthur Berger presented a series of witnesses, including two Star Island residents, a Miami Beach narcotics officer and an 11-year-old boy who had visited 43 Star Island and participated in religious services. The Zion Coptic’s were represented by a legal team led by attorneys Milton Ferrell Jr. and Richard Booth. The hearing stretched for more than ten hours and featured often contentious testimony, pointed questioning and vigorous cross-examination from attorneys on both sides.

During opening statements, Bayard outlined the state’s central argument: “We intend to show that 43 Star Island is open to anybody who desires to go there, and we intend to show that anyone who goes there can smoke marijuana whether or not they are members of the Coptic Church.” The prosecution hoped to demonstrate that the activities at the mansion extended beyond the private religious practices of church members and had become a broader public nuisance affecting the surrounding neighborhood.

At the heart of the nuisance case was testimony from neighboring Star Island residents Dr. Theodore Struhl and Joe Harry Branam. Both described the impact of living near the Coptic compound, focusing on the early-morning chanting, frequent activity around the residence and the persistent odor of marijuana drifting from 43 Star Island. Each portrayed the culmination of activities as an ongoing nuisance on the quiet residential quarter of the island.

Miami Beach Police Sergeant Richard Barado also testified that he had frequently been called to Star Island in response to complaints involving the Coptic residence. He told the court that, when standing downwind of the property, he could smell marijuana and that during one early-morning visit he could clearly hear loud chanting and singing at approximately 5:30 a.m.

During cross-examination, defense attorney Milton Ferrell Jr. asked Sergeant Barado whether he questioned the sincerity of the Zion Coptic Church members and their religious beliefs. Judge Frederick Barad interrupted the line of questioning, making clear that the legitimacy of the congregation’s faith was not what the court had been asked to decide. “I assume they are true believers, I really do, but that is not the issue here,” Barad said. His ruling, he indicated, would turn instead on whether the activities at 43 Star Island constituted a nuisance to the surrounding neighborhood.

Perhaps the most damaging testimony for the defense came from an 11-year-old boy who said he had been welcomed into the Star Island residence, where he participated in prayer services and smoked marijuana as part of the Coptic’s sacramental practices. His testimony was not entirely one-sided, however. The boy acknowledged that he was denied entry when he returned to the property on a later occasion, and under cross-examination he confirmed that his original purpose for visiting the residence had been to pray.

In addition to hearing testimony from witnesses, Judge Barad viewed approximately ten minutes of videotape recorded inside the residence by WPLG Channel 10 cameraman Robert Aeyres, who had been subpoenaed to appear at the hearing. The footage showed Coptic members engaged in prayer, chanting and singing while openly smoking marijuana as part of their religious observances.

By the conclusion of the ten-hour hearing on Wednesday, Judge Barad indicated that prosecutors had presented a strong preliminary case that the activities at 43 Star Island constituted a public nuisance. He was less persuaded, however, that the church had violated Miami Beach’s single-family zoning ordinance. Barad made clear that the burden now rested with the defense to rebut the state’s allegations, warning that unless the Coptic’s could successfully challenge the prosecution’s case, he was prepared to rule in favor of the state and declare the church’s activities on Star Island a nuisance.

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Iconic WTVJ news anchor Ralph Renick was born on August 9, 1928, in New York. Renick began his career with WTVJ in 1950 as an intern while studying journalism at the University of Miami. He enjoyed a long career with the station, from 1950 until 1985, while reporting directly to the president and founder of WTVJ, Mitchell Wolfson.

Within six weeks of his retirement announcement from WTVJ, Ralph declared his candidacy for governor of Florida in 1986. After losing his bid for political office, he joined WCIX (now WFOR), to do a nightly show called 'The Ralph Renick Report', until he retried from that endeavor in September 1990.

Webinar: August 19, 2026 - Orange Bowl Stadium: Miami’s Football Shrine

Date: Wednesday, August 19, 2026
Time: 6:00 - 7:30pm EDT
Fee: $16 (paid subscribers get a $10 discount off the webinar fee)

For more than seventy years, the Orange Bowl Stadium was one of Miami’s most revered landmarks, a place where sports, tourism, civic ambition, and community life came together.

This webinar will explore the stadium’s formative years, beginning with the temporary wooden bleachers used for the earliest Orange Bowl games and continuing through the construction, expansion, and modernization of the permanent stadium between 1937 and 1958.

The presentation will include a lot of photos and stories of the early years of “Miami’s Sports Cathedral.” If you cannot make it during this time, anyone who is a paid registrant will receive a link to watch the recording after the presentation.

For more information and to register for the webinar, click the button below. If you are a paid subscriber and did not get the discount code, please e-mail me at casey@sfwebnet.com

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OTD: August 13, 1859 - Miami Pioneer E.A. Waddell was born in Perth, Ontario

On August 13, 1859, Miami Pioneer Edwin Alexander Waddell was born in Perth, Ontario. Waddell was living in Key West when he first arrived to Miami in 1888. He purchased land in today's Omni neighborhood and became one of the Magic City's earliest real estate agents. He constructed the first poured concrete home for himself on the corner of today's NE Third Avenue and NE Second Street. Waddell was considered one of early Miami's most persistent ambassadors and advocates.

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Upgrade Promotion: 1926 Hurricane Booklet

For a limited time, anyone who upgrades their membership to become a paid subscriber will received a booklet of the 1926 Hurricane which features over 100 photos of the impact of this historic storm.

As we commemorate the 100th anniversary of this devastating hurricane in September 2026, you have the opportunity to get your copy of a very rare booklet with a number of never before seen photographs.

Click on the button below to learn more about this promotion.

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OTD: August 14, 1945 - Japan Surrenders (VJ Day)

On August 14, 1945, the Japanese Emperor announced an unconditional surrender to the United States to end World War II. Although the official instrument of treaty was not signed until September 2, 1945, aboard the USS Missouri, in Tokyo Bay, August 15th has been referred to V-J Day (Victory over Japan), ever since.

Attached is a photograph of US Navy service men and women celebrating on Flagler Street when the news broke. Downtown Miami was taken over by the Navy for training during WWII.

Click on the button below to listen to the podcast episode on the role South Florida played to prepare servicemen for battle during World War II.

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OTD: August 16, 1965 - Dolphins Awarded to Miami by AFL

On August 16, 1965, Miami was awarded a professional football franchise by the American Football League which was ultimately named the Dolphins. The franchise was headed by entertainer Danny Thomas and Minneapolis attorney Joe Robbie.

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Brickell Avenue Neighborhood Book

Get your signed copy of the Brickell Avenue Neighborhood Book by ordering online on the Miami History Blog website. The book shares a pictorial history of the Brickell neighborhood from 1870 through the 1980s. Read more about the contents of this book and purchase your copy by clicking on the ‘Learn More’ button below. Scroll to the bottom of the page to purchase your signed copy online.

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On August 7, 1956, the Orange Bowl Stadium hosted one of the most unusual baseball spectacles in Miami history, a game billed as the “World’s Greatest Baseball Party.”

The Miami Marlins hoped to draw more than 80,000 spectators and break the attendance record for a minor league baseball game. To help fill the massive football stadium, the organization turned the evening into an entertainment extravaganza featuring Martha Raye, Margaret Whiting, Russ Morgan and his orchestra, Cab Calloway, and several other notable performers.

The biggest attraction on the field, however, was legendary pitcher Satchel Paige. At the age of 49, the former Negro Leagues star was given the starting assignment for Miami. Paige pitched into the eighth inning and even contributed at the plate, driving in three runs with a double to left-center field.

Although attendance fell short of the ambitious 80,000-person goal, an impressive 51,713 paying spectators packed the Orange Bowl to watch the Miami Marlins defeat the Columbus Jets, 6–2. Both clubs were members of the Triple-A International League, and despite the elaborate festivities surrounding the event, the matchup counted as an official league game.

The evening was more than a baseball promotion. Gate receipts from the game were donated to several local charities, making the “World’s Greatest Baseball Party” not only a memorable event but also a charitable one as well.

Related Content:

• Orange Bowl Stadium (1937 – 1947)

• Orange Bowl Stadium (1948 – 1957)

Less than A Week to the Webinar

For more than seventy years, the Orange Bowl Stadium was one of Miami’s most revered landmarks, a place where sports, tourism, civic ambition, and community life came together. This webinar will explore the stadium’s formative years, beginning with the temporary wooden bleachers used for the earliest Orange Bowl games and continuing through the construction, expansion, and modernization of the permanent stadium between 1937 and 1958.

Conceived during the Great Depression, the Orange Bowl game was intended not only to showcase college football but also to attract winter visitors to Miami and strengthen the city’s struggling tourism economy.

The webinar will feature plenty of historic photographs and stories of Miami’s sports cathedral during its formative years. Only 50 virtual seats will be available for this event, so register early.

Webinar Details:

When: Wednesday, August 19, 2026
Time: 6:00pm – 7:30pm EDT
Cost: $16.00

If you cannot attend in person, the webinar will be recorded and shared with all registrants within 72 hours of the live event.

Anyone who is a paid subscriber to the Miami History Substack should have received an e-mail with a discount code allowing them to save $10 off the full price of a ticket. If you did not get the e-mail, please reach out to me at casey@sfwebnet.com and I will send it to you.

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The presentation will introduce the colorful promoters, government officials, engineers, and civic leaders who transformed a modest municipal stadium into one of the largest football venues in the country. Particular attention will be given to Earnie Seiler, the creative booster known as the “Mad Genius,” whose relentless promotion helped establish the Orange Bowl game, secure federal support for the stadium, and inspire decades of expansion.

Attendees will also hear about memorable early events held at the stadium, including University of Miami football games, high school rivalries, Winston Churchill’s 1946 appearance, professional football, boxing, concerts, religious services, and a spectacular 1956 baseball game featuring Satchel Paige.

Attendees Will Learn:

• How Miami’s desire to attract tourists during the Great Depression inspired the creation of a major New Year’s Day football game.

• How the Orange Bowl evolved from games played at Moore Park and a temporary wooden stadium into a permanent concrete-and-steel structure.

• How Earnie Seiler used ingenuity, personal connections, and unconventional promotional methods to build support for both the game and the stadium.

• How federal New Deal assistance helped finance the construction of Miami Municipal Stadium in 1937, initially providing seating for 23,330 spectators.

• Why the stadium was dedicated to civic leader Roddey Burdine and how President Franklin D. Roosevelt participated remotely in the 1937 dedication ceremony.

• How growing demand for Orange Bowl tickets led to repeated expansions in 1945, 1947, 1949, 1953, and 1955.

• How the Orange Bowl was home to the All-American Football League’s Miami Seahawks for one season in 1946.

• Why the stadium’s official name changed from Roddey Burdine Stadium to Orange Bowl Stadium in 1949.

• Why Earnie Seiler proposed transforming the venue into the Orange Bowl Memorial Stadium, complete with gardens and plaques honoring local war dead.

• How the 1955 enlargement increased capacity to more than 76,000 seats and made the Orange Bowl the third-largest bowl stadium in the United States.

• How the stadium became the host of so many epic high school rivalries through the years.

• The story of the 1956 “World’s Greatest Baseball Party,” when Satchel Paige led the Miami Marlins to victory during an evening of baseball, music, entertainment, and charitable fundraising.

By the conclusion of the webinar, attendees will understand how the Orange Bowl’s first two decades established its identity as Miami’s football shrine and setting the stage for becoming one of the city’s most important cultural gathering places over the course of the next 50 years.

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On August 1, 1945, Virginia Key Beach was officially dedicated and opened as a segregated beach for Black residents, following wade-in protests led by local civil rights activists. At the time, Black Miamians were barred from accessing public beaches in South Florida. Ferries transported bathers to and from the island.

With the progress of the civil rights movement in the 1960s, public beaches across the region were desegregated, granting the Black community access to all coastal areas. Virginia Key Beach was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 27, 2002, and is now managed by the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust to preserve its legacy.

OTD: August 3, 1956 - Elvis Performs at the Olympia Theater

On August 3, 1956, Elvis Presley conducted seven concerts at the Olympia Theater in downtown Miami over the course of two days beginning on Friday, August 3rd, through Saturday, August 4th, 1956.

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OTD: August 3, 1977 - City of Miami Buys Dr. James Jackson’s Surgical Office

On August 3, 1977, the city of Miami purchased Dr. James Jackson's surgerical office, which was built in 1905 and moved to the Brickell neighborhood in 1916. Dade Heritage Trust helped get the building historically designated and has leased and occupied the structure as their office since 1977.

In July 2026, the Miami City Commission agreed to sell the property and building to businessman Ken Griffin for roughly $3 million. Griffin reached an agreement with Dade Heritage Trust to move the building to Coconut Grove and assign ownership of the property to the preservation organization.

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OTD: August 4, 1937 - Roddey Burdine Stadium Named

On August 4, 1937, the stadium that would later be called the Orange Bowl was named Roddey Burdine Stadium in honor of Miami's Merchant Prince and president of Burdines Department Store. Roddey died suddenly at the age of 49 on February 15, 1936.

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OTD: August 5, 1968 - Republican National Convention Began on Miami Beach

On August 5, 1968, the Republican National Convention began at the Convention Center on Miami Beach.

OTD: August 7, 1972 - Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick Appear Cover of Sports Illustrated

On August 7, 1972, Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated as the highly anticipated upcoming football season approached. Csonka and Kiick’s Miami Dolphins finished that season with a perfect record marking the only time an NFL team has achieved that milestone in the modern era of the sport.

Click on the “Listen Now” button to hear the story of the 1972 Perfect Season as narrated by Dr. Paul S. George and myself.

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Brickell Avenue Neighborhood Book

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This episode features the story of veteran South Florida journalist and storyteller Hank Tester. Hank arrived in Miami in 1992, just before Hurricane Andrew devastated the region, and was immediately immersed in one of the most consequential news events in South Florida history as a field reporter covering the storm’s aftermath.

After spending 23 years at WTVJ, Hank joined CBS4 in 2015 as a nighttime reporter. During the COVID-19 pandemic, while producing news content from home, he began researching and presenting short vignettes highlighting people, places, and events from South Florida’s past.

In this conversation, Hank discusses how he selects and researches his stories, how the segments are produced, and what he has learned about his adopted hometown while becoming an avocational historian for the local CBS affiliate.

Tune into this week’s podcast episode to hear more about Hank Tester, his career, and his shift into sharing South Florida history stories. You can download this episode on your favorite podcast platform (iTunes, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Spotify) or listen directly on the Miami-History website. Please remember to click on the subscribe button and to provide a rating and comment on any of the platforms where this podcast episode is available.

Become a Paid Subscriber and Receive an Exclusive 1926 Hurricane Photo Booklet

As South Florida approaches the centennial of the devastating 1926 hurricane, the Miami History Substack is offering a special digital booklet to readers who become paid subscribers.

This 55-page booklet features more than 100 historic photographs documenting the destruction left behind by one of the most consequential storms in South Florida history.

The hurricane cut a roughly 60-mile path across the region, claiming approximately 220 lives and injuring more than 6,000 people. Contemporary estimates placed the damage between $30 million and $100 million, the equivalent of approximately $566 million to $1.9 billion in 2026 dollars.

Whether you are upgrading an existing free subscription or joining the Miami History Substack for the first time, you will receive a link to download the booklet when you become a paid subscriber for $5 per month or $50 per year.

Your paid subscription directly supports the research, writing, archival materials, and production required to preserve and share Miami’s history. It also helps make it possible for me to publish new and original stories more frequently.

Upgrade today and explore South Florida in the aftermath of the Great Miami Hurricane of 1926 through more than 100 remarkable historic photographs.

Anyone who is already a paid subscriber should have received an e-mail with the link to download the booklet. If you have not, please e-mail me at casey@sfwebnet.com.

Subscribe and / or upgrade today to get your copy of the South Florida Hurricane booklet.

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On July 25, 1906, the Miami Street Railway began operation. Given the availability of electric power around this time, Miami's first streetcar system, initially ran east on Twelfth Street from the railroad tracks to Avenue B, then north to Sixth Street where the depot was located. Twelfth Street is today's Flagler Street, Avenue B is East Second Avenue, and Sixth Street is today's North Fifth Street. The address scheme changed as part of the Chaille Plan in 1920 - 21.

OTD: July 26, 1896 - First Baptist Church Organized

On July 26, 1896, First Baptist Church of Miami was organized just two days just two days before the City of Miami was incorporated, making it the municipality’s oldest Baptist congregation. Its first permanent chapel was constructed in 1901 at Northeast First Avenue and Northeast Fifth Street, where the church grew alongside the young city.

In 1926, the congregation completed its present four-story sanctuary, an impressive Neoclassical building designed by the architectural firm of Dougherty and Gardner. During the economic hardships of the Great Depression, First Baptist merged with Temple Baptist Church and became known as Central Baptist Church, and then, more recently, merged with Christ Fellowship in 2007.

OTD: July 26, 1925 - Miami Daily News Dedicated New Building

On July 26, 1925, the Miami Daily News dedicated and moved into their new building at NE Sixth Street and Biscayne Blvd in downtown Miami. The building was called the Miami Daily News Tower. This building was later renamed the Freedom Tower after becoming the metaphorical ‘Ellis Island’ for Cuban refugees fleeing the communist regime of the Castro government.

Read more about the Miami Daily News / Freedom Tower by clicking on the button below.

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OTD: July 26, 1925 - Remembering William Jennings Bryan

On July 26, 1925, William Jennings Bryan, nicknamed the Great Commoner, died in Dayton, Tennessee. Bryan was a frequent visitor to South Florida during the early 1900s. In addition to running for President of the United States on the Democratic ticket as the populace candidate in three elections (1896, 1900, 1908), where he lost all three elections, he also served as Secretary of State during the Woodrow Wilson administration. Bryan’s Villa Serena residence still stands in the Brickell neighborhood as an homage to the Great Commoner’s time in Miami.

OTD: July 27, 1933 - Remembering Miami Pioneer E.A. Waddell

On July 27, 1933, Colonial EA Waddell, an early pioneer to Miami from Key West, passed away in New York City while seeking help for a lingering illness. Waddell died the day before Miami's 37th birthday. The Waddell Building on Miami Avenue carries the name of EA and his brother who had many business interests in early Miami.

Read more about E.A Waddell and his time in South Florida by clicking the button below.

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OTD: July 28, 1896 - Happy 130th Birthday to the City of Miami

On July 28, 1896, the city of Miami was born when 368 registered voters gathered to incorporate Miami. There had to be no less than 300 registered voters in order to incorporate as a city. Any fewer, Miami would have been organized as a town. Of the 368 voters, 162 of them were black workers who helped clear the land and construct many of Miami’s early structures.

Read more about the location and proceedings that led to the incorporation of the City of Miami on July 28, 1896, by clicking on the button below.

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OTD: July 28, 1985 - Miami River Cop Scandal

During the early morning of July 28, 1985, a group of corrupt City of Miami police officers raided the Mary C at the Jones Boat Yard on the Miami River and stole approximately 350 kilograms of cocaine. Three men unloading the vessel jumped into the river while fleeing and drowned. Their bodies were discovered shortly afterward, triggering a major investigation.

Four Miami officers were arrested on December 27, 1985, including three charged with first-degree murder. The investigation subsequently exposed a broader network of officers involved in stealing drugs and money, protecting traffickers, and reselling cocaine. Trials, convictions and disciplinary proceedings continued through the late 1980s.

OTD: July 29, 1956 - WSVN First Broadcast

On July 29, 1956, local Channel 7 news station WSVN started broadcasting. It was then known under the call letters WCKT. The station began operating on a man-made island alongside the 79th street causeway and shared an antenna with WIOD when it first launched.

OTD: July 30, 1936 - Burdines Purchases Hotel Biscayne

On July 30, 1936, Burdines purchased the Biscayne Hotel, which was the only thing keeping the Burdines Miami store from expanding west to Miami Avenue. It would allow the store to cover a large section of the block from Flagler Street south to SE First Street.

When development began on the newly created Star Island in 1919, prospective homeowners were drawn to the promise of an exclusive and tranquil retreat. The private island offered families seclusion, expansive views of Biscayne Bay and Miami Beach, and a sense of separation from the rapidly growing communities surrounding it. For Star Island’s earliest residents, that promise of privacy was largely fulfilled.

As the island developed, its grand Mediterranean Revival residences, waterfront estates and guarded entrance attracted wealthy homeowners who valued both luxury and security. That atmosphere began to change in the mid-1970s, when members of a religious sect moved into the estate at 43 Star Island Drive. Some neighbors described the group as a cult, while government officials alleged that it was using claims of religious freedom to conceal a large-scale marijuana-smuggling operation.

By 1978, the practices of the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church, including early-morning chanting and the extensive ceremonial use of marijuana, had ignited an increasingly bitter conflict involving church members, neighboring residents, Miami Beach officials and federal law-enforcement agencies. This is a two-part story of how that confrontation unfolded and how it ultimately came to an end.

Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church

The Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church was a Jamaican religious sect that emerged from the same Black nationalist movement that produced Rastafari, although the Coptic’s regarded themselves as a separate faith. Its origins were associated with Jamaican preacher Lovell “Louv” Williams, who established a religious community in the Mountain View area of Kingston during the 1940s.

After Williams’s death in 1969 and the brief leadership of George “Brother Ivy” Baker, Keith “Niah” Gordon became the church’s principal spiritual leader in 1970. Under Gordon, the movement relocated to rural compounds in Trelawny and later established its principal community, known as Coptic Heights, in St. Thomas. The Jamaican Parliament formally incorporated the church on April 2, 1976.

The church combined a literal reading of the Old and New Testaments with the teachings of Marcus Garvey, Black liberation, economic independence and the belief that people of African descent represented biblical Israel. Its incorporation act described its mission as spreading belief in the Bible, the moral laws of God, the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of humanity. The Coptic’s taught that salvation required moral living, communal cooperation and a spiritual recognition of God within humanity.

The movement’s defining practice was the use of ganja, the Jamaican term for marijuana, as a sacrament. Members believed that cannabis was a divinely created herb that promoted love, unity, wisdom and spiritual communion with God. Worship included Bible reading, chanting, singing and music influenced by Jamaican traditions such as Kumina. Cannabis use was not limited to an occasional formal ceremony; members commonly smoked throughout the day as part of their communal and religious lives.

During the 1970s, the church attracted a group of mostly white American converts who lived alongside Jamaican members and helped finance the movement’s rapid expansion. The Coptic’s acquired agricultural land, raised livestock, operated trucks and other businesses, and presented their activities as an effort to create an economically independent community that provided work and resources for impoverished Jamaicans. By the end of the 1970s, after several large drug busts, authorities began investigating the Coptic’s Star Island and Jamaican operations as a sophisticated criminal syndicate responsible for smuggling tons of marijuana into the United States.

Thomas Reilly to Brother Louv

Long before he became Brother Louv, the public face and leader of the Miami chapter of the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church, Thomas Reilly was a Catholic choirboy from Boston who dreamed of attending the United States Military Academy at West Point. When his dream never materialized, he eventually enrolled at the University of Miami in 1963. Despite his stature, which was 6’7”, he was considered a gentle giant who hated violence and conflict and loved women.

Born Thomas Francis Reilly Jr. on June 10, 1935, in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, he was the eldest of five children. His father worked for 28 years as a file clerk for the Eastern Company, a subsidiary of RCA Corporation, before retiring. Reilly grew up in the Boston area and was remembered by his parents as a respectful and obedient son. Exceptionally intelligent, he reportedly had a measured IQ of 141.

Reilly served as a choirboy for five years and played both football and basketball as a young man. Given his height, reporters later asked whether he had considered playing basketball for the University of Miami. He responded simply that basketball star Rick Barry was already on the team when he arrived. During his college years, Reilly lived much like many other students: he drank, attended parties, danced and rarely missed a Hurricanes football game. Friends recalled that he studied and discussed each play with the enthusiasm and attention to detail of a coach.

By the time Reilly arrived in Miami, he had abandoned the Catholic faith of his childhood and considered himself an atheist. He later explained that he had grown dissatisfied with the responses he received from priests when he questioned church teachings. In a December 1978 interview with Miami Herald reporter Joe Oglesby, Reilly recalled, “I would ask questions, and many times they would give answers that said to me, ‘This is a mystery, and you can’t know this.’”

While attending the University of Miami, Reilly supported himself by selling insurance for Jefferson Standard Life and later working for Moore Business Forms in Coral Gables. In 1965, he left the university without earning a degree. He remained in Miami, took a job with a data-processing company and eventually joined two partners in establishing a business of their own.

Within a few years, however, Reilly became disenchanted with corporate life and left the partnership. He said he smoked marijuana for the first time in 1969, after which he traveled to Northern California and spent time in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district. There, he encountered members of the counterculture whose stories and ideas sparked his interest in Jamaica. In January 1970, Reilly boarded a flight to the parish of St. Thomas, Jamaica, a journey he later claimed he made while under the influence of LSD.

When he arrived in Jamaica he was introduced to the Zion Coptic leaders and felt comfortable with the teachings of the Coptic religion. In the aforementioned article, Reilly shared the following:

“A friend introduced me to a congregation of (Coptic) people who answered my questions about the effects of smoking marijuana for periods of up to 40 years. They showed me the Biblical references to herbs, to make burnt offerings. They told me that God made grass for the cattle and herbs for the service of man. They said ganja is not a drug; it is not dangerous; it is a gift for those who freely choose to accept it.”

Reilly spent the next four years living at a Coptic retreat in the parish of St. Thomas, Jamaica. During that time, he fully embraced the teachings and communal practices of the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church, including its belief that ganja, or marijuana, was a sacred herb and an essential religious sacrament.

When Reilly returned to Florida with several fellow church members, the group initially settled in Fort Myers but remained there only briefly. They soon relocated to Southeast Florida and purchased a house at 6724 Southwest 12th Street in Miami. As the congregation grew and its members sought greater seclusion, they began searching for a more private setting. Their search ultimately led them to Star Island, where they purchased a waterfront mansion that became the headquarters of the church’s Miami community.

Acquisition of Star Island Mansion in 1975

After members of the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church established themselves in the Miami area, they frequently came under the scrutiny of local law-enforcement agencies. Reilly later characterized this attention as persistent harassment. In a January 1978 interview with the Miami Herald, he recalled, “Practically every place we went—we lived in modest conditions—we were raided.” He added that he did not believe the raids were part of an organized conspiracy, but rather a reaction from local residents and authorities who saw “a bunch of longhairs living together.”

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On July 17,1821, Spain officially transfers Florida to the United States in a ceremony in Pensacola. This was the second of two ceremonies with the first taking place in Saint Augustine on July 10, 1821.

OTD: July 17, 1968 - The Roney Plaza Hotel was Demolished

Designed by Schultze & Weaver and financed by N.B.T. Roney, the Roney Plaza Hotel, which opened on February 6, 1926, was razed on this day, July 17, in 1968. Above is a photograph of the Roney Plaza Hotel in 1948 (left), and the demolition of the hotel in 1968. Today, the Roney Palace Condos sit on the former footprint of the old grand hotel built by N.B.T. Roney.

OTD: July 18, 1961 - Four Slot Machines were Discovered in the Brickell Mausoleum

On July 18, 1961, four slot machines were found in the empty mausoleum that once served as the final resting place for members of the Brickell family. Investigators at the time did not know who had placed them there, but the slot machines were quickly taken into police custody.

OTD: July 19, 1928 - The 79th Street Causeway is Dedicated

On July 19, 1928, the 79th Street Causeway was dedicated. Following a brief ribbon cutting ceremony which included Hugh Peters, the chairman of the Dade County commission, T.A. Winfield, president of the NE Miami Improvement Association, J. Newton Lummus Jr., mayor of Miami Beach, Everest G. Sewell, mayor of Miami, and J.P. Grethen, mayor of Hialeah, a procession 508 automobiles transported more than 1,500 people marking the official opening of the causeway connecting Miami with Miami Beach.

OTD: July 20, 1911 - Parade Down Flagler Street to Celebrate City Milestone

On July 20, 1911, the City of Miami begins a multi-day celebration to celebrate its milestone 15th year since incorporation. On this day, in addition to a variety of events, there was a parade of decorated cars traveling down Twelfth Street, today's Flagler Street, that concluded at Royal Palm Park.

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OTD: July 20, 1912 - Construction began on John Sewell’s Halissee Hall

On July 20, 1912, construction began for John Sewell's Halissee Hall. It still stands today as part of the Jackson Medical Complex in Miami.

OTD: July 20, 1974 - Wynwood Park renamed Roberto Clemente Park

On July 20, 1974, Wynwood Park was renamed Roberto Clemente Park in honor of the all-star Puerto Rican baseball player for the Pittsburgh Pirates who died in a plane crash bringing aid to victims of an earthquake in Managua, Nicaraqua.

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OTD: July 21, 1911 - Miami Celebrates 15th Birthday with Air Show

On July 21, 1911, as part of the celebration of Miami's 15th birthday, the first aeroplane flight in Miami was flown over the golf grounds associated with the Royal Palm Hotel. The flight was piloted by aviation pioneer, Howard Gill.

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OTD: July 22, 1912 - Work Begins on Collin’s Bridge

On July 22, 1912, work began on the Collins bridge to connect Miami to the future Miami Beach. Collins secured a loan from the Bank of Bay Biscayne to begin work on what would become one of the, if not the, longest wooden bridges constructed. However, he underestimated the cost to build the bridge and ran out of money before its completion. Carl Fisher provided the necessary capital to complete the bridge in exchange for land on the future Miami Beach. The bridge was completed and officially opened on June 12, 1913.

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OTD: July 23, 1836 - Cape Florida Lighthouse Attacked

On July 23, 1836, the Cape Florida Lighthouse was attacked and set a flame by Seminole Indians. It was restored and now is the oldest standing structure in South Florida.

OTD: July 24, 1964 - Florida Turnpike Completed

On July 24, 1964, the final northern section of the Sunshine State Parkway, from the Orlando area to Interstate 75 near Wildwood, opened to traffic. This completed the original Turnpike mainline from the Miami area to Wildwood.

Florida’s Turnpike originally opened as the Sunshine State Parkway on January 25, 1957. The first 110-mile section connected the Golden Glades area north of Miami with Fort Pierce, giving motorists a faster alternative to the older coastal highways.

The project grew out of the state’s rapid postwar population and tourism boom. Florida created the Turnpike Authority in 1953, financed construction through a $74 million bond issue, and began work in July 1955. The highway gradually extended north through Orlando to Wildwood during the 1960s. In April 1968, the Sunshine State Parkway was officially renamed Florida’s Turnpike.

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Brickell Avenue Neighborhood Book

Get your signed copy of the Brickell Avenue Neighborhood Book by ordering online on the Miami History Blog website. The book shares a pictorial history of the Brickell neighborhood from 1870 through the 1980s. Read more about the contents of this book and purchase your copy by clicking on the button below. Scroll to the bottom of the page to purchase your signed copy online.

Purchase Signed Copy

The Twenty First Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified on December 5, 1933. It reversed the Eighteenth Amendment and, once again, legalized the sale and distribution of alcohol. People all over the United States hoisted their favorite alcoholic beverage to celebrate the milestone.

While the change in law allowed for the unfettered production and distribution of alcohol anywhere in the United States, beer enthusiasts in Miami were without a local brewer. They needed to wait for brewers from other parts of the country to ship beer into the local market. The owners of City Ice and Fuel Company took notice and capitalized on the opportunity.

Wagner Brewing Company

By the early 1930s, the City Ice and Fuel Company of Miami was confronting a significant change in consumer habits. As electric refrigerators gradually replaced traditional iceboxes, demand for household ice began to decline. The repeal of Prohibition offered the company an opportunity to diversify its operations and enter a promising new industry.

Soon after ratification of the Twenty-first Amendment, company executives purchased enough material from a nearby brickyard to construct a brewery at 637 NW Thirteenth Street in Miami in the heart of the Overtown neighborhood and across the street from Booker T. Washington High School.

The resulting structure was an imposing two-story brick building. Brick was commonly used in brewery construction because its insulation properties helped keep the interior cool while also providing the strength needed to support heavy brewing equipment. Completed in June 1934, the new brewery opened just as Miami entered the hot summer months, when demand for cold beer was especially high.

The executives of the City Ice and Fuel Company were not newcomers to the brewing industry. The company also owned a beer business in Granite, Illinois, where the “Wagner” trade name originated. Drawing on that experience, the company named its new Miami operation the Wagner Brewing Company.

Among the first beers produced at the Miami brewery were brands such as Wagner, Pride of Florida, and Daily Double. When production began in 1934, the brewery was wholly owned by the City Ice and Fuel Company and promoted its products with the fitting slogan, “Perfect for Hot Miami.”

American Brewing Company

Within a few years of opening its Miami brewery, the Wagner Brewing Company expanded its interests beyond South Florida. The company acquired the Pilsener Brewing Company of Cleveland and also purchased a substantial interest in the American Brewing Company of New Orleans.

By 1938, national advertising had made Miami consumers increasingly conscious of beer brands and their reputations. Many local drinkers regarded beer shipped from St. Louis and other northern brewing centers as superior to products made in Miami. Some advertising campaigns even promoted the notion that South Florida’s water was unsuitable for brewing quality beer.

As Wagner Brewing began to lose market share, company leaders recognized that they needed to overcome the perception that their beer was inferior. They turned to the American Brewing Company for guidance in strengthening their marketing and brand identity. Founded in New Orleans in 1890, American Brewing had built a successful business around its most popular product, Regal Beer. According to company lore, the name “Regal” was created by spelling “lager” backward.

Wagner Brewing ultimately introduced a new product line and adopted a new corporate identity. The Miami operation became the American Brewing Company of Miami and began producing Regal Beer. By 1939, Regal Beer and Regal Ale were the only products brewed at the Miami plant.

You Can’t Drink Freight

The company’s new management made it a priority to challenge the belief that Miami’s water was unsuitable for brewing quality beer. Samples of local water were tested alongside those from prominent brewing centers across the country. The results indicated that Miami’s water compared favorably and, in some cases, was considered superior to the water used by several well-known breweries.

The American Brewing Company promoted these findings through a new advertising campaign designed to build confidence in its locally produced beer. The company also emphasized the cost advantage of brewing in Miami rather than shipping beer from distant markets. One memorable slogan declared, “You Can’t Drink Freight,” reminding consumers that Regal Beer cost less because its price did not include the expense of long-distance transportation.

During World War II, shortages and rationing affected industries throughout the country. Limited supplies of sugar and grain, combined with transportation restrictions, reduced the availability of beers shipped into South Florida. These conditions benefited the local brewery, helping Regal Beer develop a loyal following during the 1940s.

Sold to Anheuser-Busch

On February 6, 1958, the American Brewing Company agreed to sell its Miami brewery to Anheuser-Busch. The purchaser was primarily interested in the plant’s production capacity and intended to discontinue Regal Beer. Anheuser-Busch planned to devote the facility entirely to brewing Budweiser for distribution throughout the Miami market.

Federal authorities, however, challenged the acquisition on antitrust grounds. They argued that the transaction would give Anheuser-Busch excessive control over beer production and distribution in South Florida and significantly reduce competition in the local market.

After losing the antitrust case, the company was unable to proceed with the purchase as originally planned. Rather than close the Miami brewery, Anheuser-Busch arranged for the plant to be sold to another owner.

National Brewing Company

The National Brewing Company emerged as the only bidder for the Miami brewery, leaving Anheuser-Busch with little choice but to accept its offer for the property.

National quickly began operating the brewery at full capacity. In addition to continuing production of Regal Beer, the company used the facility to brew several of its own products under various labels, including Colt 45 malt liquor.

Although the Miami facility produced several brands, it continued to be commonly known as the Regal Brewery. The plant remained in operation until 1974, when National Brewing decided to transfer production of Regal Beer and Colt 45 to its brewery in Baltimore.

The closure eliminated 107 local jobs. During its final years, the Miami brewery produced approximately 350,000 barrels of beer annually. By comparison, National’s newer and more efficient Baltimore facility was capable of producing nearly two million barrels each year. From the company’s perspective, closing the aging Miami plant and consolidating production in Baltimore was a practical business decision.

For many Miamians who grew up during the 1960s and 1970s, the brewery’s lasting legacy was not only Regal Beer itself, but also the glowing Regal neon sign and the distinctive, pungent aroma that drifted from the plant near the southwest side of the Interstate 95 and State Road 836 interchange, just outside downtown Miami.

Resources:

• Miami News: "Miami's Very Own, Ice Cold Lager Reeb", Agnes Ash on June 20, 1964.

• Miami News: "Regal Brewery Closed in Miami", Miami News on January 13, 1975.

On July 9, 1912, the Lummus brothers filed the first plat to develop land on Miami Beach. The brothers founded the Ocean Beach Realty Company which was the entity that filed that first plat on the future Miami Beach. The Town of Miami beach was incorporated on March 26, 1915, and James N. Lummus was elected the town’s first mayor (1915 - 1918). Two years later, on May 1, 1917, the town reincorporated as the City of Miami Beach.

OTD: July 10, 1896 - Call for Assembly to Incorporate Miami

On July 10, 1896, the Miami Metropolis published a notice on page two of their weekly edition to call all eligible parties to an assembly scheduled for July 28 to select officers and organize a municipal government. This was the beginning of the process to incorporate of the City of Miami. The notice informed readers that the vote would take place at "the room over the 'The Lobby' which is situated on Avenue D.

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OTD: July 10, 1972 - Democratic National Convention Began on Miami Beach

On July 10, 1972, the Democratic National Convention began at the Miami Beach Convention Center on Miami Beach. The convention took place over four days where George McGovern became the nominee for the party.

OTD: July 11, 1979 - Shooting at the Dadeland Mall

On July 11, 1979, a mid-day shooting at Crown Liquors in the Dadeland Mall between Colombian drug traffickers sent shockwaves throughout the nation. This event has been largely remembered as the beginning of the Cocaine Cowboy era in Miami, a time period that was dubbed ‘Paradise Lost’ on the cover of Time Magazine a couple years after this incident.

OTD: July 11, 1991 - Remembering WTVJ Legend Ralph Renick

Remembering television pioneer Ralph Renick on the anniversary of his death. Renick was the face of WTVJ from 1949 until he left the station in 1985.

OTD: July 12, 1921 - City of Miami Held a Special Election to Re-charter

On July 12, 1921, Miami voters went to the polls in a special election held to adopt a new city charter. The charter reshaped Miami’s government, replacing the previous system of a powerful mayor and 13-member city council with a mayor of limited authority and a five-member city commission.

The election produced Miami’s first city commission, quickly nicknamed the “Bankers’ Commission” because all five commissioners were banking executives. The vote marked a major turning point in Miami’s municipal history, ending the form of government that had guided the city since its incorporation in 1896.

OTD: July 13, 1927 - Illegal Contraband Seized

On July 13, 1927, a Miami Daily News headline reported that a combination of federal, city, and county law enforcement officials disposed of $250,000 of seized alcohol that had been stored by prohibition agents in and around Miami.

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OTD: July 15, 1997 - Gianni Versace was Murdered Outside his Home by Serial Killer

On July 15, 1997, Gianni Versace was shot to death outside his Miami Beach home by serial killer Andrew Cunanan.

OTD: July 15, 1939 - Miami Beach Founder Carl Fisher Passed Away

On July 15, 1939, Carl G. Fisher, one of the prominent founders of Miami Beach, was rushed to Saint Francis Hospital on Allison Island with a gastric hemorrhage. He passed away in the hospital at 4:52pm.

Brickell Avenue Neighborhood Book

Get your signed copy of the Brickell Avenue Neighborhood Book by ordering online on the Miami History Blog website. The book shares a pictorial history of the Brickell neighborhood from 1870 through the 1980s. Read more about the contents of this book and purchase your copy by clicking on the button below. Scroll to the bottom of the page to purchase your signed copy online.

Purchase Signed Copy

In 1976, as the United States celebrated its Bicentennial, South Florida marked the nation’s 200th birthday with an ambitious civic celebration. During the planning for the festivities, Miami earned a distinction achieved by only three other American cities, a remarkable honor whose story is revealed in this episode.

Planning for the Bicentennial began nearly a decade earlier during the administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson and continued through the Nixon years as communities across the country prepared for the historic anniversary. Although downtown Miami was facing economic decline by the mid-1970s, city leaders used the Bicentennial as an opportunity to reimagine its urban core. Their efforts transformed the former Port of Miami location and downtown waterfront into a signature public green space that continues to be enjoyed by residents and visitors today, serving as one of the celebration’s most enduring legacies.

Tune into this week’s podcast episode to hear more about Miami’s celebration of the country’s bicentennial. You can download this episode on your favorite podcast platform (iTunes, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Spotify) or listen directly on the Miami-History website. Please remember to click on the subscribe button and to provide a rating and comment on any of the platforms where this podcast episode is available.

On July 1, 1926, the Watson Hotel officially opened at 146 Biscayne Boulevard in downtown Miami. Although the inn opened as the Watson, it is best remembered as the Miami Colonial Hotel which carried the brand name from 1930 to 1989. It still stands today, with a modified facade, as the YVE Hotel.

Click on the link below to read the full history of the Watson / Miami Colonial Hotel.

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OTD: July 2, 1906 - Formation of Combs Funeral Home

On July 2, 1906, Walter Combs purchased the "undertaking parlor" from W.F. Miller which led to the formation of Combs Funeral Home. The business was started by Edwin Nelson in 1896 and was not only the first funeral business in Miami, but the first undertaking service of its kind in Dade County.

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OTD: July 2, 1928 - Remember Joseph P. Greaves

On July 2, 1928, Joseph P. Greaves, the prominent manager of the Royal Palm Hotel for more than 22 years, died suddenly at his home in Brooklyn, New York. Greaves was the face of the Royal Palm Hotel during his years as general manager and had established friendships with many of the prominent visitors to the hotel during his tenure. The loss of Greaves was one of several reasons the Florida East Coast company decided to shutter the Royal Palm Hotel for good prior to the winter season of 1928.

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Featured Photograph - Dade County Furniture Company

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OTD: July 4, 1975 - Bicentennial Park Dedicated

On July 4, 1976, Bicentennial Park was dedicated. The creation and dedication of the park was one of Miami's signature projects during the country's bicentennial celebration in 1976. The park was later renamed to honor Miami's first Hispanic mayor, Maurice Ferre, in January of 2019.

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OTD: July 5, 1907 - Fort Dallas Bank Closed

On July 5, 1907, the Fort Dallas Bank was closed by a special national bank examiner made temporary receiver, Joseph K McDonald, due to inadequate cash reserves. This event led to a series of events that were referred to as the 'Panic of 1907'. The insolvency of the Fort Dallas Bank was partially caused by the cost overruns, and subsequent extension of credit by the bank for the construction of the Halcyon Hall Hotel on Twelfth (later renamed Flagler), Street.

OTD: July 5, 1896 - Salem Graham Takes Over Hotel Miami

On July 5, 1896, Salem Graham became the proprietor of the Hotel Miami, taking over title and development from the Tuttle family. Salem Graham opened the first land based hostelry in 1896 in a building leased from William Brickell on the south side of the Miami River but soon realized that there was a greater need for hotel accommodations on the opposite side of the river.

It was Julia Tuttle’s hope that she would open the first land-based hotel on the north side of the river. However, the costs and time to construct the inn exceeded her means and patience. Graham completed the construction of Hotel Miami and opened it on January 22, 1897, six days following the grand opening of Henry Flagler’s Royal Palm Hotel.

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OTD: July 8, 1988 - Miami Arena is Dedicated

On Friday, July 8, 1988, the Miami Arena, located in the Overtown neighborhood of downtown Miami, celebrated its official opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The next day, on Saturday, July 9th, the Miami Heat hosted an open house and provided tours of the stadium in anticipation for their inaugural season.

The venue was designed by Lloyd Jones Filpot Associates for a cost of $52.5 million. It was originally designed to host the Miami Heat and Miami Hurricanes basketball team, but later became the home stadium for the Florida Panthers, Miami Hooters, and Miami Matadors.

It also was a prominent venue for concerts. The first event at the arena was a concert by Julio Iglesias on Wednesday, July 13, 1988. Affectionally referred to as the ‘Pink Elephant’, the arena had a short life in downtown Miami and only stood for 20 years. It was demolished in the fall of 2008.

Brickell Avenue Neighborhood Book

Get your signed copy of the Brickell Avenue Neighborhood Book by ordering online on the Miami History Blog website. The book shares a pictorial history of the Brickell neighborhood from 1870 through the 1980s. Read more about the contents of this book and purchase your copy by clicking on the button below. Scroll to the bottom of the page to purchase your signed copy online.

Purchase Signed Copy