Week in History: June 01 - 08
Events that occurred during the week of June 01 through June 08 in South Florida's history.
OTD: June 2, 1926 - St. Patrick’s Church on Miami Beach First Mass in Polo Stable
On June 2, 1926, the first mass for Saint Patrick’s Catholic Church on Miami Beach in their first permanent home was held in a refurbished polo stable provided by Carl Fisher. Following the 1926 Hurricane, which destroyed the parish’s temporary home, led Father John O’Leary to raise money to build the church and rectory seen in the photograph at 3716 Garden Avenue in Miami Beach.
OTD: June 3, 1886 - Coral Gables Founder George Merrick was Born
On June 3, 1886, George Edgar Merrick was born. Merrick was the founder and father of both the city of Coral Gables and the University of Miami. Click on the button below to listen to Merrick’s story of the founding of the City of Coral Gables.
OTD: June 4, 1923 - James Cox Buys the Miami Metropolis
On June 4, 1923, former Ohio governor, and Democrat nominee for president in 1920, James Middleton Cox bought the Miami Metropolis newspaper and renamed it the Miami Daily News-Metropolis. Attached is a photo of James Cox next to the Miami Metropolis building of 1923 located on Flagler Street. The newspaper constructed the Miami Daily News Tower in 1924, and moved into it when it officially opened on July 26, 1925.
OTD: June 4, 1943 - Florida Governor Spessard Holland Signs Married Women’s Emancipation Bill
On June 4, 1943, Governor Spessard Holland signed into law the 'Married Women's Emancipation Bill' which provided rights to married women to sign contracts, sue or be sued, and hold power of attorney. Prior to this law, married women had to defer to their husbands pertaining to contractual matters and property ownership. One of the key activists that helped get this signed into law was Sheila Murrell, an attorney who lived at 1500 Brickell Avenue with her husband in a lavish residence nicknamed Petit Douy. She is seen in the photograph on the right between her husband and another gentleman taken at the Surf Club in the 1950s.
OTD: June 6, 1897 - Church of the Holy Name Celebrates First Mass
On June 6, 1897, the Church of the Holy Name, Miami's first catholic church, celebrated its first Mass. The church was later renamed Gesu Catholic Church and is located at 118 NE Second Street in downtown Miami.
OTD: June 6, 2001 - Dr. James Jackson’s Former Residence was Demolished
On June 6, 2001, despite an effort by the Dade Heritage Trust to preserve the historic home, Dr. James Jackson's former residence was demolished. The home was moved to the Brickell neighborhood in 1916, but was in a state of disrepair by the turn of the 21st Century, prompting the property to be redeveloped into the Solaris at Brickell Bay condominium shortly after the demolition of Jackson’s former residence.
OTD: June 8, 1911 - Glenn Curtiss Issued Pilot License #1
On June 8, 1911, aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss was issued pilot license #1 from the Aero Club of America. Because the licenses were issued in alphabetical order, Wilbur Wright received license #5 at the same time. Curtiss trained pilots in South Florida during WWI, and was a founder of the cities of Miami Springs, Opa-locka and Hialeah.
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.