Week in History: March 01 - 08
Events that occurred during the week of March 1st through March 8th in South Florida's history.
OTD: March 1, 1969 - The Doors Performed at Dinner Key Auditorium
On March 1, 1969, the Doors performed at a packed Dinner Key Auditorium on a warm evening. The concert is best remembered for when the band's lead singer, Jim Morrison, allegedly exposed himself on stage leading to an early end to the concert when he was knocked off stage and ushered out of the audience by police. Later, after the band left Florida, law enforcement issued six warrants for his arrest for lewd and lascivious behavior.
OTD: March 3, 1845 - Florida Became a State
On March 3, 1845, Florida officially became a state. It was a territory from 1822 until being admitted as the 27th state of the union in 1845. Attached is the announcement of Florida’s statehood in the Philadelphia Public Ledger on March 4, 1845. Although the article indicates that Iowa was added as a state at the same time as Florida, the territory of Iowa was not officially given statehood until December 28, 1846, when it became the 29th state. Texas was admitted as the 28th state on December 29, 1845.
OTD: March 3, 1896 - John Sewell and his Workers Arrived in Miami
On March 3, 1896, John and EG Sewell, along with twelve laborers, arrived in what would later incorporate as the City of Miami to begin clearing the grounds for the Royal Palm Hotel. Click on the button below to read more.
OTD: March 3, 2015 - Demolition of Miami Herald Building Completed
On March 3, 2015, the demolition of the Miami Herald building at One Herald Plaza in downtown Miami was completed. The building was constructed by the Knight brothers and opened in 1963. The Herald operated out of this building until 2013 when they moved to a smaller facility in Doral. The former newspaper edifice was sold to The Genting Group, a Malaysian casino operator, in 2011 for $236 million, a few years prior to when the new owners began demolition of the building with plans to erect and operate a casino on the property. Due to the inability to get approval for a gambling license, Genting sold the former footprint of the Herald building and the surrounding parking lot to SmartCity Miami for $1.225 billion in 2023.
OTD: March 4, 1898 - Mary Brickell Wins Land Case
On March 4, 1898, Mary Brickell won a land title case that included 640 acres of the Jonathon Lewis grant, which was roughly from today's SE 15th Road to Vizcaya, along Brickell Avenue, including an area known as the "Punch Bowl".
OTD: March 4, 1947 - First Presbyterian Church Leases Downtown Property
On March 4, 1947, First Presbyterian Church leased the southern parcel of their downtown property to the Joshua Corporation for a 99-year term and an annual rental of $27,500, which became the location of the Plaza Building at 245 SE First Street.
OTD: March 6, 1933 - Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak Dies
On March 6, 1933, Anton Cermak, the Mayor of Chicago, died of complications from a wound he received in the assassination attempt of FDR in Bayfront Park just 19 days earlier.
OTD: March 7, 1990 - Wayne Huizinga Buys 15% of the Miami Dolphins
On March 7, 1990, Wayne Huizenga, CEO of Blockbuster Entertainment Corporation, announced he purchased 15 percent of the NFL's Miami Dolphins and 50 percent of the Dolphins' home, Joe Robbie Stadium, from the family of team founder Joe Robbie, for an estimated $30 million. In 1994, Huizenga became the sole owner of the team in 1994 for $168 million after persuading the NFL to waive its ban on cross-ownership of teams in other leagues. Huizinga owned the Florida Marlins and Florida Panthers at the time he purchased the Dolphins.
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.
What wonderful memories come back with your mention of The Miami Herald! My circa 1950's neighbor, Nixon Smiley, wrote Knights of the Fourth Estate. He credits Herald Executive Editor, Lee Hills for why “the Herald had become widely known as a newspaper which encouraged individual style and individual writing”. My Aunt was a Herald Reporter through the 1950's and wrote with just such flair. They were doing deep investigative reporting and writing with a style that was captivating!
Remembering a comment by then-Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado when 1 Herald Plaza was months away from being demolished. He said that it was a building that many people didn't appreciate, but would miss when it was gone. Regalado was absolutely right.