Week in History: May 09 - 16

Events that occurred during the week of May 9 through May 16 in South Florida's history.

OTD: May 10, 1865 - Union Troops March into Tallahassee

Rendering of Tallahassee, Florida, in the 1860s.

On May 10, 1865, federal troops marched into the Florida capital of Tallahassee, formally ending Confederate control of the state government and symbolizing the collapse of the Confederacy in Florida. The occupation came nearly a month after General Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appomattox and only days after Confederate forces throughout the South began laying down their arms. Tallahassee was the only Confederate Capitol, east of the Mississippi, that had not been captured by the end of the Civil War, which officially ended on April 9, 1865.

Florida State Capital building in 1845.

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OTD: May 10, 1961 - The Playboy Club in Miami Opens

The Playboy Club under construction on March 21, 1961. Courtesy of Museum of Miami.

On May 10, 1961, the Playboy Club opened at 7701 Biscayne Boulevard in Miami. The club operated at this location for more than twenty years before it closed in 1983. It briefly moved to the Miami Airport Inn but closed permanently in 1985. It’s former location is now an Advanced Auto Parts store.

Access to the Playboy Club from the river in 1967. Courtesy of the Miami Herald.

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OTD: May 14, 1979 - Art Deco District Placed on National Register

Article in the Miami News on May 14, 1979.

On May 14, 1979, the Art Deco District on Miami Beach was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Being listed on the National Register of Historic Places for a historic district means official recognition of its historical and architectural significance. The biggest advantage to this distinction is that it provides a public record of the district's importance and can open doors to preservation incentives and federal grants.

Ocean Drive in the late 1970s. Courtesy of Casey M. Piket.

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OTD: May 14, 1998 - Remembering Marjory Stoneman Douglas

Front page of the Miami Herald on May 15, 1998.

On May 14, 1998, Marjory Stoneman Douglas died at the age of 108. Marjory was a journalist, writer, feminist and environmentalist that spent most of her adult life in Miami. She was a staunch defender of the everglades by opposing drainage in the interest of land development.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas during a book drive in 1948. Courtesy of Florida State Archives.

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OTD: May 15, 1896 - The Miami Metropolis Published First Issue

The Miami Metropolis building in the early 1900s. It was located on South Miami Avenue where the FedEx building is today. Courtesy of Museum of Miami.

The Miami Metropolis, forerunner of the Miami News, published it's first issue on May 15, 1896. It was the first newspaper in Miami and the first issue was published two months prior to the incorporation of the city.

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OTD: May 16, 1918 - Downtown YMCA Dedicated

YMCA building at 40 NE Third Avenue in 1918. Courtesy of Florida State Archives.

On May 16, 1918, the YMCA in downtown Miami was formally dedicated at 40 NE Third Avenue, aka Short Street.

Aerial of the YMCA building in 1920. Courtesy of Florida State Archives.

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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.