It was one of the most beautiful moments in Miami Springs history. It was beautiful because it represented the amazing love our community has for Miami Springs and its amazing history. It was beautiful because Miami Springs is blessed with such wonderful people dedicated to making our community great. It was beautiful because of the love and dedication by so many people to make this dream come true.
What was the dream? To create a monument in dedication to Glenn Curtiss, the father of Naval Aviation. The founder of our city. And today, on the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of the City of Miami Springs, we can proudly say, that dream has come true.
Thanks to the hard work of so many people including volunteers, residents, fundraisers, donors, city staff, politicians, architects, artists, and so many others, we are blessed to enjoy a beautiful monument commemorating the history and amazing accomplishments by Glenn Curtiss, the founder of not just Miami Springs, but also Hialeah and Opa-Locka.
We have got to give a huge shout out to Miami Springs Councilman, Jorge Santin. He was a huge champion for this project going back several years. He had the drive and push to get the donors, to get the funding, to get the placement, to get all the pieces needed to turn this “idea” into a reality. Thank you Jorge for your consistent dedication to make this dream come true. God bless you my friend.
We also have to thank the Mayor of Miami Springs, Walter Fajet. Fajet recalled how the Wright Brothers were first in flight. But the Wright Brother kept their accomplishments quiet to themselves. It wasn’t until Glenn Curtiss’ flight of the June Bug that the public at large was able to see and experience a man flying a plane. (Stay tuned for the full video so you can watch Fajet’s entire speech.)
And we absolutely have to give a huge thank you to the family who actually created the monument including the artist, Natalie Plasencia-Calvo, the architect (and Natalie’s husband) Juan Calvo, and the hard working lead contractor. Alejandro “Alex” Plasencia (Natalie’s brother). Folks, we stopped by the memorial several times during construction including nights and weekends. And every time we stopped by and peeked over the fence, this crew was hard at work, racing the clock, to get the monument completed in time for the Centennial Celebration. You guys pulled off an amazing job! Congratulations!
Folks, this monument would never have become a reality if not for the generosity of so many who contributed towards the Glenn Curtiss and June Bug Legacy Memorial. Among the generous donors was Milam’s Markets including Max Milam and Kristie Milam who attended the unveiling (shown below). A huge thank you to the Milam’s family for their consistent commitment to our beautiful community. Thank you!
And we can’t forget about our Master of Ceremonies. The one and only Buzz Fleischman kept the show rolling and the crowd entertained.
The Miami Springs Centennial and the unveiling of the Glenn Curtiss and June Bug Legacy Memorial drew an amazing crowd including current and former dignitaries.
GLENN CURTISS & JUNE BUG MEMORIAL PHOTO GALLERY
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