We’re a small town and don’t have much of the concrete and steel infrastructure big cities do, but are we losing some of that rustic country style charm Glenn Curtiss envisioned? Our curved streets and parkways, green spaces, the sheer numbers of trees and plantings are a result of Glenn Curtiss’ development vision. When Curtiss initiated our development in 1926, he had the ‘City Beautiful’ movement in mind.
The City Beautiful movement was a reform philosophy of North American architecture and urban planning that flourished during the 1890s and 1900s with the intent of introducing beautification and monumental grandeur in cities.
Advocates of the philosophy believed that such beautification could promote a harmonious social order that would increase the quality of life, while critics would complain that the movement was overly concerned with aesthetics at the expense of social reform.
Our town has embraced the philosophy of friendly neighborhoods buttressed by local clubs and organizations such as the Lions, Woman’s Club, Hialeah Miami Springs Rotary, Boy and Girl Scout programs, our local library, Miami Springs Virginia Gardens Optimist Club, Oleeta West Dade Lodge, The Pelican Playhouse and River Cities Regatta. Many of our local businesses, like Milam’s Market and the Leonard Real Estate Group have stepped up and joined many fund raising efforts for the common good as well.
All these groups are the glue that binds our civic engagement and forms our philosophy of looking out for each other. We’re cute, we’re small but mighty and it looks like everyone wants to relocate here. We’re ‘At the Heart of it All’ as our slogan goes and people have listened. We joke about not having to leave the zip code, but is our small town feel slowly morphing into a more ‘citified’ place?
When we walk under a tree whose branches have grown into the walking space, do we duck around the branches and possibly pay the price with a stray cobweb stuck to our arms and head? Is that part of a rustic feel?
We wave at each other as we walk the dog(s). Is that part of a quaint small-town feel?
Sharing our (un-stringy) mangoes with neighbors. Is that a small-town feel?
We’re so lucky Glenn Curtiss had a vision for this place in which we now live.
It feels like we’re in the cat bird seat of small-town living. Of course it comes with a price! How far do we have to travel for a good Italian restaurant? OK, not too far! If you’re not afraid of traffic, Coral Gables isn’t too far but when you’ve got Basilico and El Forno, Siamo and the Airport Café close by, why leave town? The zip code’s got it all!
