As Miami Springs celebrates its centennial milestone, WPLG Local 10 recently aired a stunning, comprehensive special documentary highlighting our city’s rich, colorful history, deep-rooted aviation ties, and the visionary founders who built it. From our early days as “Country Club Estates” to our present-day status as a beloved, historic bedroom community, the special captures the very heart of the Springs.
Whether you are a lifelong resident or a newcomer, this special is a must-watch. We have embedded the full video coverage below, followed by the most fascinating historical nuggets and hidden gems uncovered in the documentary!
1. The Alliance That Started It All: Bright & Curtiss
In the early 1900s, a cattleman named James Bright purchased thousands of acres of swamp land in South Florida. In 1916, he lent a small plot of land to Glenn H. Curtiss—the legendary inventor and aviation pioneer from upstate New York—who was searching for a new location for his Miami Beach flying school. This sparked an incredible partnership. Together, they established the Curtiss-Bright Ranch, co-founded Hialeah in 1921, and eventually acquired 900 acres south of the Miami Canal to build a golf course (now the oldest municipal course in South Florida) and a brand-new community.
2. From Country Club Estates to Miami Springs
When the neighborhood was officially incorporated in 1926, it was named “Country Club Estates.” However, during the development of the golf course, fresh drinking water was discovered underground. The natural springs supplied the expanding City of Miami with clean, fresh water for years. Recognizing this vital resource, the city officially changed its name to Miami Springs in 1930.
3. Pueblo Mission Architecture & Curtiss’s Secret Escape
While Coral Gables adopted Mediterranean Revival, Glenn Curtiss chose Pueblo Mission/Revival architecture for Miami Springs, inspired by the Sedona area of Arizona. This unique aesthetic—featuring stucco buttresses, earth tones, and flat roofs—is beautifully preserved in the historic Glenn Curtiss Mansion. A fun piece of trivia revealed in the special: Curtiss was an introvert who hated crowded social events. To escape them, he had a secret stairway built from his bedroom, allowing him to quietly slip out of his own parties unnoticed!
4. Surviving the 1926 Hurricane & Supporting the War Effort
Shortly after incorporation, the Great Hurricane of 1926 devastated South Florida, wiping out major sections of surrounding new cities. Miraculously, Miami Springs emerged largely unscathed, with only one death reported. During World War II, the city stepped up as an active support hub for the nearby Miami Army Airfield. The iconic Country Club Hotel (later the Battle Creek Sanitarium) was leased to the U.S. Army from 1942 to 1945 to house recuperating military personnel.
5. The Cradle of Aviation: A True Airline Community
For decades, almost everyone living in Miami Springs was tied to the aviation industry, working for Eastern Airlines, Pan Am, National, or American. Eastern Airlines, in particular, offered employees special pricing and financing on Miami Springs homes starting in 1935. The special takes a nostalgic trip to the famed Pilot House, an aviation-themed watering hole that opened in the 1940s and famously never closed, serving as the favorite post-shift hang out for flight crews. (It has since been beautifully reborn in a new location atop the Wyndham Hotel on NW 36th Street, offering stunning runway views!)
6. The Rebirth of Curtiss Mansion
The Curtiss Mansion has lived many lives. Post-WWII, it became the “Miami Springs Villas,” a luxurious retreat for airline executives and flight attendants. It featured a upper-level pool designed specifically for flight crews to rest—and local legend has it that Hugh Hefner got his inspiration for the Playboy Club right here! Decades later, the mansion was abandoned, burned, and collapsed. It took a massive 14-year “labor of love” community effort in the 1990s and 2000s to completely rebuild and restore the building into the gorgeous, high-profile venue and civic pride it is today.
7. Glenn Curtiss: The Unsung Hero of Flight
While the Wright Brothers are household names, the documentary emphasizes that Glenn Curtiss is the true, unsung pioneer of aviation. He designed the “Junebug” plane, developed the first flying boat (the Model F) in 1913, and established multiple airfields in South Florida. In fact, Miami International Airport exists today because of Glenn Curtiss! He was also a legendary speed demon, once crowned the “fastest man on earth” in 1907 after riding his custom V-8 motorcycle at 136.3 mph on Ormond Beach.
8. Celebrating 100 Years of Small-Town Charm
As the Springs turns 100, centennial celebrations are officially underway! The city is preparing to unveil a magnificent monument commemorating Glenn Curtiss and his historic June Bug plane. While South Florida has grown and changed dramatically over the last century, Miami Springs has managed to preserve its incredible small-town feel, rich history, and vibrant community spirit.
What was your favorite historical nugget from the Local 10 Special? Do you have any family memories of the Miami Springs Villas or the old Pilot House? Share your thoughts and memories in the comments below!
