The City of Miami Springs was founded on August 23, 1926 by aviation pioneer, inventor, and land developer, Glenn Curtiss. Curtiss had a grand vision for our community including the beautiful golf course and Pueblo Style Homes and administration building.
It was the roaring ’20s and the land boom in Miami was serious. In fact, Curtiss wasn’t just developing Miami Springs, but he was also developing the City of Hialeah and the City of Opa-Locka with its Arabian theme.
But why does it feel like Curtiss’ grand vision fell short? Most Miami Springs homes do not share the original Pueblo Revival style. In fact, few homes date back to the 1920s. What happened?
The Great Miami Hurricane of 1926
On September 18, 1926 (98 years ago) the land boom in Miami came to a screeching halt. Twenty six days after Country Club Estates (the original name for the City of Miami Springs) was incorporated, the area was blindsided by a devastating category 4 hurricane. Reports indicated that 70% of the homes in Hialeah were severely damaged. There are no specific reports for Miami Springs at the time, but due to our proximity, we can assume a similar level of damage to Country Club Estates.
After the storm, the Clune Building was used as a Relief Station to help those impacted by the Hurricane. And as you know, the Clune Building still stands today having survived countless hurricanes over the last 100 years.
Unfortunately, not all the structures were strong enough to withstand the hurricane. One of the largest nightclubs in Dade County was located right here on the third block of what was to become Westward Drive in Miami Springs. The ARABIAN NIGHTS CABARET opened December 29, 1925 and was destroyed by the great hurricane.
You can see the Arabian Nights Cabaret in the photo below provided by the Miami Springs Historical Society and Museum. It’s the building along the top along Westward Drive (then called Broadway).
We don’t have photos depicting the damage after the storm in Miami Springs, but below is a photo showing the damage to the Miami Jockey Club which later became Hialeah Park.
Below is a photo of an unnamed building damaged in Hialeah during the Hurricane. As you can see, it had concrete block construction and still collapsed. Of course, the building codes were not the same back then, but it still shows what the power of a major hurricane can do even several miles inland.
The level of devastation in South Florida was unprecedented. It immediately killed the South Florida land boom as investors took their money elsewhere. And while the Great Depression didn’t officially start until 1929, it came early to those in Miami Springs.
Even though the Hotel Country Club survived the devastating hurricane, it couldn’t survive the Great Depression. In 1929, Glenn Curtiss sold the hotel to the cereal magnate, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, for “$10 and other valuable considerations” to be developed as a health spa. Today, the building still sits on Curtiss Parkway and operates as an Adult Living Facility.
It wasn’t until World War II that GIs training on Miami Beach fell in love with Miami again. After the war, there was a huge influx into Miami and Miami Springs. That’s why you see so many of the Springs homes built in the post-war 1950s era. That’s when Miami Springs was truly settled.
Fast forward 98 years, and Miami Springs has grown up to become one of the most desirable places to raise a family. Quiet streets. Great police. And a centralized location that can’t be beat.
Nevertheless, the Great Miami Hurricane of 1926 left its mark on Miami Springs. As more people continue to discover Miami Springs, its important that we share our history. We also don’t want to scare people about hurricanes, but we do want them to have a healthy respect for the awesome power mother nature can bring down on our small community.
