1916: James Bright Meets Glenn Curtiss
- Meeting/Early Contact: While some sources cite 1909 as when they first saw the potential of the area, other records indicate they were working on land projects by 1916.
- Partnership Creation: The Curtiss-Bright Ranch Company was officially incorporated on January 27, 1921.
- Name Change: On December 30, 1922, the company name was changed to the Curtiss-Bright Company.
April 6, 1917: U.S. enters World War I
The leading provider of American aircraft during World War I was the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company, founded by Glenn Hammond Curtiss.
✈️ Key Facts:
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Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company became the largest aircraft manufacturer in the world by the end of World War I.
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The company produced more than 10,000 aircraft for the Allied forces.
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It was particularly known for the Curtiss JN-4 “Jenny”, the most widely used American training aircraft during the war.
🛩️ The Curtiss JN-4 “Jenny”:
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Used to train thousands of U.S. and Canadian pilots.
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Affordable, reliable, and easy to fly.
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Became iconic post-war for barnstormers and early civil aviation.
Curtiss Jenny at the Glenn Curtiss Museum (Photo Credit: Jorge Santin)
1917 – 1919: Curtiss & Bright Land Purchase
1917–1919:
Glenn Curtiss and James Bright began acquiring large tracts of undeveloped land west and northwest of Miami. This land was mostly Everglades marshland that had recently become viable for development due to the dredging of canals like the Miami Canal (C-6).
November 11, 1918: World War I Ends
Glenn Curtiss and James Bright began acquiring large tracts of undeveloped land west and northwest of Miami. This land would eventually become Miami Springs, Hialeah, and Opa-Locka.
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During the war, Curtiss was a key figure in the U.S. aviation industry—his company was one of the largest aircraft manufacturers in the world.
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After the war, military contracts dried up, and Curtiss sold his aviation interests by 1920.
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He then turned his focus to real estate development, particularly in South Florida, leveraging his wealth, vision, and engineering background.
1919: Canal Dredging
1919 Aerial Photo of What Would Become Hialeah & Miami Springs by Ken Wilde
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