Now Online:
The Barbara Baer Capitman Archives
You can now access a selection of archive files directly on our Dropbox, by clicking the green button here. This project is sponsored in part by the Department of State, Division of Historical Resources and the state of Florida.
In honor of Black History Month we call attention to the Blackstone Hotel on Washington Avenue that often went against the prevailing racism of minorities including welcoming blacks to Miami Beach.
At 1000 South Miami Avenue you will find both a turn-of-the-century restaurant and a living museum for the Mediterranean styled Firehouse No. 4, that is listed on the U.S. National
Every year from 1978 through the 1990’s, there was a black-tie bash in Miami Beach benefiting the Miami Design Preservation League, called the “Moon Over Miami Ball”. This very anticipated party would
The Helen Mar Apartment Hotel at 2421 Lake Pancoast Drive was designed by Robert E. Collins in 1936 for the owner John Marsa. Helen, the locals say, was the name
Thirty-three years ago in October 1988, one of the foremost Art Deco hotels built in 1939 in the historic district, was sadly demolished. Designed by the prolific Art Deco architect,
The Hotel Leonard at 54 Ocean Drive was built in 1925 by the owner H.E. Glickman, who named it after his son Leonard. Across from Hardie’s Casino, it was designed
In April 1935, The French Casino at 1235 Washington Avenue was designed by architect Thomas Hunter Henderson and built as a supper and vaudeville club, featuring cabaret acts and showgirls. By
This July 2021 we honor what would have been the 76th birthday of Leonard Horowitz. Leonard Eugene Lazar Horowitz was a young furniture designer from New York, who created window
Originally opened in 1930, The Surf Club located at 9011 Collins Avenue was designed by pioneering Miami architect Russell Pancoast. It was the ultimate place to be seen. Located between Miami
Carl Fisher’s Clubhouse built in 1916, just one year after the incorporation of the city of Miami Beach, was located at his executive golf course on Dade Blvd. and Washington
In honor of the Memorial Day Weekend we present a 1942 postcard from our archive collection written by Private Paul Munson, stationed in Miami Beach to his mother. “Dear Mother,
On May 14th, 1979, the Miami Beach Art Deco District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the nation’s first urban 20th century Historic District. This year we
In the early 80s in the Art Deco Historic District, in the lobby of the Washington Storage Company, 1003 Washington Avenue, you could find the eclectic antique and gift shop
The New Yorker Hotel once stood at 1611 Collins Avenue. It was the destruction of this iconic 1940 hotel in January 1981, considered by some the masterpiece of local architect
The “Nut Club”, known in the 40’s as “The Gayest Spot in Town” with “Continuous Screwey Entertainment”, offering “Dancing and Dinners from $1.50”, was located on Alton Road and Dade
On April 9th, 2021, we celebrate the 101st year anniversary of the birthday of MDPL’s founder, Barbara Baer Capitman. We will be forever be in debt for her dedication, fierce
El Chico’s swank nightclub was built in the 1930s and located in the new Art Deco Architectural District at 22nd St and Park Avenue. In 1982…”the leaders of the MDPL
Once located on Belle Isle, the only natural island on the Venetian Island—the rest are man-made, the Monterrey Motel and Yacht Club was built in 1953 and designed by architect
This excerpt comes from a March 4th, 1940, archival Life magazine article entitled, “Miami & Miami Beach; Biggest U.S. winter resort has biggest boom” “All beaches are noteworthy for the
The landmark Colony Theatre at 1040 Lincoln Road in Miami Beach opened January 25, 1935, and was built for the Paramount chain. It was a superb example of the Art
March 2021 marks the 41st anniversary of the world-famous artist Andy Warhol’s visit to the South Beach Art Deco District. As one of the pioneering Art Deco collectors, Andy Warhol
To honor the boys who served and were stationed in Miami Beach during WWII, we searched our archive collection for postcards from that era that were sent by the soldiers
In celebration of Black History Month….The downtown Burdines had a place of real significance when the nation entered the civil right’s era. Burdines was the flagship for Florida’s first family of
The Deauville Hotel, 6701 Collins Avenue in Miami Beach was designed by Melvin Grossman in 1957. This MIMO style hotel was named “Hotel of The Year” as it attracted many
February 2021 is the 33rd anniversary of when preservationists campaigned to expand South Beach’s Historic District to include the triangle of 18 blocks east of Washington Ave. between 17th Street
In honor of Black History Month….did you know The ROYAL PALM HOTEL at 1545 Collins Avenue in 2002 was the first full-service luxury hotel in America to be owned, developed
The Georgian Hotel was located on 1621 Collins Avenue near Lincoln Road. It was designed by architect Joseph J. DeBrita and built in 1940 at a cost of $140,000. Constructed
From 1925 to 1992, Gatti Restaurant at 1427 West Avenue held its place as a shining star with Miami Beach eateries, serving up delicious Northern Italian homemade pasta and fresh
Being that last weekend was our virtual Art Deco Weekend, we wanted to bring you a flashback to a year when the festival was also not able to be held
The Boulevard Hotel is lost but not forgotten….located on Dade Blvd. & Meridian Avenue, it was one of the last hotels developed by Carl Fisher. Designed by Englishman William F.
The Flamingo Hotel was built by pioneering Miami Beach developer Carl G. Fisher on 15th Street & Bay Road. It was designed by Rubush & Hunter and officially opened at
Curry’s Restaurant located at 7433 Collins Avenue was a North Beach favorite among many locals far and wide. It was built in 1937 as an Epicure Restaurant (yes, the same
The Plymouth Hotel is located at 336 21st Street in the Collins Park neighborhood. It was designed by Anton Skislewicz in 1940, as a three story Art Deco Streamline Moderne
Espanola Way Village, which is so popular with tourists and locals now, was the brainchild of developers William Whitman and N.B.T. Roney in the early 1920’s. Originally named The Spanish
The White House Hotel at 15th Street and Ocean Drive was a three story, 178 room structure designed by Roy E. France in the Neocolonial or Georgian style. Meant to
In the seventies, the porch at the Cardozo Hotel at 1300 Ocean Drive had no more than a row of aluminum chairs, with equal numbers of senior citizens who lived in
In 1934, the young artist Earl LaPan, a Massachusettes native came to Miami Beach in search of work. Between 1934 and 1939, he painted murals and created sculptures for more
Excerpt from 1940 Life Magazine article entitled “Miami & Miami Beach; Biggest U.S. Winter resort has biggest boom”….. “In 1912 Miami, Fla., was a sleepy town of 7,500 people and Miami
The many shades of 1430 Ocean Drive…MDPL 1940’s archival postcard of the Clyde Hotel designed by L. Murray Dixon in 1941. In the 1970’s the name changed to Delnick’s Hotel.
Miami Beach sunbathers in the early 20th century would flock to Casinos, which actually were “bathing pavilions” that had nothing to do with gambling. The first bathing casino was built by
“It used to be called Motel Row. And for good reason. Dozens of two-story motels lined Collins Avenue. Some had whimsical themes and architectural flourishes. Concrete camels, mermaids and pyramids…Families
This past year MDPL member Nancy Usatschew generously donated her family’s vintage photographs and articles from the 1930’s- 1940’s. In the 1940’s, twenty-four year old Walter Bura was the world’s
Buttons that had a saying or a political statement were a very popular item to wear in the 1970’s – 1990’s. Courtesy of the Kinerk-Wilhelm Collection shown are photographs of
Barbara Baer Capitman was always an art and design lover. Perhaps she inherited this passion from her mother, Mrs. Myrtle Baer, who was an artist in her own right in the 1950’s.
Developer Carl G. Fisher (1874–1939)—was a self-made millionaire who transformed Miami Beach into a winter tourist destination at the beginning of the twentieth century. It was Fisher who built several of Miami
La Flora Hotel at 1238 Collins Avenue, when opened in 1924, was a Mediterranean Revival Hotel designed by architect George L. Pfeiffer. It was three stories high and had 45 rooms, each
On June 1, 2020, artist Christo, known in South Florida for his public art project “Surrounded Islands”, passed away. Christo’s 30-month project to encircle eleven islands in Biscayne Bay with bright pink plastic
Here at MDPL we love Art Deco buildings with decorative spires! Pictures from our 2001 archives of the Tudor, Kent and Tiffany Hotels were taken by Alex Rodriguez (the late
Flamingo Plaza at 1051-1055 Meridian Avenue in the Flamingo Park area, was a classic Art Deco Hotel. Designed by L. Murray Dixon in 1937, this 38 room structure has a
1450 Collins Avenue is an Art Deco structure in the Nautical Moderne style that has had many lives. With wave-like designs and vertical images it evokes the feeling of a
Synopsis of the November 1996 Ocean Drive article by Tom Austin with photographs by Bill Wisser entitled, “Mid Century Marvels; A new tour and increasing appreciation are spurring interest in
These 1938 vintage black and white photographs from our archives show an early morning Easter service on the beach in Lummus Park. They include a photograph showing the crowds attending
Mrs. Olive Wofford, a widow in the early 20th century, opened a guest house in Miami Beach at 23rd and Collins Avenue. After seeing how the market was so successful,
The Hampton Hotel located at the corner of Lincoln Road and Michigan Avenue, was built in April 1926, and designed by Martin L. Hampton. He also designed the old Miami
The Nemo Hotel at 100 Collins Ave was considered to be a Mediterranean Revival gem that was built in 1921 by New Yorkers Sam Magrid, and Joseph and Harry Goodkowsky.
The Strand Restaurant located at 671 Washington Avenue, designed by Yosse Friedman, was the keystone in 1986 to revitalizing dark Washington Avenue years before Micky Wolfson bought the Washington Avenue Storage
The Neron Hotel previously located at 1110 Drexel Avenue, was a fine example of the Art Deco/Streamline Moderne architecture built by architect Henry Hohauser in 1940. The building exhibited many
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