Archives

Miami Design Preservation League is pleased to make a selection of archival photos, documents, and collectibles available online. Please see below for our most recent posts. Keep this page in your bookmarks and come back to see the latest postings of history, memorabilia, and more!

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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.

Archive Articles

Carl Fisher’s Hotels

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

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La Flora Hotel 1238 Collins Avenue

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

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Christo’s Pink Islands

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

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Art Deco Spires

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

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Flamingo Plaza Hotel

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

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Mid Century Marvels

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

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The Hampton Hotel

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

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The Nemo Hotel

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.

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The Strand Restaurant

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

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The Neron Hotel

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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The Great Hurricane of 1926

These 1926 vintage photographs of the days after the “Great Miami” Hurricane were generously gifted to the MDPL in early 2018 by Alice McCollam Neary. Her father Hugh Kenneth McCollam

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Carl Fisher’s Yacht “Shadow K”

These 1920’s vintage photographs of Fisher’s yacht the “Shadow K”, and its passengers, were generously gifted to the MDPL in early 2018 by Alice McCollam Neary. Her father, Hugh Kenneth

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1983 Art Deco Weekend Poster

…depicting nude on blue background with palm leaves. Created by Woody Vondracek who stated, “A last minute decision by the Miami Beach Junior Chamber of Commerce killed this design as

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The Biscaya Hotel

The Biscaya Hotel was a 134,000 sq. foot Mediterranean ten story structure, located on the north side of MacArthur Causeway. Originally built in 1925, as The Floridian Hotel, it replaced the

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McCrory’s Department Store

McCrory’s Department Store was located on the southeast corner of Washington Avenue and Espanola Way in Miami Beach. The commercial architect William F. Simpson designed this classic Streamline building in

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Protestors Chained to Senator Hotel

Miami News editorial photograph by A.G. Montanari with the caption “Protesters chained to Senator Hotel”. Description says “The waiting game at Miami Beach’s Senator Hotel continued today, as Ray Halm,

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Demolition of The Revere Hotel

Gianni Versace purchased the Revere Hotel at the corner of 11th Street and Ocean Drive which was next door to his building Casa Casuarina for $3.7 million in 1993. His intention

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The Royal Palm Hotel in Miami

This hotel was a large resort built by railroad magnate Henry Flagler in Miami. Opened in 1897, the Royal Palm Hotel was one of the first hotels in the Miami area. It sat on the north

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Original Andy Sweet photographs

Andy Sweet was a gifted photographer who from 1977-1982, documented the residents of South Beach through his camera lens. In 1982 his life was tragically cut short when he was

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Discriminatory Language of the 1940’s

Shown are two archival 1947 magazine ads for The Cromwell and The Pancoast Hotels. These ads referred to “Selected Clientele”and “Carefully Restricted Clientele”, and offering “Congenial Companionship”. These catchphrases all

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Lincoln Center Hotel

1940’s Postcard of the Lincoln Center Hotel at 630 Lincoln Road and the corner of Euclid Avenue. The Lincoln Center Hotel was designed in 1937 by famed architect Igor Polevitzky

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Last Call to Save The Senator!

1988 Flyer “LAST CALL TO SAVE THE SENATOR!” at Miami Beach City Hall on Convention Center Drive on June 1st. BE THERE TO WITNESS THE FINAL MEETING….Join us at our

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Miami Beach Dog Track

MDPL archival postcard of Miami Beach Dog Track circa 1930’s-1940’s. Located at the southern tip of South Beach on 1st and Ocean Drive, it brought an exciting cosmopolitan spark to Miami

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Andy Sweet Archives

In January of 2020, MDPL contributed their digitized Andy Sweet archival files to the National Gallery of Arts, in conjunction with the Sweet’s family archives. Andy Sweet was a gifted

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Wolfie’s and Rascal House

Wolfie Cohen’s Rascal House was the brainchild of Wilfred “Wolfie” Cohen, who started his foodie career as a busboy in the Catskills. In the late 1930’s, he moved to Miami

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Parham’s Restaurant

1950’s Postcard of Parham’s Restaurant located at 73rd and Collins Avenue. Parham’s was opened in 1949 by two brothers Wesley and Harold Parham. Wesley ran the business side while Harold

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Giving Day 2022

We are Now Accepting Donations for our Annual Online Fundraising Event!