5/5 Ariel W. 1 year ago on Google
There
are
many
beautiful
old
homes
and
historic
buildings
in
Miami
from
Florida's
land
boom
years
in
the
1920's
and
the
444
acre
Deering
Estate
overlooking
Biscayne
Bay
is
one
such
example.
The
grounds
of
the
estate
are
an
environmental,
archaeological
and
historic
preserve
containing
one
of
the
largest
unspoiled
coastal
tropical
hammocks
in
the
United
States.
Through
ten
thousand
years
of
human
history
Paleo
Indians,
Tequestas,
Seminoles,
Afro-Bahamians,
and
Anglo-Americans
have
all
lived
on
the
property
that
is
now
called
the
Deering
Estate.
Located
in
the
Cutler
neighborhood
of
Palmetto
Bay,
this
was
the
retirement
home
of
Charles
Deering
(1852-1927)
who
was
a
Chicago
industrialist,
preservationist,
environmentalist,
art
collector,
and
philanthropist.
He
was
the
first
chairman
of
the
International
Harvester
Company.
The
property
has
a
three-story
wooden
house
built
in
1900,
called
the
Richmond
Cottage
which
was
named
after
S.H.
Richmond
and
his
wife
Edith
who,
opened
the
house
as
an
Inn
which
hosted
such
prominent
guests
Henry
Morrison
Flagler
and
James
Ingrahm.
In
1901
it
was
listed
as
the
southern
most
hotel
in
the
United
States.
In1916
the
Richmond
was
purchased
by
Charles
Deering
who
added
it
to
other
buildings
he
put
on
his
on
his
estate
which
included
a
carriage
house,
pump
house
and
power
house.
He
also
built
a
limestone
and
concrete
wall
surrounding
the
estate
and
built
the
boat
turning
basin
in
Biscayne
Bay.
While
exploring
the
Richmond
Cottage
I
discovered
the
alcove
on
the
second
floor
that
displays
the
results
of
all
the
paranormal
investigations
that
have
taken
place
around
the
estate.
"Proof"
included
transcripts
of
conversations
with
spirits,
accounts
of
first
hand
experiences,
and
photos.
I
enjoyed
spending
a
few
minutes
looking
through
their
albums
and
watching
the
short
video.
The
estate
has
the
reputation
of
being
the
most
haunted
in
south
Florida
and
in
October
through
November
the
Deering
estate
offers
ghost
tours.
In
1922
Deering
completed
his
three-story
Mediterranean
Stone
House
designed
by
Phineas
Pais
who
designed
many
of
the
beautiful
buildings
in
Coral
Gables.
The
home
has
poured
concrete
walls
and
oolitic
limestone.
Deering
lived
here
until
his
death
after
which
he
passed
to
his
wife
and
children.
The
last
Deering
relative
living
in
the
house
passed
away
in
1982
and
the
property
was
listed
for
sale.
The
estate
was
acquired
by
the
State
of
Florida
in
1985,
and
is
part
of
the
Miami-Dade
County
Parks,
Recreation
and
Open
Spaces
Department,
which
manages
the
property.
In
1986
the
Deering
Estate
was
listed
on
the
National
Register
of
Historic
Places.
After
Hurricane
Andrew
struck
the
estate
in
1992,
a
wine
cellar
was
discovered
hidden
behind
cabinets.
In
addition
to
the
buildings,
the
property
contains
two
important
archeological
sites,
the
Cutler
Burial
Mound
and
the
Cutler
Fossil
Site.
One
of
the
few
surviving
prehistoric
mounds
in
Miami-Dade
County,
the
Cutler
Burial
Mound
contains
the
remains
of
12
to
18
Native
American
from
the
Glades
I
and
II
periods
(50,000
to
100,000
years
ago).
The
Cutler
Fossil
Site
is
a
sink
hole
discovered
in
1979.
It
contains
the
bones
of
Pleistocene
animals
including
extinct
peccaries,
mammoths,
sloths,
dire
wolves,
and
saber-toothed
cats
along
with
artifacts
from
early
humans.
These
sites
are
only
accessible
through
a
one
hour
walking
tour
led
by
a
Deering
Estate
Naturalist.
It
is
offered
from
October
until
May
and
included
with
the
price
of
admission.
In
addition
to
touring
the
buildings
and
archeological
sites
the
Deering
estate
offers
canoe
tours,
paranormal
investigations,
bird
walks,
moonlit
kayaking,
Biscayne
Bay
boat
tours,
hiking
on
the
nature
trails,
and
eco-tours.
The
Deering
Estate
is
open
every
day
from
10
AM
to
5
PM
except
Thanksgiving
and
Christmas.
Adult
admission
is
$15
but
they
offer
different
discount
days.
I
was
able
to
tour
for
$5
as
part
of
a
Fourth
of
July
promotion.
Follow
them
on
Facebook
to
keep
posted
on
all
of
the
different
events
held
at
the
estate
throughout
the
year.
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