On August 17, 1931, the Florida National Bank & Trust, owned by Alfred I Dupont, opened its first branch in Miami at 118 East Flagler Street. The bank purchased the assets of City National Bank & Trust after that bank, headed by J.C. Penney, abruptly closed in December of 1930.

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OTD: August 18, 1920 - Nineteenth Amendment Passed

On August 18, 1920, the nineteenth amendment to the US Constitution was ratified. This amendment gave women the right to vote.

OTD: August 19, 1916 - Dr. Jackson Residence Moved to Barge

On August 19, 1916, Dr. James Jackson's house and office were moved from downtown to a barge located at the end of Flagler Street on Biscayne Bay, to prepare for a move to Ocean Beach. They were ultimately moved to the Brickell neighborhood in September of 1916.

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OTD: August 20, 1981 - Venetian Pool Added to National Register

On August 20, 1981, the Venetian Pool in Coral Gables was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

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OTD: August 21, 1972 - National Convention for the Republican Party Began in Miami Beach Convention Center

On August 21, 1972, the national convention of the Republican Party took place at the Miami Beach Convention Center. The three day convention culminated with the nomination of Richard Nixon as their presidential candidate for reelection.

OTD: August 24, 1992 - Hurricane Andrew Made Landfall

On August 24, 1992, Hurricane Andrew made landfall in South Florida at approximately 5:00am. Andrew was a category 5 storm, with winds in excess of 175 MPH.

Brickell Avenue Neighborhood Book

Get your signed copy of the Brickell Avenue Neighborhood Book by ordering online on the Miami History Blog website. The book shares a pictorial history of the Brickell neighborhood from 1870 through the 1980s. Read more about the contents of this book and purchase your copy by clicking on the ‘Learn More’ button below. Scroll to the bottom of the page to purchase your signed copy online.

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As 1978 gave way to 1979, members of the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church awaited the outcome of the nuisance lawsuit filed against them by the City of Miami Beach and the Dade County State Attorney’s Office. They hoped the courts would uphold their claim that the sacramental use of ganja was protected by the First Amendment. Instead, an unfavorable ruling intensified the campaign to remove the congregation from Star Island.

The church’s legal troubles deepened in October 1979, when a plane carrying more than a ton of marijuana crashed in the Everglades west of Fort Lauderdale. Among the wreckage, investigators discovered the body of one of the Zion Coptic’s senior leaders. The evidence recovered from the crash provided local and federal law-enforcement agencies with a crucial link to the organization’s alleged marijuana-trafficking network.

Part 2 of the Zion Coptic story follows the coordinated investigation that led to the indictments and convictions of Brother Louv and 18 other members of the sect. Those prosecutions ultimately brought an end to the church’s presence on Star Island. After years of legal battles and financial difficulties, the deteriorating mansion at 43 Star Island Drive was sold in 1988.

Nuisance Suit Hearing – Day One

The state’s nuisance case against the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church went to trial on Wednesday, January 10, 1979, before Circuit Court Judge Frederick Barad. The City of Miami Beach joined the action, alleging that the congregation’s use of 43 Star Island Drive violated the island’s single-family residential zoning. Even with the zoning issue added to the case, much of the testimony focused on complaints from neighboring residents, who cited the persistent odor of marijuana, increased traffic and trespassing by visitors, and early-morning chanting and singing associated with the church’s prayer services.

Prosecutors Hank Adorno, Heath Bayard and Arthur Berger presented a series of witnesses, including two Star Island residents, a Miami Beach narcotics officer and an 11-year-old boy who had visited 43 Star Island and participated in religious services. The Zion Coptic’s were represented by a legal team led by attorneys Milton Ferrell Jr. and Richard Booth. The hearing stretched for more than ten hours and featured often contentious testimony, pointed questioning and vigorous cross-examination from attorneys on both sides.

During opening statements, Bayard outlined the state’s central argument: “We intend to show that 43 Star Island is open to anybody who desires to go there, and we intend to show that anyone who goes there can smoke marijuana whether or not they are members of the Coptic Church.” The prosecution hoped to demonstrate that the activities at the mansion extended beyond the private religious practices of church members and had become a broader public nuisance affecting the surrounding neighborhood.

At the heart of the nuisance case was testimony from neighboring Star Island residents Dr. Theodore Struhl and Joe Harry Branam. Both described the impact of living near the Coptic compound, focusing on the early-morning chanting, frequent activity around the residence and the persistent odor of marijuana drifting from 43 Star Island. Each portrayed the culmination of activities as an ongoing nuisance on the quiet residential quarter of the island.

Miami Beach Police Sergeant Richard Barado also testified that he had frequently been called to Star Island in response to complaints involving the Coptic residence. He told the court that, when standing downwind of the property, he could smell marijuana and that during one early-morning visit he could clearly hear loud chanting and singing at approximately 5:30 a.m.

During cross-examination, defense attorney Milton Ferrell Jr. asked Sergeant Barado whether he questioned the sincerity of the Zion Coptic Church members and their religious beliefs. Judge Frederick Barad interrupted the line of questioning, making clear that the legitimacy of the congregation’s faith was not what the court had been asked to decide. “I assume they are true believers, I really do, but that is not the issue here,” Barad said. His ruling, he indicated, would turn instead on whether the activities at 43 Star Island constituted a nuisance to the surrounding neighborhood.

Perhaps the most damaging testimony for the defense came from an 11-year-old boy who said he had been welcomed into the Star Island residence, where he participated in prayer services and smoked marijuana as part of the Coptic’s sacramental practices. His testimony was not entirely one-sided, however. The boy acknowledged that he was denied entry when he returned to the property on a later occasion, and under cross-examination he confirmed that his original purpose for visiting the residence had been to pray.

In addition to hearing testimony from witnesses, Judge Barad viewed approximately ten minutes of videotape recorded inside the residence by WPLG Channel 10 cameraman Robert Aeyres, who had been subpoenaed to appear at the hearing. The footage showed Coptic members engaged in prayer, chanting and singing while openly smoking marijuana as part of their religious observances.

By the conclusion of the ten-hour hearing on Wednesday, Judge Barad indicated that prosecutors had presented a strong preliminary case that the activities at 43 Star Island constituted a public nuisance. He was less persuaded, however, that the church had violated Miami Beach’s single-family zoning ordinance. Barad made clear that the burden now rested with the defense to rebut the state’s allegations, warning that unless the Coptic’s could successfully challenge the prosecution’s case, he was prepared to rule in favor of the state and declare the church’s activities on Star Island a nuisance.

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Iconic WTVJ news anchor Ralph Renick was born on August 9, 1928, in New York. Renick began his career with WTVJ in 1950 as an intern while studying journalism at the University of Miami. He enjoyed a long career with the station, from 1950 until 1985, while reporting directly to the president and founder of WTVJ, Mitchell Wolfson.

Within six weeks of his retirement announcement from WTVJ, Ralph declared his candidacy for governor of Florida in 1986. After losing his bid for political office, he joined WCIX (now WFOR), to do a nightly show called 'The Ralph Renick Report', until he retried from that endeavor in September 1990.

Webinar: August 19, 2026 - Orange Bowl Stadium: Miami’s Football Shrine

Date: Wednesday, August 19, 2026
Time: 6:00 - 7:30pm EDT
Fee: $16 (paid subscribers get a $10 discount off the webinar fee)

For more than seventy years, the Orange Bowl Stadium was one of Miami’s most revered landmarks, a place where sports, tourism, civic ambition, and community life came together.

This webinar will explore the stadium’s formative years, beginning with the temporary wooden bleachers used for the earliest Orange Bowl games and continuing through the construction, expansion, and modernization of the permanent stadium between 1937 and 1958.

The presentation will include a lot of photos and stories of the early years of “Miami’s Sports Cathedral.” If you cannot make it during this time, anyone who is a paid registrant will receive a link to watch the recording after the presentation.

For more information and to register for the webinar, click the button below. If you are a paid subscriber and did not get the discount code, please e-mail me at casey@sfwebnet.com

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OTD: August 13, 1859 - Miami Pioneer E.A. Waddell was born in Perth, Ontario

On August 13, 1859, Miami Pioneer Edwin Alexander Waddell was born in Perth, Ontario. Waddell was living in Key West when he first arrived to Miami in 1888. He purchased land in today's Omni neighborhood and became one of the Magic City's earliest real estate agents. He constructed the first poured concrete home for himself on the corner of today's NE Third Avenue and NE Second Street. Waddell was considered one of early Miami's most persistent ambassadors and advocates.

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Upgrade Promotion: 1926 Hurricane Booklet

For a limited time, anyone who upgrades their membership to become a paid subscriber will received a booklet of the 1926 Hurricane which features over 100 photos of the impact of this historic storm.

As we commemorate the 100th anniversary of this devastating hurricane in September 2026, you have the opportunity to get your copy of a very rare booklet with a number of never before seen photographs.

Click on the button below to learn more about this promotion.

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OTD: August 14, 1945 - Japan Surrenders (VJ Day)

On August 14, 1945, the Japanese Emperor announced an unconditional surrender to the United States to end World War II. Although the official instrument of treaty was not signed until September 2, 1945, aboard the USS Missouri, in Tokyo Bay, August 15th has been referred to V-J Day (Victory over Japan), ever since.

Attached is a photograph of US Navy service men and women celebrating on Flagler Street when the news broke. Downtown Miami was taken over by the Navy for training during WWII.

Click on the button below to listen to the podcast episode on the role South Florida played to prepare servicemen for battle during World War II.

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OTD: August 16, 1965 - Dolphins Awarded to Miami by AFL

On August 16, 1965, Miami was awarded a professional football franchise by the American Football League which was ultimately named the Dolphins. The franchise was headed by entertainer Danny Thomas and Minneapolis attorney Joe Robbie.

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Brickell Avenue Neighborhood Book

Get your signed copy of the Brickell Avenue Neighborhood Book by ordering online on the Miami History Blog website. The book shares a pictorial history of the Brickell neighborhood from 1870 through the 1980s. Read more about the contents of this book and purchase your copy by clicking on the ‘Learn More’ button below. Scroll to the bottom of the page to purchase your signed copy online.

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On August 7, 1956, the Orange Bowl Stadium hosted one of the most unusual baseball spectacles in Miami history, a game billed as the “World’s Greatest Baseball Party.”

The Miami Marlins hoped to draw more than 80,000 spectators and break the attendance record for a minor league baseball game. To help fill the massive football stadium, the organization turned the evening into an entertainment extravaganza featuring Martha Raye, Margaret Whiting, Russ Morgan and his orchestra, Cab Calloway, and several other notable performers.

The biggest attraction on the field, however, was legendary pitcher Satchel Paige. At the age of 49, the former Negro Leagues star was given the starting assignment for Miami. Paige pitched into the eighth inning and even contributed at the plate, driving in three runs with a double to left-center field.

Although attendance fell short of the ambitious 80,000-person goal, an impressive 51,713 paying spectators packed the Orange Bowl to watch the Miami Marlins defeat the Columbus Jets, 6–2. Both clubs were members of the Triple-A International League, and despite the elaborate festivities surrounding the event, the matchup counted as an official league game.

The evening was more than a baseball promotion. Gate receipts from the game were donated to several local charities, making the “World’s Greatest Baseball Party” not only a memorable event but also a charitable one as well.

Related Content:

• Orange Bowl Stadium (1937 – 1947)

• Orange Bowl Stadium (1948 – 1957)

Less than A Week to the Webinar

For more than seventy years, the Orange Bowl Stadium was one of Miami’s most revered landmarks, a place where sports, tourism, civic ambition, and community life came together. This webinar will explore the stadium’s formative years, beginning with the temporary wooden bleachers used for the earliest Orange Bowl games and continuing through the construction, expansion, and modernization of the permanent stadium between 1937 and 1958.

Conceived during the Great Depression, the Orange Bowl game was intended not only to showcase college football but also to attract winter visitors to Miami and strengthen the city’s struggling tourism economy.

The webinar will feature plenty of historic photographs and stories of Miami’s sports cathedral during its formative years. Only 50 virtual seats will be available for this event, so register early.

Webinar Details:

When: Wednesday, August 19, 2026
Time: 6:00pm – 7:30pm EDT
Cost: $16.00

If you cannot attend in person, the webinar will be recorded and shared with all registrants within 72 hours of the live event.

Anyone who is a paid subscriber to the Miami History Substack should have received an e-mail with a discount code allowing them to save $10 off the full price of a ticket. If you did not get the e-mail, please reach out to me at casey@sfwebnet.com and I will send it to you.

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The presentation will introduce the colorful promoters, government officials, engineers, and civic leaders who transformed a modest municipal stadium into one of the largest football venues in the country. Particular attention will be given to Earnie Seiler, the creative booster known as the “Mad Genius,” whose relentless promotion helped establish the Orange Bowl game, secure federal support for the stadium, and inspire decades of expansion.

Attendees will also hear about memorable early events held at the stadium, including University of Miami football games, high school rivalries, Winston Churchill’s 1946 appearance, professional football, boxing, concerts, religious services, and a spectacular 1956 baseball game featuring Satchel Paige.

Attendees Will Learn:

• How Miami’s desire to attract tourists during the Great Depression inspired the creation of a major New Year’s Day football game.

• How the Orange Bowl evolved from games played at Moore Park and a temporary wooden stadium into a permanent concrete-and-steel structure.

• How Earnie Seiler used ingenuity, personal connections, and unconventional promotional methods to build support for both the game and the stadium.

• How federal New Deal assistance helped finance the construction of Miami Municipal Stadium in 1937, initially providing seating for 23,330 spectators.

• Why the stadium was dedicated to civic leader Roddey Burdine and how President Franklin D. Roosevelt participated remotely in the 1937 dedication ceremony.

• How growing demand for Orange Bowl tickets led to repeated expansions in 1945, 1947, 1949, 1953, and 1955.

• How the Orange Bowl was home to the All-American Football League’s Miami Seahawks for one season in 1946.

• Why the stadium’s official name changed from Roddey Burdine Stadium to Orange Bowl Stadium in 1949.

• Why Earnie Seiler proposed transforming the venue into the Orange Bowl Memorial Stadium, complete with gardens and plaques honoring local war dead.

• How the 1955 enlargement increased capacity to more than 76,000 seats and made the Orange Bowl the third-largest bowl stadium in the United States.

• How the stadium became the host of so many epic high school rivalries through the years.

• The story of the 1956 “World’s Greatest Baseball Party,” when Satchel Paige led the Miami Marlins to victory during an evening of baseball, music, entertainment, and charitable fundraising.

By the conclusion of the webinar, attendees will understand how the Orange Bowl’s first two decades established its identity as Miami’s football shrine and setting the stage for becoming one of the city’s most important cultural gathering places over the course of the next 50 years.

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On August 1, 1945, Virginia Key Beach was officially dedicated and opened as a segregated beach for Black residents, following wade-in protests led by local civil rights activists. At the time, Black Miamians were barred from accessing public beaches in South Florida. Ferries transported bathers to and from the island.

With the progress of the civil rights movement in the 1960s, public beaches across the region were desegregated, granting the Black community access to all coastal areas. Virginia Key Beach was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 27, 2002, and is now managed by the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust to preserve its legacy.

OTD: August 3, 1956 - Elvis Performs at the Olympia Theater

On August 3, 1956, Elvis Presley conducted seven concerts at the Olympia Theater in downtown Miami over the course of two days beginning on Friday, August 3rd, through Saturday, August 4th, 1956.

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OTD: August 3, 1977 - City of Miami Buys Dr. James Jackson’s Surgical Office

On August 3, 1977, the city of Miami purchased Dr. James Jackson's surgerical office, which was built in 1905 and moved to the Brickell neighborhood in 1916. Dade Heritage Trust helped get the building historically designated and has leased and occupied the structure as their office since 1977.

In July 2026, the Miami City Commission agreed to sell the property and building to businessman Ken Griffin for roughly $3 million. Griffin reached an agreement with Dade Heritage Trust to move the building to Coconut Grove and assign ownership of the property to the preservation organization.

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OTD: August 4, 1937 - Roddey Burdine Stadium Named

On August 4, 1937, the stadium that would later be called the Orange Bowl was named Roddey Burdine Stadium in honor of Miami's Merchant Prince and president of Burdines Department Store. Roddey died suddenly at the age of 49 on February 15, 1936.

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OTD: August 5, 1968 - Republican National Convention Began on Miami Beach

On August 5, 1968, the Republican National Convention began at the Convention Center on Miami Beach.

OTD: August 7, 1972 - Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick Appear Cover of Sports Illustrated

On August 7, 1972, Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated as the highly anticipated upcoming football season approached. Csonka and Kiick’s Miami Dolphins finished that season with a perfect record marking the only time an NFL team has achieved that milestone in the modern era of the sport.

Click on the “Listen Now” button to hear the story of the 1972 Perfect Season as narrated by Dr. Paul S. George and myself.

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Brickell Avenue Neighborhood Book

Get Your Signed Copy

This episode features the story of veteran South Florida journalist and storyteller Hank Tester. Hank arrived in Miami in 1992, just before Hurricane Andrew devastated the region, and was immediately immersed in one of the most consequential news events in South Florida history as a field reporter covering the storm’s aftermath.

After spending 23 years at WTVJ, Hank joined CBS4 in 2015 as a nighttime reporter. During the COVID-19 pandemic, while producing news content from home, he began researching and presenting short vignettes highlighting people, places, and events from South Florida’s past.

In this conversation, Hank discusses how he selects and researches his stories, how the segments are produced, and what he has learned about his adopted hometown while becoming an avocational historian for the local CBS affiliate.

Tune into this week’s podcast episode to hear more about Hank Tester, his career, and his shift into sharing South Florida history stories. You can download this episode on your favorite podcast platform (iTunes, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Spotify) or listen directly on the Miami-History website. Please remember to click on the subscribe button and to provide a rating and comment on any of the platforms where this podcast episode is available.

Become a Paid Subscriber and Receive an Exclusive 1926 Hurricane Photo Booklet

As South Florida approaches the centennial of the devastating 1926 hurricane, the Miami History Substack is offering a special digital booklet to readers who become paid subscribers.

This 55-page booklet features more than 100 historic photographs documenting the destruction left behind by one of the most consequential storms in South Florida history.

The hurricane cut a roughly 60-mile path across the region, claiming approximately 220 lives and injuring more than 6,000 people. Contemporary estimates placed the damage between $30 million and $100 million, the equivalent of approximately $566 million to $1.9 billion in 2026 dollars.

Whether you are upgrading an existing free subscription or joining the Miami History Substack for the first time, you will receive a link to download the booklet when you become a paid subscriber for $5 per month or $50 per year.

Your paid subscription directly supports the research, writing, archival materials, and production required to preserve and share Miami’s history. It also helps make it possible for me to publish new and original stories more frequently.

Upgrade today and explore South Florida in the aftermath of the Great Miami Hurricane of 1926 through more than 100 remarkable historic photographs.

Anyone who is already a paid subscriber should have received an e-mail with the link to download the booklet. If you have not, please e-mail me at casey@sfwebnet.com.

Subscribe and / or upgrade today to get your copy of the South Florida Hurricane booklet.

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On July 25, 1906, the Miami Street Railway began operation. Given the availability of electric power around this time, Miami's first streetcar system, initially ran east on Twelfth Street from the railroad tracks to Avenue B, then north to Sixth Street where the depot was located. Twelfth Street is today's Flagler Street, Avenue B is East Second Avenue, and Sixth Street is today's North Fifth Street. The address scheme changed as part of the Chaille Plan in 1920 - 21.

OTD: July 26, 1896 - First Baptist Church Organized

On July 26, 1896, First Baptist Church of Miami was organized just two days just two days before the City of Miami was incorporated, making it the municipality’s oldest Baptist congregation. Its first permanent chapel was constructed in 1901 at Northeast First Avenue and Northeast Fifth Street, where the church grew alongside the young city.

In 1926, the congregation completed its present four-story sanctuary, an impressive Neoclassical building designed by the architectural firm of Dougherty and Gardner. During the economic hardships of the Great Depression, First Baptist merged with Temple Baptist Church and became known as Central Baptist Church, and then, more recently, merged with Christ Fellowship in 2007.

OTD: July 26, 1925 - Miami Daily News Dedicated New Building

On July 26, 1925, the Miami Daily News dedicated and moved into their new building at NE Sixth Street and Biscayne Blvd in downtown Miami. The building was called the Miami Daily News Tower. This building was later renamed the Freedom Tower after becoming the metaphorical ‘Ellis Island’ for Cuban refugees fleeing the communist regime of the Castro government.

Read more about the Miami Daily News / Freedom Tower by clicking on the button below.

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OTD: July 26, 1925 - Remembering William Jennings Bryan

On July 26, 1925, William Jennings Bryan, nicknamed the Great Commoner, died in Dayton, Tennessee. Bryan was a frequent visitor to South Florida during the early 1900s. In addition to running for President of the United States on the Democratic ticket as the populace candidate in three elections (1896, 1900, 1908), where he lost all three elections, he also served as Secretary of State during the Woodrow Wilson administration. Bryan’s Villa Serena residence still stands in the Brickell neighborhood as an homage to the Great Commoner’s time in Miami.

OTD: July 27, 1933 - Remembering Miami Pioneer E.A. Waddell

On July 27, 1933, Colonial EA Waddell, an early pioneer to Miami from Key West, passed away in New York City while seeking help for a lingering illness. Waddell died the day before Miami's 37th birthday. The Waddell Building on Miami Avenue carries the name of EA and his brother who had many business interests in early Miami.

Read more about E.A Waddell and his time in South Florida by clicking the button below.

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OTD: July 28, 1896 - Happy 130th Birthday to the City of Miami

On July 28, 1896, the city of Miami was born when 368 registered voters gathered to incorporate Miami. There had to be no less than 300 registered voters in order to incorporate as a city. Any fewer, Miami would have been organized as a town. Of the 368 voters, 162 of them were black workers who helped clear the land and construct many of Miami’s early structures.

Read more about the location and proceedings that led to the incorporation of the City of Miami on July 28, 1896, by clicking on the button below.

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OTD: July 28, 1985 - Miami River Cop Scandal

During the early morning of July 28, 1985, a group of corrupt City of Miami police officers raided the Mary C at the Jones Boat Yard on the Miami River and stole approximately 350 kilograms of cocaine. Three men unloading the vessel jumped into the river while fleeing and drowned. Their bodies were discovered shortly afterward, triggering a major investigation.

Four Miami officers were arrested on December 27, 1985, including three charged with first-degree murder. The investigation subsequently exposed a broader network of officers involved in stealing drugs and money, protecting traffickers, and reselling cocaine. Trials, convictions and disciplinary proceedings continued through the late 1980s.

OTD: July 29, 1956 - WSVN First Broadcast

On July 29, 1956, local Channel 7 news station WSVN started broadcasting. It was then known under the call letters WCKT. The station began operating on a man-made island alongside the 79th street causeway and shared an antenna with WIOD when it first launched.

OTD: July 30, 1936 - Burdines Purchases Hotel Biscayne

On July 30, 1936, Burdines purchased the Biscayne Hotel, which was the only thing keeping the Burdines Miami store from expanding west to Miami Avenue. It would allow the store to cover a large section of the block from Flagler Street south to SE First Street.

When development began on the newly created Star Island in 1919, prospective homeowners were drawn to the promise of an exclusive and tranquil retreat. The private island offered families seclusion, expansive views of Biscayne Bay and Miami Beach, and a sense of separation from the rapidly growing communities surrounding it. For Star Island’s earliest residents, that promise of privacy was largely fulfilled.

As the island developed, its grand Mediterranean Revival residences, waterfront estates and guarded entrance attracted wealthy homeowners who valued both luxury and security. That atmosphere began to change in the mid-1970s, when members of a religious sect moved into the estate at 43 Star Island Drive. Some neighbors described the group as a cult, while government officials alleged that it was using claims of religious freedom to conceal a large-scale marijuana-smuggling operation.

By 1978, the practices of the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church, including early-morning chanting and the extensive ceremonial use of marijuana, had ignited an increasingly bitter conflict involving church members, neighboring residents, Miami Beach officials and federal law-enforcement agencies. This is a two-part story of how that confrontation unfolded and how it ultimately came to an end.

Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church

The Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church was a Jamaican religious sect that emerged from the same Black nationalist movement that produced Rastafari, although the Coptic’s regarded themselves as a separate faith. Its origins were associated with Jamaican preacher Lovell “Louv” Williams, who established a religious community in the Mountain View area of Kingston during the 1940s.

After Williams’s death in 1969 and the brief leadership of George “Brother Ivy” Baker, Keith “Niah” Gordon became the church’s principal spiritual leader in 1970. Under Gordon, the movement relocated to rural compounds in Trelawny and later established its principal community, known as Coptic Heights, in St. Thomas. The Jamaican Parliament formally incorporated the church on April 2, 1976.

The church combined a literal reading of the Old and New Testaments with the teachings of Marcus Garvey, Black liberation, economic independence and the belief that people of African descent represented biblical Israel. Its incorporation act described its mission as spreading belief in the Bible, the moral laws of God, the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of humanity. The Coptic’s taught that salvation required moral living, communal cooperation and a spiritual recognition of God within humanity.

The movement’s defining practice was the use of ganja, the Jamaican term for marijuana, as a sacrament. Members believed that cannabis was a divinely created herb that promoted love, unity, wisdom and spiritual communion with God. Worship included Bible reading, chanting, singing and music influenced by Jamaican traditions such as Kumina. Cannabis use was not limited to an occasional formal ceremony; members commonly smoked throughout the day as part of their communal and religious lives.

During the 1970s, the church attracted a group of mostly white American converts who lived alongside Jamaican members and helped finance the movement’s rapid expansion. The Coptic’s acquired agricultural land, raised livestock, operated trucks and other businesses, and presented their activities as an effort to create an economically independent community that provided work and resources for impoverished Jamaicans. By the end of the 1970s, after several large drug busts, authorities began investigating the Coptic’s Star Island and Jamaican operations as a sophisticated criminal syndicate responsible for smuggling tons of marijuana into the United States.

Thomas Reilly to Brother Louv

Long before he became Brother Louv, the public face and leader of the Miami chapter of the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church, Thomas Reilly was a Catholic choirboy from Boston who dreamed of attending the United States Military Academy at West Point. When his dream never materialized, he eventually enrolled at the University of Miami in 1963. Despite his stature, which was 6’7”, he was considered a gentle giant who hated violence and conflict and loved women.

Born Thomas Francis Reilly Jr. on June 10, 1935, in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, he was the eldest of five children. His father worked for 28 years as a file clerk for the Eastern Company, a subsidiary of RCA Corporation, before retiring. Reilly grew up in the Boston area and was remembered by his parents as a respectful and obedient son. Exceptionally intelligent, he reportedly had a measured IQ of 141.

Reilly served as a choirboy for five years and played both football and basketball as a young man. Given his height, reporters later asked whether he had considered playing basketball for the University of Miami. He responded simply that basketball star Rick Barry was already on the team when he arrived. During his college years, Reilly lived much like many other students: he drank, attended parties, danced and rarely missed a Hurricanes football game. Friends recalled that he studied and discussed each play with the enthusiasm and attention to detail of a coach.

By the time Reilly arrived in Miami, he had abandoned the Catholic faith of his childhood and considered himself an atheist. He later explained that he had grown dissatisfied with the responses he received from priests when he questioned church teachings. In a December 1978 interview with Miami Herald reporter Joe Oglesby, Reilly recalled, “I would ask questions, and many times they would give answers that said to me, ‘This is a mystery, and you can’t know this.’”

While attending the University of Miami, Reilly supported himself by selling insurance for Jefferson Standard Life and later working for Moore Business Forms in Coral Gables. In 1965, he left the university without earning a degree. He remained in Miami, took a job with a data-processing company and eventually joined two partners in establishing a business of their own.

Within a few years, however, Reilly became disenchanted with corporate life and left the partnership. He said he smoked marijuana for the first time in 1969, after which he traveled to Northern California and spent time in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district. There, he encountered members of the counterculture whose stories and ideas sparked his interest in Jamaica. In January 1970, Reilly boarded a flight to the parish of St. Thomas, Jamaica, a journey he later claimed he made while under the influence of LSD.

When he arrived in Jamaica he was introduced to the Zion Coptic leaders and felt comfortable with the teachings of the Coptic religion. In the aforementioned article, Reilly shared the following:

“A friend introduced me to a congregation of (Coptic) people who answered my questions about the effects of smoking marijuana for periods of up to 40 years. They showed me the Biblical references to herbs, to make burnt offerings. They told me that God made grass for the cattle and herbs for the service of man. They said ganja is not a drug; it is not dangerous; it is a gift for those who freely choose to accept it.”

Reilly spent the next four years living at a Coptic retreat in the parish of St. Thomas, Jamaica. During that time, he fully embraced the teachings and communal practices of the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church, including its belief that ganja, or marijuana, was a sacred herb and an essential religious sacrament.

When Reilly returned to Florida with several fellow church members, the group initially settled in Fort Myers but remained there only briefly. They soon relocated to Southeast Florida and purchased a house at 6724 Southwest 12th Street in Miami. As the congregation grew and its members sought greater seclusion, they began searching for a more private setting. Their search ultimately led them to Star Island, where they purchased a waterfront mansion that became the headquarters of the church’s Miami community.

Acquisition of Star Island Mansion in 1975

After members of the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church established themselves in the Miami area, they frequently came under the scrutiny of local law-enforcement agencies. Reilly later characterized this attention as persistent harassment. In a January 1978 interview with the Miami Herald, he recalled, “Practically every place we went—we lived in modest conditions—we were raided.” He added that he did not believe the raids were part of an organized conspiracy, but rather a reaction from local residents and authorities who saw “a bunch of longhairs living together.”

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On July 17,1821, Spain officially transfers Florida to the United States in a ceremony in Pensacola. This was the second of two ceremonies with the first taking place in Saint Augustine on July 10, 1821.

OTD: July 17, 1968 - The Roney Plaza Hotel was Demolished

Designed by Schultze & Weaver and financed by N.B.T. Roney, the Roney Plaza Hotel, which opened on February 6, 1926, was razed on this day, July 17, in 1968. Above is a photograph of the Roney Plaza Hotel in 1948 (left), and the demolition of the hotel in 1968. Today, the Roney Palace Condos sit on the former footprint of the old grand hotel built by N.B.T. Roney.

OTD: July 18, 1961 - Four Slot Machines were Discovered in the Brickell Mausoleum

On July 18, 1961, four slot machines were found in the empty mausoleum that once served as the final resting place for members of the Brickell family. Investigators at the time did not know who had placed them there, but the slot machines were quickly taken into police custody.

OTD: July 19, 1928 - The 79th Street Causeway is Dedicated

On July 19, 1928, the 79th Street Causeway was dedicated. Following a brief ribbon cutting ceremony which included Hugh Peters, the chairman of the Dade County commission, T.A. Winfield, president of the NE Miami Improvement Association, J. Newton Lummus Jr., mayor of Miami Beach, Everest G. Sewell, mayor of Miami, and J.P. Grethen, mayor of Hialeah, a procession 508 automobiles transported more than 1,500 people marking the official opening of the causeway connecting Miami with Miami Beach.

OTD: July 20, 1911 - Parade Down Flagler Street to Celebrate City Milestone

On July 20, 1911, the City of Miami begins a multi-day celebration to celebrate its milestone 15th year since incorporation. On this day, in addition to a variety of events, there was a parade of decorated cars traveling down Twelfth Street, today's Flagler Street, that concluded at Royal Palm Park.

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OTD: July 20, 1912 - Construction began on John Sewell’s Halissee Hall

On July 20, 1912, construction began for John Sewell's Halissee Hall. It still stands today as part of the Jackson Medical Complex in Miami.

OTD: July 20, 1974 - Wynwood Park renamed Roberto Clemente Park

On July 20, 1974, Wynwood Park was renamed Roberto Clemente Park in honor of the all-star Puerto Rican baseball player for the Pittsburgh Pirates who died in a plane crash bringing aid to victims of an earthquake in Managua, Nicaraqua.

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OTD: July 21, 1911 - Miami Celebrates 15th Birthday with Air Show

On July 21, 1911, as part of the celebration of Miami's 15th birthday, the first aeroplane flight in Miami was flown over the golf grounds associated with the Royal Palm Hotel. The flight was piloted by aviation pioneer, Howard Gill.

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OTD: July 22, 1912 - Work Begins on Collin’s Bridge

On July 22, 1912, work began on the Collins bridge to connect Miami to the future Miami Beach. Collins secured a loan from the Bank of Bay Biscayne to begin work on what would become one of the, if not the, longest wooden bridges constructed. However, he underestimated the cost to build the bridge and ran out of money before its completion. Carl Fisher provided the necessary capital to complete the bridge in exchange for land on the future Miami Beach. The bridge was completed and officially opened on June 12, 1913.

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OTD: July 23, 1836 - Cape Florida Lighthouse Attacked

On July 23, 1836, the Cape Florida Lighthouse was attacked and set a flame by Seminole Indians. It was restored and now is the oldest standing structure in South Florida.

OTD: July 24, 1964 - Florida Turnpike Completed

On July 24, 1964, the final northern section of the Sunshine State Parkway, from the Orlando area to Interstate 75 near Wildwood, opened to traffic. This completed the original Turnpike mainline from the Miami area to Wildwood.

Florida’s Turnpike originally opened as the Sunshine State Parkway on January 25, 1957. The first 110-mile section connected the Golden Glades area north of Miami with Fort Pierce, giving motorists a faster alternative to the older coastal highways.

The project grew out of the state’s rapid postwar population and tourism boom. Florida created the Turnpike Authority in 1953, financed construction through a $74 million bond issue, and began work in July 1955. The highway gradually extended north through Orlando to Wildwood during the 1960s. In April 1968, the Sunshine State Parkway was officially renamed Florida’s Turnpike.

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Brickell Avenue Neighborhood Book

Get your signed copy of the Brickell Avenue Neighborhood Book by ordering online on the Miami History Blog website. The book shares a pictorial history of the Brickell neighborhood from 1870 through the 1980s. Read more about the contents of this book and purchase your copy by clicking on the button below. Scroll to the bottom of the page to purchase your signed copy online.

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The Twenty First Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified on December 5, 1933. It reversed the Eighteenth Amendment and, once again, legalized the sale and distribution of alcohol. People all over the United States hoisted their favorite alcoholic beverage to celebrate the milestone.

While the change in law allowed for the unfettered production and distribution of alcohol anywhere in the United States, beer enthusiasts in Miami were without a local brewer. They needed to wait for brewers from other parts of the country to ship beer into the local market. The owners of City Ice and Fuel Company took notice and capitalized on the opportunity.

Wagner Brewing Company

By the early 1930s, the City Ice and Fuel Company of Miami was confronting a significant change in consumer habits. As electric refrigerators gradually replaced traditional iceboxes, demand for household ice began to decline. The repeal of Prohibition offered the company an opportunity to diversify its operations and enter a promising new industry.

Soon after ratification of the Twenty-first Amendment, company executives purchased enough material from a nearby brickyard to construct a brewery at 637 NW Thirteenth Street in Miami in the heart of the Overtown neighborhood and across the street from Booker T. Washington High School.

The resulting structure was an imposing two-story brick building. Brick was commonly used in brewery construction because its insulation properties helped keep the interior cool while also providing the strength needed to support heavy brewing equipment. Completed in June 1934, the new brewery opened just as Miami entered the hot summer months, when demand for cold beer was especially high.

The executives of the City Ice and Fuel Company were not newcomers to the brewing industry. The company also owned a beer business in Granite, Illinois, where the “Wagner” trade name originated. Drawing on that experience, the company named its new Miami operation the Wagner Brewing Company.

Among the first beers produced at the Miami brewery were brands such as Wagner, Pride of Florida, and Daily Double. When production began in 1934, the brewery was wholly owned by the City Ice and Fuel Company and promoted its products with the fitting slogan, “Perfect for Hot Miami.”

American Brewing Company

Within a few years of opening its Miami brewery, the Wagner Brewing Company expanded its interests beyond South Florida. The company acquired the Pilsener Brewing Company of Cleveland and also purchased a substantial interest in the American Brewing Company of New Orleans.

By 1938, national advertising had made Miami consumers increasingly conscious of beer brands and their reputations. Many local drinkers regarded beer shipped from St. Louis and other northern brewing centers as superior to products made in Miami. Some advertising campaigns even promoted the notion that South Florida’s water was unsuitable for brewing quality beer.

As Wagner Brewing began to lose market share, company leaders recognized that they needed to overcome the perception that their beer was inferior. They turned to the American Brewing Company for guidance in strengthening their marketing and brand identity. Founded in New Orleans in 1890, American Brewing had built a successful business around its most popular product, Regal Beer. According to company lore, the name “Regal” was created by spelling “lager” backward.

Wagner Brewing ultimately introduced a new product line and adopted a new corporate identity. The Miami operation became the American Brewing Company of Miami and began producing Regal Beer. By 1939, Regal Beer and Regal Ale were the only products brewed at the Miami plant.

You Can’t Drink Freight

The company’s new management made it a priority to challenge the belief that Miami’s water was unsuitable for brewing quality beer. Samples of local water were tested alongside those from prominent brewing centers across the country. The results indicated that Miami’s water compared favorably and, in some cases, was considered superior to the water used by several well-known breweries.

The American Brewing Company promoted these findings through a new advertising campaign designed to build confidence in its locally produced beer. The company also emphasized the cost advantage of brewing in Miami rather than shipping beer from distant markets. One memorable slogan declared, “You Can’t Drink Freight,” reminding consumers that Regal Beer cost less because its price did not include the expense of long-distance transportation.

During World War II, shortages and rationing affected industries throughout the country. Limited supplies of sugar and grain, combined with transportation restrictions, reduced the availability of beers shipped into South Florida. These conditions benefited the local brewery, helping Regal Beer develop a loyal following during the 1940s.

Sold to Anheuser-Busch

On February 6, 1958, the American Brewing Company agreed to sell its Miami brewery to Anheuser-Busch. The purchaser was primarily interested in the plant’s production capacity and intended to discontinue Regal Beer. Anheuser-Busch planned to devote the facility entirely to brewing Budweiser for distribution throughout the Miami market.

Federal authorities, however, challenged the acquisition on antitrust grounds. They argued that the transaction would give Anheuser-Busch excessive control over beer production and distribution in South Florida and significantly reduce competition in the local market.

After losing the antitrust case, the company was unable to proceed with the purchase as originally planned. Rather than close the Miami brewery, Anheuser-Busch arranged for the plant to be sold to another owner.

National Brewing Company

The National Brewing Company emerged as the only bidder for the Miami brewery, leaving Anheuser-Busch with little choice but to accept its offer for the property.

National quickly began operating the brewery at full capacity. In addition to continuing production of Regal Beer, the company used the facility to brew several of its own products under various labels, including Colt 45 malt liquor.

Although the Miami facility produced several brands, it continued to be commonly known as the Regal Brewery. The plant remained in operation until 1974, when National Brewing decided to transfer production of Regal Beer and Colt 45 to its brewery in Baltimore.

The closure eliminated 107 local jobs. During its final years, the Miami brewery produced approximately 350,000 barrels of beer annually. By comparison, National’s newer and more efficient Baltimore facility was capable of producing nearly two million barrels each year. From the company’s perspective, closing the aging Miami plant and consolidating production in Baltimore was a practical business decision.

For many Miamians who grew up during the 1960s and 1970s, the brewery’s lasting legacy was not only Regal Beer itself, but also the glowing Regal neon sign and the distinctive, pungent aroma that drifted from the plant near the southwest side of the Interstate 95 and State Road 836 interchange, just outside downtown Miami.

Resources:

• Miami News: "Miami's Very Own, Ice Cold Lager Reeb", Agnes Ash on June 20, 1964.

• Miami News: "Regal Brewery Closed in Miami", Miami News on January 13, 1975.

On July 9, 1912, the Lummus brothers filed the first plat to develop land on Miami Beach. The brothers founded the Ocean Beach Realty Company which was the entity that filed that first plat on the future Miami Beach. The Town of Miami beach was incorporated on March 26, 1915, and James N. Lummus was elected the town’s first mayor (1915 - 1918). Two years later, on May 1, 1917, the town reincorporated as the City of Miami Beach.

OTD: July 10, 1896 - Call for Assembly to Incorporate Miami

On July 10, 1896, the Miami Metropolis published a notice on page two of their weekly edition to call all eligible parties to an assembly scheduled for July 28 to select officers and organize a municipal government. This was the beginning of the process to incorporate of the City of Miami. The notice informed readers that the vote would take place at "the room over the 'The Lobby' which is situated on Avenue D.

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OTD: July 10, 1972 - Democratic National Convention Began on Miami Beach

On July 10, 1972, the Democratic National Convention began at the Miami Beach Convention Center on Miami Beach. The convention took place over four days where George McGovern became the nominee for the party.

OTD: July 11, 1979 - Shooting at the Dadeland Mall

On July 11, 1979, a mid-day shooting at Crown Liquors in the Dadeland Mall between Colombian drug traffickers sent shockwaves throughout the nation. This event has been largely remembered as the beginning of the Cocaine Cowboy era in Miami, a time period that was dubbed ‘Paradise Lost’ on the cover of Time Magazine a couple years after this incident.

OTD: July 11, 1991 - Remembering WTVJ Legend Ralph Renick

Remembering television pioneer Ralph Renick on the anniversary of his death. Renick was the face of WTVJ from 1949 until he left the station in 1985.

OTD: July 12, 1921 - City of Miami Held a Special Election to Re-charter

On July 12, 1921, Miami voters went to the polls in a special election held to adopt a new city charter. The charter reshaped Miami’s government, replacing the previous system of a powerful mayor and 13-member city council with a mayor of limited authority and a five-member city commission.

The election produced Miami’s first city commission, quickly nicknamed the “Bankers’ Commission” because all five commissioners were banking executives. The vote marked a major turning point in Miami’s municipal history, ending the form of government that had guided the city since its incorporation in 1896.

OTD: July 13, 1927 - Illegal Contraband Seized

On July 13, 1927, a Miami Daily News headline reported that a combination of federal, city, and county law enforcement officials disposed of $250,000 of seized alcohol that had been stored by prohibition agents in and around Miami.

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OTD: July 15, 1997 - Gianni Versace was Murdered Outside his Home by Serial Killer

On July 15, 1997, Gianni Versace was shot to death outside his Miami Beach home by serial killer Andrew Cunanan.

OTD: July 15, 1939 - Miami Beach Founder Carl Fisher Passed Away

On July 15, 1939, Carl G. Fisher, one of the prominent founders of Miami Beach, was rushed to Saint Francis Hospital on Allison Island with a gastric hemorrhage. He passed away in the hospital at 4:52pm.

Brickell Avenue Neighborhood Book

Get your signed copy of the Brickell Avenue Neighborhood Book by ordering online on the Miami History Blog website. The book shares a pictorial history of the Brickell neighborhood from 1870 through the 1980s. Read more about the contents of this book and purchase your copy by clicking on the button below. Scroll to the bottom of the page to purchase your signed copy online.

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In 1976, as the United States celebrated its Bicentennial, South Florida marked the nation’s 200th birthday with an ambitious civic celebration. During the planning for the festivities, Miami earned a distinction achieved by only three other American cities, a remarkable honor whose story is revealed in this episode.

Planning for the Bicentennial began nearly a decade earlier during the administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson and continued through the Nixon years as communities across the country prepared for the historic anniversary. Although downtown Miami was facing economic decline by the mid-1970s, city leaders used the Bicentennial as an opportunity to reimagine its urban core. Their efforts transformed the former Port of Miami location and downtown waterfront into a signature public green space that continues to be enjoyed by residents and visitors today, serving as one of the celebration’s most enduring legacies.

Tune into this week’s podcast episode to hear more about Miami’s celebration of the country’s bicentennial. You can download this episode on your favorite podcast platform (iTunes, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Spotify) or listen directly on the Miami-History website. Please remember to click on the subscribe button and to provide a rating and comment on any of the platforms where this podcast episode is available.

On July 1, 1926, the Watson Hotel officially opened at 146 Biscayne Boulevard in downtown Miami. Although the inn opened as the Watson, it is best remembered as the Miami Colonial Hotel which carried the brand name from 1930 to 1989. It still stands today, with a modified facade, as the YVE Hotel.

Click on the link below to read the full history of the Watson / Miami Colonial Hotel.

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OTD: July 2, 1906 - Formation of Combs Funeral Home

On July 2, 1906, Walter Combs purchased the "undertaking parlor" from W.F. Miller which led to the formation of Combs Funeral Home. The business was started by Edwin Nelson in 1896 and was not only the first funeral business in Miami, but the first undertaking service of its kind in Dade County.

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OTD: July 2, 1928 - Remember Joseph P. Greaves

On July 2, 1928, Joseph P. Greaves, the prominent manager of the Royal Palm Hotel for more than 22 years, died suddenly at his home in Brooklyn, New York. Greaves was the face of the Royal Palm Hotel during his years as general manager and had established friendships with many of the prominent visitors to the hotel during his tenure. The loss of Greaves was one of several reasons the Florida East Coast company decided to shutter the Royal Palm Hotel for good prior to the winter season of 1928.

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Featured Photograph - Dade County Furniture Company

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OTD: July 4, 1975 - Bicentennial Park Dedicated

On July 4, 1976, Bicentennial Park was dedicated. The creation and dedication of the park was one of Miami's signature projects during the country's bicentennial celebration in 1976. The park was later renamed to honor Miami's first Hispanic mayor, Maurice Ferre, in January of 2019.

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OTD: July 5, 1907 - Fort Dallas Bank Closed

On July 5, 1907, the Fort Dallas Bank was closed by a special national bank examiner made temporary receiver, Joseph K McDonald, due to inadequate cash reserves. This event led to a series of events that were referred to as the 'Panic of 1907'. The insolvency of the Fort Dallas Bank was partially caused by the cost overruns, and subsequent extension of credit by the bank for the construction of the Halcyon Hall Hotel on Twelfth (later renamed Flagler), Street.

OTD: July 5, 1896 - Salem Graham Takes Over Hotel Miami

On July 5, 1896, Salem Graham became the proprietor of the Hotel Miami, taking over title and development from the Tuttle family. Salem Graham opened the first land based hostelry in 1896 in a building leased from William Brickell on the south side of the Miami River but soon realized that there was a greater need for hotel accommodations on the opposite side of the river.

It was Julia Tuttle’s hope that she would open the first land-based hotel on the north side of the river. However, the costs and time to construct the inn exceeded her means and patience. Graham completed the construction of Hotel Miami and opened it on January 22, 1897, six days following the grand opening of Henry Flagler’s Royal Palm Hotel.

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OTD: July 8, 1988 - Miami Arena is Dedicated

On Friday, July 8, 1988, the Miami Arena, located in the Overtown neighborhood of downtown Miami, celebrated its official opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The next day, on Saturday, July 9th, the Miami Heat hosted an open house and provided tours of the stadium in anticipation for their inaugural season.

The venue was designed by Lloyd Jones Filpot Associates for a cost of $52.5 million. It was originally designed to host the Miami Heat and Miami Hurricanes basketball team, but later became the home stadium for the Florida Panthers, Miami Hooters, and Miami Matadors.

It also was a prominent venue for concerts. The first event at the arena was a concert by Julio Iglesias on Wednesday, July 13, 1988. Affectionally referred to as the ‘Pink Elephant’, the arena had a short life in downtown Miami and only stood for 20 years. It was demolished in the fall of 2008.

Brickell Avenue Neighborhood Book

Get your signed copy of the Brickell Avenue Neighborhood Book by ordering online on the Miami History Blog website. The book shares a pictorial history of the Brickell neighborhood from 1870 through the 1980s. Read more about the contents of this book and purchase your copy by clicking on the button below. Scroll to the bottom of the page to purchase your signed copy online.

Purchase Signed Copy

The cover photograph depicts the Oxford Hotel in the Ullendorf Building on February 24, 1946. The hotel occupied the building’s second floor and began welcoming guests in the fall of 1917. The ground floor was leased to a variety of commercial tenants over the years, including restaurants, bakeries, and other retail businesses.

The two-story Ullendorf Building was constructed in 1915 on the west side of Avenue D. In 1921, Avenue D was renamed Miami Avenue as part of the Chaille addressing system, which standardized street names and addresses throughout the city. As a result, the Oxford Hotel’s address changed from 1004 Avenue D to 140 North Miami Avenue.

The west side of the avenue became known as the Ullendorf Block because nearly all of the lots were owned by Miami pioneer Phillip Ullendorff. Arriving in Miami in 1896, Ullendorff established himself as both a butcher and a successful real estate investor. He later co-founded the Nichols-Ullendorff Realty Company and served as a director of the South Okeechobee Farms Company of Miami, playing an important role in the city’s early commercial and real estate development.

The Oxford Hotel occupied the second floor of the Ullendorf Building until March 1952, when the Southern Bell Telephone Company leased the space and converted it into offices. Although the hotel disappeared more than seven decades ago, the historic Ullendorf Building remains standing on North Miami Avenue, serving as one of the few surviving commercial buildings from Miami’s early downtown.

On June 25, 1918, Miami reached a major milestone with the opening of Miami City Hospital, the city’s first municipal hospital. The new facility was the result of years of determination by civic leaders and residents who recognized the need for a public healthcare institution to serve the growing community.

The hospital’s original building earned the nickname “The Alamo” because its Spanish Mission-style façade resembled the famed Alamo Mission in San Antonio, Texas. In 1924, following the death of Miami’s pioneering physician, Dr. James M. Jackson, the hospital was renamed Jackson Memorial Hospital in his honor.

OTD: June 25, 1924 - Property for Nolan Mansion Acquired

On June 25, 1924, George Nolan, president of Miami National Bank in downtown Miami, purchased property from E.J. Witham for $5000 and built his colonial-style mansion at 1548 Brickell Avenue. This residence still stands today and has been used as a law office, an art studio, shared office space, and a real estate sales showroom since its historic designation in 1997.

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OTD: June 27, 1896 - Miami City of Miami Applies for Charter

On June 27, 1896, the Ocala Evening Star publishes an article entitled "Magic City of Miami Applies for Charter", using both the city's not yet official name of 'Miami' along with its nickname to announce the intention of a small outpost along Biscayne Bay to incorporate as a city. Click on the button below to read more about how Miami got its nickname - 'The Magic City’.

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OTD: June 27, 1899 - Pan American Airlines Founder Juan Trippe was Born

On June 27, 1899, Juan Trippe, who was the founder of Pan American Airlines, was born in Sea Bright, New Jersey.

OTD: June 27, 1928 - Miami Beach Council Pledges to Oust Al Capone

On June 27, 1928, the headline in the Miami News read "Miami Beach Council Pledges Aid in Ousting Capone" stating clearly that the municipality was making it known that Al Capone was not welcome to live on Palm Island or anywhere else in the city of Miami Beach. Click on the button below to read more about Capone’s time in South Florida.

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OTD: June 30, 1930 - Trustee for Al Capone Acquires Island in Deerfield Beach

On June 30, 1930, Vincent Giblin, acting as trustee for Al Capone, purchased what would later be referred to as "Capone Island" in Deerfield Beach. It is now known as Deerfield Island Park.

Brickell Avenue Neighborhood Book

Get your signed copy of the Brickell Avenue Neighborhood Book by ordering online on the Miami History Blog website. The book shares a pictorial history of the Brickell neighborhood from 1870 through the 1980s. Read more about the contents of this book and purchase your copy by clicking on the button below. Scroll to the bottom of the page to purchase your signed copy online.

Purchase Signed Copy

This podcast episode explores South Florida’s embrace of automobile transportation, beginning with the opening of the Dixie Highway in 1915. The discussion traces the evolution of the region’s road network from early state highways to the creation of the federal Interstate Highway System, a transformative public works initiative whose impact has shaped South Florida since construction began in the late 1950s.

The story is not solely one of progress and mobility. From the use of eminent domain to clear established neighborhoods to proposals that would have routed Interstate 95 through some of Miami’s most treasured green spaces, the highway system came with significant social costs. While the network enabled unprecedented economic growth, regional connectivity, and suburban expansion, many communities bore the burden of its construction. Nowhere was that impact more profound than in Overtown, where large portions of Miami’s historic Black community were displaced to make way for the transportation infrastructure that South Floridians rely upon today.

Tune into this week’s podcast episode to hear more about the impact of the interstate highway system on Miami. You can download this episode on your favorite podcast platform (iTunes, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Spotify) or listen directly on the Miami-History website. Please remember to click on the subscribe button and to provide a rating and comment on any of the platforms where this podcast episode is available.

The Florida Panthers captured their second consecutive Stanley Cup championship on June 17, 2025, defeating the Edmonton Oilers four games to two in a rematch of the previous year’s Stanley Cup Final. The victory secured the franchise’s second NHL title and further cemented South Florida’s growing legacy in professional hockey.

Florida clinched the championship with a commanding 5–1 victory in Game 6 at Amerant Bank Arena. With the win, the Panthers became just the 10th franchise in NHL history to claim back-to-back Stanley Cup titles. Forward Sam Reinhart earned the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, becoming the first player in franchise history to receive the honor.

OTD: June 18, 1947 - Orange Bowl Expansion

On June 18, 1947, the official groundbreaking for an expansion of the Orange Bowl took place. The groundbreaking ceremonies, which began at 11am, were officiated by Miami Mayor Perrine Palmer and featured Hollywood actress Esther Williams. This renovation expanded the seating capacity of the stadium by 24,548 seats by adding a second level of seats to the stadium.

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OTD: June 20, 2006 - Miami Heat Win First NBA Championship

On June 20, 2006, the Miami Heat beat the Dallas Mavericks in game 6 to win their first NBA Championship. After losing the first two games in Dallas, the Miami Heat were down by 13-points with slightly more than 6 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter of game 3, Dwyane Wade took the team on his shoulders and led the Heat to victory. He ended the game with 42-points and 13 rebounds. After this improbable comeback, the Heat went on to win the next three games, culminating with the victory on the road in game 6 to clinch the championship. Dwyane Wade finished averaging 34.7 points in the series and was named the finals MVP.

OTD: June 20, 2013 - Miami Heat Win Third NBA Championship

On June 20, 2013, the Miami Heat beat the San Antonio Spurs in game 7 to win their third NBA Championship. The series may best be remembered for Ray Allen's three-point shot with 6.7 seconds to play which forced overtime in game 6. The Heat won that game 103 - 100 to force a game 7, which was won on this day in 2013. Lebron James earned his second finals MVP.

OTD: June 21, 1916 - Mary Burlingame Wins Bid for Island in Biscayne Bay

On June 21, 1916, the Florida Internal Improvement Fund (IIF), accepted the bid of Margaret Burlingame to purchase what became Burlingame Island. Mary Brickell filed a lawsuit in July 1916 to block the sale of the land mass. Ultimately, the Florida Supreme Court ruled in favor of the legality of the transaction leaving the island in the possession of the Burlingame family.

The Claughton family purchased the land mass in November 1943 leading to the 44-acre isle being renamed for the family in 1966. The third photo is of the island in 1940, a few years before it was purchased by Ed Claughton, Sr. The island is known today as Brickell Key on Claughton Island.

Click on the Read More button to read the detailed history of Brickell Key on Claughton Island.

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OTD: June 21, 2012 - Miami Heat Win Second NBA Championship

On June 21, 2012, the Miami Heat beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in game 5 to win their second NBA Championship. After dropping the first game on the road in Oklahoma City, the Miami Heat stormed back and won the next four games to clinch their second NBA crown. Lebron James won his first championship ring, averaged 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 7.4 assists and was named the finals MVP.

OTD: June 24, 1898 - Camp Miami During Spanish American War

On June 24, 1898, the first of seven thousand soldiers arrived in the two-year old City of Miami to form what was known as Camp Miami. This camp was organized to train soldiers for deployment to Cuba to fight in the Spanish American War. However, the war ended before any of the soldiers who were trained at Camp Miami were deployed into action.

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OTD: June 24, 1954 - Edward Claughton Buys Urmey Hotel

On June 24, 1954, Edward Claughton purchased the Urmey Hotel at 32 SE Second Avenue in downtown Miami from the estate of the founder of the hotel, William N. Urmey, for $850,000.

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OTD: June 24, 2024 - Florida Panthers Wins First Stanley Cup

On June 24, 2024, the Florida Panthers defeated the Edmonton Oilers to win their first Stanley Cup in franchise history. After racing out to a 3 - 0 series lead, the Oilers showed grit and resilience by winning the next three games. The Panthers got back to their style of hockey and closed out the series on their home ice in Game 7. Although the Conn Smythe award for the best player during the playoffs went to Connor McDaniel of Edmonton, the Panthers won the prize that the Florida hockey club had been pursuing since becoming an NHL franchise in 1993.

This episode explores the remarkable story of Miami pioneers Isidor and Ida Cohen, whose lives and contributions helped shape the city’s early history. Isidor Cohen arrived on the banks of the Miami River in February 1896, months before Miami was incorporated, determined to become one of the first merchants in the fledgling community. His journey to South Florida was not without challenges, but he successfully established a store in a building leased from the Brickell family on the south side of the river before relocating to the emerging business district on the north bank.

Following his marriage to Ida in September 1904, the couple became influential figures in both the business and civic life of the young city. Over the ensuing decades, they played important roles in Miami’s growth, contributing to its commercial development while helping build many of the community institutions that would leave a lasting impact on the region. As one of Miami’s earliest settlers and merchants, Isidor Cohen occupies a prominent place in the city’s history, and together the Cohens are widely regarded as the “first family” of Jewish Miami.

Tune into this week’s podcast episode to hear more about Isidor and Ida Cohen. You can download this episode on your favorite podcast platform (iTunes, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Spotify) or listen directly on the Miami-History website. Please remember to click on the subscribe button and to provide a rating and comment on any of the platforms where this podcast episode is available.