Prins Valdemar – A Miami Landmark

The beginning of the end of the 1920s building boom started with the capsize of a schooner at the turning basin for the Port of Miami in January of 1926. This is the story of the Prins Valdemar.

Cover: Prins Valdemar Aquarium in 1940s

The Prins Valdemar was a four-masted Danish barkentine sailing ship that had an interesting journey. Built in 1892, the vessel had served many roles throughout its lifetime: a training ship for naval cadets, blockade runner, gun smuggler, cargo transporter, hotel, aquarium, restaurant, beer parlor, navy chief petty officer’s club, youth center and civil meeting place. It led quite a sixty year existence.

When it was dismantled and sold for scrap in 1952, the Prins Valdemar may have been best known as an aquarium located near Bayfront Park. However, it was shortly after its arrival to Miami when the ship was in the headlines of the local papers for all of the wrong reasons.