In 1897, Henry Flagler was building his famous landmark in Miami, notably the Royal Palm Hotel, on the mouth of the Miami River in Biscayne Bay. One fine day Henry was on one of his inspection trips and while there, he saw that his hotel builders were living in very crude housing. So he drew up plans and had about 30 of these cottage style houses built for the workers a couple of blocks away. These cottages could be purchased from $1,300 to $3,000, depending on the extras (the size and indoor plumbing) or rented from $15 to $22 a month.
By 1975, only one of these houses still remained. Most had disappeared by this time due to the value of the land they were built on. When this last house was also scheduled for demolition to make way for a parking garage, it was moved to Fort Dallas Park in 1980, and listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.
Although it was moved, this last cottage is the only building of its type, age and size still standing in the downtown area. This house can be seen behind the Hyatt and the Miami Convention Center and along the north side of the Miami River.
And, as far as the six story Royal Palm Hotel.....it opened in 1897 featuring the first hotel in the area with electric lighting and elevators. Then, in 1926 it was severely damaged by the hurricane and later infested with termites. Condemned in 1930, it was torn down.
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