Florida Historical Markers Programs - Marker Detail

Description: The Miami Shores subdivision was developed by the Shoreland Company as a part of the Florida land boom of the 1920s. At the time, the landscape consisted of piney woods, prairies, homesteads, and a pineapple plantation. They specified that homes were to be built in the Mediterranean Revival style of architecture in order to keep with the community’s theme of “America’s Mediterranean.” The company’s principal directors included Hugh M. Anderson, Roy C. Wright, and Ellen S. Harris, who hired prominent architects. A number of Miami Shores homes have been designated historic. The company named the development after a popular 1919 waltz by Victor Jacobi called, “On Miami Shore.” The Shoreland Company extended Biscayne Boulevard from Miami Shores to downtown Miami. In 1927, the company declared bankruptcy due to the South Florida real estate bust. Bessemer Properties, a subsidiary of the J. S. Phipps estate, took over the Shoreland Company’s holdings in 1928. The operations manager of Bessemer Properties, Roy C. Hawkins, led the effort to have the Florida legislature approve the charter for Miami Shores Village in 1931. Miami Shores Village was incorporated by the State of Florida on January 2, 1932.