The Decades: 1910 – 1919

Length of Video: 29 minutes & 25 seconds

The fifth episode of the Miami History Channel features the second decade of the twentieth century in Miami. The beginning of the decade was highlighted by the celebration of Miami’s fifteenth birthday. There were parades and a flying exposition on Royal Palm Golf Course to celebrate the occasion.

It was during this decade that the Oversea Railway was completed. Henry Flagler claimed that his railroad reaching Key West was a lifetime achievement. He passed away a little more than a year after celebrating this accomplishment.

The 1910’s also saw the development of Miami Beach to the east and the building of Vizcaya to the south of Miami. There was a big push for Everglades Reclamation with the goal of creating rich farm land and preparing Miami’s growth to the west.

Finally, the decade concluded with the United States entrance into World War I and the armistice that followed in 1918. Miami was one of the fastest growing cities in America during the 1910s, but the city’s growth was modest compared to what was to come in the 1920s.

The outline for episode five is as follows:

Scene #1: Completion of the Overseas Railroad

  • Completion of Building of Railroad
  • Arrival of Railroad into Key West
  • Flagler’s Car – The Rambler
  • Celebration at Royal Palm Hotel
  • Flagler Fall and Death – Whitehall in Palm Beach

Scene #2: Everglades Reclamation

  • Everglades Drainage
  • Hamilton Disston
  • Napoleon Bonaparte Broward
  • Drainage Canals & Maps
  • North Fork Miami River & Internal Improvement Fund
  • Land Speculators: Richard J Bolles
  • Land Speculators: Tatum Brothers
  • Consequences of Drainage
  • Women’s Groups
  • Royal Palm State Park
  • Everglades National Park

Scene #3: Beginnings of Miami Beach

  • Barrier Island
  • Lummus Brothers
  • Collins Bridge & John Collins
  • Carl Fisher & Prestolite
  • Fisher & Collins Partnership
  • Lincoln Road
  • Realty Co & Incorporation of Miami Beach
  • Dixie Highway

Scene #4: Happenings of 1910

  • Population Increase
  • 15th Birthday Celebration
  • Rise of Tourism / Everest Sewell
  • Dade County Voted Dry / Broward County

Scene #5: Vizcaya

  • James Deering
  • International Harvester and William Deering
  • Land for Vizcaya
  • Architect: Burrell Hoffman & Paul Chalfin
  • Vizcaya Completed on Christmas of 1916
  • Vizcaya Gardens
  • Artifacts: Marble Table in Gardens. Fountain on Eastern edge
  • Vizcaya Employed 10% of Miami During Construction

Scene #6: World War I in Miami

  • Military Bases in Miami during WWI
  • Dinner Key, Naval Air Base, Pan Am
  • Anti-German sentiment, John Seybold
  • Glenn Curtiss
  • Support War: Bonds, Home Guard
  • Armistice

Episode 5 Image Credits and Resources