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Miami Springs LbNA #21039

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Dec 1, 2008
Location:
City:Miami
County:Dade
State:Florida
Boxes:2
Planted by:Miami Springs
Found by: Raven (2)
Last found:Jan 5, 2009
Status:FFaFFa
Last edited:Dec 1, 2008
Martin’s Magical Mystery Tours
MIAMI SPRINGS

Hello fellow letterboxers,

I hope you enjoy this little stroll through beautiful and historic Miami Springs, Florida. I have taken the liberty of making the walk more interesting by asking questions along the way. You will find the answers when you arrive at the letterbox. Please note that no actual street names appear, only synonyms.

The 2.1 mile trail will take about 90 minutes. The 3.3 mile trail will take about two hours. Bring a compass.

Difficulty rating: 3 Terrain rating: 1
Handicapped accessible. Terrain is paved and flat, but more than a 2 mile round-trip hike.

Letter box was replaced on the 1st. Dec. 2008.

Enjoy!

How to get to Miami Springs:
Palmetto Expressway from the north
Exit at Okeechobee Road (US27) south and drive 3.8 miles SE to Curtiss Parkway. Turn right on Curtiss Parkway. Over the bridge turn sharp left.

Palmetto Expressway from the south
Exit at NW 36th. Street East (Airport) and continue 2 miles to Curtiss Parkway. Turn left at the light and follow directions to Hialeah. Turn left just before the bridge.

From I-95 and Miami Beach
Enter State Road 112 towards the airport and exit on Okeechobee Road (US27) North. Continue NE for about 1.5 miles. Look for the Curtiss Parkway sign. Note there is no left turn on Okeechobee, so you have to swing a right, and then left to cross over Okeechobee Road and the canal into Miami Springs. Over the bridge turn sharp left.

Park by the canal between the bridges, consisting of two road bridges and one footbridge.

These bridges were almost torn down to make way for the widening of Okeechobee Road, but were saved by efforts from the residents of Miami Springs. They are both now designated historic monuments. Read about the details of both road bridges on the plaque midway across the footbridge.

Question 1 – What is the difference in length between the vertical lift bridge and the swing bridge?

Back to the street by the water and walk W past the Parkway Shops towards The Circle.

On the left corner on the Circle is the historic Stadnick-Clune building, now a pharmacy. Built by CURTISS-BRIGHT COMPANY in 1925, this modified Pueblo Revival style building housed the office of civil engineer DANIEL CLUNE, who platted COUNTRY CLUB ESTATES, as well as Hialeah and Opa-Locka. In 1946, pharmacist JOHN STADNIK opened Miami Springs' first pharmacy here, which still remains Miami Springs Pharmacy and pharmacy museum. Miami Springs Historical Museum occupies the second floor in space donated by owner Stadnik. This is the only building left of the original "Civic Center", a group of buildings near the Circle which included the Curtiss-Bright Company Administration Building, First State Bank of Hialeah and a Pueblo style bandstand inside the Circle where renowned bandmaster, ARTHUR PRYOR conducted concerts.

Go through the bandstand, look right for traffic, then cross over, taking the street going west you will pass succor for pets, USPS, then MSPD and MSCH all on your right.

Question 2 – When was the Miami Springs Women’s Club founded?

One more block then enter the peaceful cloisters to your right on the corner of AMSide.

Built in 1936, this Mission style church with small bell tower was the first church built in Miami Springs. To raise money to construct the building, church members bought cement blocks for ten cents each.

Question 3 – What is it that you are not allowed to do in the cloisters?

Pass through the cloisters and exit past the Pastor’s study, and go N on AMSide.

Walk towards the water and cross over where cars cannot go.

Keeping on your left the place where Wimbledon aspirants play, continue to the street of the red bird and turn S. To your left see where bookworms burrow.

Walk through the small park, locating two metal sculptures of a certain insect.

Question 5 – What is the name of the park, and what do the metal sculptures represent?

Cross over the water. Watch for confusing traffic. House of God is on your left

Head SW for a few yards on the road beside the water, then SE on Hawaii’s state flower.

Immediately turn S on the ridge of coniferous evergreen trees, then E on the Blue Way.

Walk down a narrow street of historic houses. There’s a Pueblo Apartment block at the end of the street. This two-story Pueblo Revival style apartment building was built by CURTISS-BRIGHT COMPANY in 1925-26. The building is "V" shaped on a triangular lot. The uneven parapet walls with Mission bell cote motifs at regular intervals and the heavy buttressing at ground level are interesting features. This historic building was constructed prior to the much grander HOTEL COUNTRY CLUB (1927) and was used by many of the town's residents as a shelter during the disastrous hurricane of September 1926, which caused extensive property damage in the Hialeah area.

Question 6 – What is the name of the apartment building?

Cross the church parking lot diagonally and enter the far cloisters on the NE corner. Drinking fountain and toilets just past the Sacristy.

Question 7 – Which German ecclesiastic founded this church?

Cross the busy parkway towards the large Pueblo style building on the other side.

Built by CURTISS-BRIGHT PROPERTIES at an estimated cost of $275,000., this massive multistory Pueblo revival style hotel opened on December 15, 1927. This was the largest of the Pueblo theme buildings in Country Club Estates. Glenn Curtiss wanted to have a luxury hotel available for the tourists coming here from the North who were devotees of golf and other sunshine sports and he spared no expense to make this building (commonly called "Pueblo Hotel") as authentic as possible. Furnishings were in the Pueblo Indian theme, and there were hand woven Pueblo Indian rugs on the floors. The Thunderbird motif (Indian symbol for rain and prosperity) is on the front facade of the central section of the building and was used elsewhere as a decorative feature throughout the interior of the hotel.

With the collapse of the "building boom" after the 1926 hurricane and the depression following, the hotel became a "white elephant". In 1929, DR. JOHN HARVEY KELLOGG, internationally known physician/nutritionist (Kellogg's cereals) rented a home in Country Club Estates and liked the area so much from a healthful standpoint that he decided to open a health sanitarium here. He patterned it after his famous Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michigan. Mr. Curtiss offered him the "Pueblo Hotel" for the token sum of $1.00, and he gladly accepted.

Miami-Battle Creek Sanitarium opened in 1930. During this period of use by Dr. Kellogg, some very distinguished persons came to the facility including Thomas Edison and George Bernard Shaw During World War ll it was used as a rest camp for the Air Transport Command. After the war, it continued in operation as Miami-Battle Creek Sanitarium.
It was sold in 1959 and converted to a health spa (Paten Spa). It was sold again in 1962 to the Lutheran Services for the Elderly, Inc., who now operates the facility as FAIR HAVENS CENTER (a long-term health care facility and retirement home).

Enter the main reception hall. Check in at the reception desk before you do any exploring.

Question 7 – When was Harvey Kellogg born?

Here you have an option to take our 2.1 mile trail, or 3.3 mile trail.

2.1 mile trail.

Proceed SW along the promenade in the centre of the parkway, named after a renown aviation pioneer, until you reach AMSide.

Question 8. How many church signs on the median? Which one is not a church sign?

Turn E on AMSide.

Cross over three streets (see Tara on your right?), then turn N. on the lion’s drive.

Pretty houses on your left and an attractive lake on your right.

Question 9 – What fish was introduced to this lake?

Opposite No. 34 on the lakeside you will see four casuarina (Australian Pine) trees. Look behind the second tree from the left and leave your stamp in Miami Springs 1 letterbox. (Note - this letterbox has been removed by persons unknown)

Continue NW on the busy street at the end and up to Peter’s nemesis, then NE towards the bridge and your car. Last time I was there I saw two enormous green iguanas under the bridge.

We hope you enjoyed your stroll though beautiful Miami Springs.

3.3 mile trail

Proceed SW along the promenade in the centre of the parkway, named after a renown aviation pioneer, until you reach a memorial.

Question 8. How many church signs on the median? Which one is not a church sign?

Turn SE on the bike path beside the golf course along where the venison runs.

You will eventually pass to your left a pueblo portal.

You will now see on your left the ruins of the Curtiss Mansion. In 1925 Glenn Curtiss designed this lovely 2-story Pueblo-Mission style mansion Dar-err-aha (house of happiness), for his own home. Facing the eastern perimeter of the golf course, it features a central patio and was the largest of Pueblo theme houses built by CURTISS-BRIGHT COMPANY in their development of Country Club Estates. Home of Mr. Curtiss until his death in July of 1930, the beautifully landscaped estate covered 9 1/3 acres with a small lake on the east side of the property. Mr. Curtiss stocked the lake with many species of water birds including flamingos and swans. At the south end of the lake is an arbor and barbecue grill. The grill was constructed of oolitic limestone (coral rock), which was a by-product of digging the lake. The estate was sold in the mid-50's and from the '70s until late 2002, it was a place of vandalism and a number of arson fires have all but destroyed the house. The most devastating and last of those was in 2002, before it was closed to the public.

Look for two large ficus trees in front of the mansion. In the southernmost one, Find the green arrow and look for a hole in the trunk facing the gold course. Leave your mark in the Miami Springs 2 letterbox.

Reconstruction of the Curtiss Mansion has now commenced.

To get back to your car, return along the bike path and turn E on the road that runs East. Continue for three blocks then turn N on the lion's drive, shaded by giant oak trees.

Look for pueblo style dwellings on this street. Once you have crossed over AMside you see a pretty lake on your right.

Question 9 – What fish was introduced to this lake?

Opposite No. 34 on the lakeside you will see four casuarina (Australian Pine) trees. Look behind the second tree from the left and leave your stamp in Miami Springs 1 letterbox. (Note - letterbox has been removed by persons unknown).

Continue NW on the busy street at the end and up to Peter’s nemesis, then NE towards the bridge and your car. Last time I was there I saw two enormous green iguanas under the bridge.

We hope you enjoyed your stroll though beautiful Miami Springs.