Coconut Grove

station , built in 1921 and designed by Miami architect Walter de Garmo Several waves of immigration established Coconut Grove, the first in 1825, when the Cape Florida lighthouse went into operation, kept by John Dubose. The settlers primarily came from the Northeastern United States, in addition to Britain and the Bahamas. They were believed to be the only people capable of withstanding the extreme heat and humidity, as well as the large mosquito population. Horace P. Porter is credited for coming up with the name when, in 1873, he rented a home from Edmond D. Beasley's widow, who homesteaded 160 acres of bay-front property. Porter lived there for only a year, but during that time he established a post office he named "Coconut Grove". The first hotel on the South Florida mainland was in Coconut Grove. Called the Bay View Inn (later renamed the Peacock Inn), it was built in 1882 on the site of present-day Peacock Park by English immigrants Isabella and Charles Peacock, who had owned a wholesale meat business in London. Coconut Grove's first Black settlement, in the 1880s, was established by Bahamian laborers who worked at the Peacock Inn. The Barnacle Historic State Park is the oldest house in Miami-Dade County still standing in its original location. It was built in 1891, and was home to yacht designer Ralph Middleton Munroe, also known as "The Commodore" for being the first commodore and founder of the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club. Formerly an independent city, Coconut Grove was annexed by Miami in 1925. In the 1960s, bay-shore Coconut Grove served as the center of South Florida's youth countercultural movement, notably hosting several love-ins and concerts (including a now-infamous Doors concert at Dinner Key Auditorium) during the latter part of the decade. The Bahamian community grew in Coconut Grove through the 1970s. A surge of commercial development in Coconut Grove was driven by the construction of three major residential complexes during the late 1970s and early 1980s: Yacht Harbour Condominiums in 1975; Grove Isle, a condominium, club, and hotel complex, in 1979; and L'Hermitage in 1980. This was followed by the opening of 2575 S. Bayshore Drive in 1982 and the 1983 opening of Grove Towers. Further development was proposed for Grove Isle in 2013. == Economy ==

, built in 1916, is a popular Miami tourist attraction. Coconut Grove has a number of outdoor festivals and events, the most prominent of which is the annual Coconut Grove Arts Festival. Others include the King Mango Strut, which began as a parody of the Orange Bowl Parade and is held on the last Sunday in December. The Great Taste of the Grove Food & Wine Festival takes place in April. In June, the Goombay Festival transforms Grand Avenue into a Carnaval celebrating Bahamian culture, with Bahamian food and Caribbean music (Junkanoo). The Grove has numerous restaurants, open-air and streetside cafes, and bars. It is a center of nightlife frequented by locals, young professionals, University of Miami and Florida International University students, and tourists. Shopping is abundant in the Grove, with two open-air malls, CocoWalk, the Streets of Mayfair, and many other street shops and boutiques. The Village Center, the three blocks radiating from the intersection of Main, McFarland, and Grand Avenues, home to most of the Grove's retail and restaurant businesses, is also home to three gyms, a multiplex movie house in CocoWalk, several parking garages, a state historic site, an elementary school, a City of Miami fire station, several large condos and residential rental towers, the Coconut Grove Post Office, and two sizable parks. Development and redevelopment continue to redefine and transform the area. Major corporations including Arquitectonica, Spanish Broadcasting System, and Watsco are located in the Grove. The eastern border of Coconut Grove is Biscayne Bay, which lends itself to the local boating and sailing communities. The area features the Coconut Grove Sailing Club, Biscayne Bay Yacht Club, a sizable municipal marina, and Dinner Key Marina. The US Sailing Center is on the Bay between Kennedy Park and the Coral Reef Yacht Club. Pan Am's seaplane operations were based at Dinner Key, and Miami City Hall is based in the old Pan Am terminal building. == Demographics ==

Demographically, Coconut Grove is divided into Northeast Coconut Grove and Southwest Coconut Grove. As of the 2000 census, the population of the entire neighborhood was between 18,953 and 19,646. The Goombay festival is a celebration of the rich history of this historically Bahamian neighborhood. == Transportation ==

Coconut Grove is served by Metrobus throughout the area, and by the Miami Metrorail at: • Vizcaya (SW 32nd Road and U.S. 1) • Coconut Grove (SW 27th Avenue and U.S. 1) • Douglas Road (SW 37th Avenue and U.S. 1) Metrobus's Coconut Grove Connection connects at Coconut Grove and Douglas Road stations, going to many popular areas in the Grove, including CocoWalk and Peacock Park. == Education and institutions ==

Cultural institutions • Coconut Grove Playhouse • Marjory Stoneman Douglas Home • Miami Science Museum, moved to downtown Miami • The Barnacle Historic State Park • The Kampong • Vizcaya Museum and Gardens Libraries • Miami-Dade Public Library operates area public libraries Schools Elementary schools Miami-Dade County Public Schools operates area public schools: • Coconut Grove Elementary School • Dade County Training School (1899–1937) • Frances S. Tucker Elementary School • George W. Carver Elementary School Middle schools • George Washington Carver School in Coral Gables serves Coconut Grove. As a magnet school, it does not admit most of its students based on geography, but minimum quotas apply to serving Coconut Grove. High schools • Bridgeprep Academy of Arts and Minds (2003–2018) • George Washington Carver School Private schools • Ransom Everglades School, founded in 1903 • St. Hugh Catholic School, 1956 • Immaculata-Lasalle High School, 1958 • St. Stephen's Episcopal Day School, 1958 • Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart, 1961 • Coconut Grove Montessori School • Vanguard School == Points of interest ==

in Cocunut Grove • Charles Avenue • CocoWalk • Dinner Key • First Coconut Grove School • Grove Isle • Mercy Hospital • Miami City Hall • Plymouth Congregational Church • Trapp Homestead • Woman's Club of Coconut Grove == Parks ==

, a botanical garden in the Grove known for its wild foliage and large tree coverage • The Kampong: an 8-acre (32,000 m2) tropical garden that forms part of the National Tropical Botanical Garden • The Barnacle Historic State Park: Built in the late 19th century, the former home of Ralph Middleton Munroe is the oldest home in Miami-Dade County still standing in its original location and is on the shore of Biscayne Bay. The forest surrounding the home is tropical hardwood hammock and the last of its kind in the area. The unique architecture includes period furniture and wide porches with magnificent views. • Peacock Park and Kenneth Myers Bayside Park • David Kennedy Park • Merrie Christmas Park • Steele Park • Blanche Park • Elizabeth Virrick Park • Kirk Munroe Park • Coconut Grove Park • Grand Avenue Park • Ingraham Terrace Park • Sunrise Park • Marjory Stoneman Douglas Mini Park • Dinner Key Picnic Islands Park • Alice Wainwright Park == Notable people ==

Former and current residents include: == Historic Coconut Grove ==

Established in 1825, Coconut Grove is one of Miami's oldest neighborhoods. Many of Miami's oldest buildings and homes are there, including: == References ==