Houses in miami that are old & historic

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While Miami is known for its many Art Deco buildings and palatial waterfront mansions, there are houses in the area older than those structures. From decadent Gilded Age villas built by wealthy businessmen to small modest structures constructed by hand, Miami's historic houses run the gamut of architectural style and size.

1. Vizcaya Museum & Gardens

   • Wealthy Chicago industrialist James Deering built the Vizcaya estate in the early 20th century to serve as his winter residence. Designed by architect and artist Paul Chalfin, the villa is a Mediterranean Revival-style structure with 10 acres of lawns with Italianate gardens . The estate includes a 70-room house of ornate loggias with marble floors and columns, a spiral staircase and a banquet hall. Deering lived at Vizcaya during the winter between of 1916 to 1925. When he died, the estate became the property of his nieces. As the costs of maintaining Vizcaya escalated, the nieces began parceling the property or donating areas of it to charities. The estate is on the National Trust for Historic Preservation's "11 Most Endangered Historic Places" list. It is now a museum and managed by the Miami-Dade County government.

     Vizcaya Museum and Gardens

     3251 S. Miami Ave.

     Miami, Florida 33129

     305-250-9133

     vizcayamuseum.org

   The Barnacle

   • The oldest house in Miami is the Barnacle in Coconut Grove neighborhood. Area pioneer and naval architect Ralph Middleton Munroe built the house in 1891. It sits on the shore of Biscayne Bay. The house features wide verandas on both of its floors and is surrounded by 5 acres of landscaped lawns and a small forest. The house is now a museum and state park maintained by Florida.

     The Barnacle Historic State Park

     3485 Main Highway

     Coconut Grove, Florida 33133

     305-442-6866

     floridastateparks.org

   William Wagner House

   • The William Wagner house is the oldest in Miami-Dade County. It is a small antebellum building made from hand-hewn lumber. Wagner, an early resident of the area, built the house between 1855 and 1858. He was a merchant who ran a sutler's shop, a store that sells military provisions. The house was originally located at Fort Dallas, a command post during Florida's Seminole Wars. It is now located at Lummus Park, where it was relocated in 1979. The house is maintained by the City of Miami and designated a historic site by the municipal government.

     William Wagner House

     Lummus Park

     404 NW 3rd Street

     Miami, FL 33128

     305-416-1459

     historicpreservationmiami.com

Source: www.ehow.com

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