Coral Gables, the City Beautiful, is known for its rich Mediterranean architecture and for being one of the country’s first planned communities. It was developed in the 1920s by real estate developer George Merrick during the Florida land boom era. Some of the roots of Coral Gables lie nestled in the south sides of the United States Route 1 - in the neighborhoods of MacFarlane Homestead and the Golden Gates.
During the 1920s, settlers came from the West Indies and Bahamas - through Key West - and Southeastern United States searching for new beginnings. They played a role in history, helping build what is known today as The Biltmore Hotel, The Peacock Inn, The Deering Estate, Henry Flagler’s railroad project and Merrick’s Dream project. With their vast knowledge in agricultural practices and familiarity with coral rock, the laborers were able to make long-lasting structures.
In 1925, Merrick and other members of the Coral Gables Securities Corporation purchased about 20 acres of land from schoolteacher Flora McFarlane and made it a subdivision of Coral Gables called the MacFarlane Homestead Division. The area became home to those Afro-Bahamians and African-Americans workers.
The first houses in the area were constructed in 1926 - most were shotgun houses made by the owners without any assistance from an architect. Today, the stories of the laborers remain in the hearts of their relatives and in the architectures they built. For instance, one of the Graceful Voices, the late Rebecca Johnson Gibson, was offered an exchange of land by Merrick. Also, the homes in the Golden Gate section and the MacFarlan Homestead Subdivision often have Bahamian influences. Due to the efforts of the Lola. B. Walker Homeowners’ Association, the MacFarlane subdivision was designated a U.S. Historic District on May 26, 1994.
Today, residents from the neighborhoods work in Coconut Grove, Coral Gables and other areas of Miami. They live in the same homes their grandparents or great-grandparents created and maintain the same traditions such as going to church and using weekly mass as a way to sustain the neighborhood.
St. Mary’s First Missionary Baptist Church, located on Frow Avenue in the Macfarlane Homestead, was organized on March 9, 1924 with seventeen founding members. Among them were Rev. Bridges, Rev. McKinnon, Rev. Hamilton and Rev. Franklin. The congregation moved in 1926 after the 26th Storm. The second church was made and later demolished and the present church was made in 1958. Rev. Zachary Royal is the present minister, and he has been since February 5, 1990.
Education also plays a strong role in these neighborhoods. In 1925, George Merrick offered the Board of Education five acres of land to relocate a school on LeJeune Road to Grand Avenue and Lincoln Drive. It was a Spanish-style building with nine rooms; today, it is known as the Dade County Training School.
Resident Mrs. Frances S. Tucker led the movement in naming neighborhood elementary, middle and high schools after George Washington Carver in 1943. Upon her retirement in 1960, a school was named after her on Douglas Road in Coconut Grove.
Coral Gables, the City Beautiful, is known for its rich Mediterranean architecture and for being one of the country’s first planned communities. It was developed in the 1920s by real estate developer George Merrick during the Florida land boom era. But some of the roots of Coral Gables lie nestled in the south sides of the United States Route 1 - in the neighborhoods of MacFarlane Homestead and the Golden Gates.
During the 1920s, settlers came from the West Indies and Bahamas - through Key West - and Southeastern United States searching for new beginnings. They played a role in history, helping build what is known today as The Biltmore Hotel, The Peacock Inn, The Deering Estate, Henry Flagler’s railroad project and Merrick’s Dream project. With their vast knowledge in agricultural practices and familiarity with coral rock, the laborers were able to make long-lasting structures.
In 1925, Merrick and other members of the Coral Gables Securities Corporation purchased about 20 acres of land from schoolteacher Flora McFarlane and made it a subdivision of Coral Gables called the MacFarlane Homestead Division. The area became home to those Afro-Bahamians and African-Americans workers.
The first houses in the area were constructed in 1926 - most were shotgun houses made by the owners without any assistance from an architect. Today, the stories of the laborers remain in the hearts of their relatives and in the architectures they built. For instance, one of the Graceful Voices, the late Rebecca Johnson Gibson, was offered an exchange of land by Merrick. Also, the homes in the Golden Gate section and the MacFarlan Homestead Subdivision often have Bahamian influences. Due to the efforts of the Lola. B. Walker Homeowners’ Association, the MacFarlane subdivision was designated a U.S. Historic District on May 26, 1994.