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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSubmittal-Peter Ehrlich-LettersRE 11 on May 261h 2016 Distinguished Miami Mayor and Commissioners, Submitted into the public(�, � record fPr ite (s) f \ , I on I Z City Clerk I believe Mr. Burr's letter shares the sentiment of a lot of local residents, businesses and stakeholders in the large area being proposed a name designation of "Little Haiti" in a resolution being put forth by Commissioner Hardemon. Like many of the large property owners in the area, we embrace and enjoy the Haitian community and culture. The reason why I was drawn to invest in the neighborhood was because of. its history and diversity. I surprising found out about the resolution being on this Thursdays agenda just this week. I ask that such an important decision be deferred to allow for more dialog and consideration from the many residents, businesses, historians, and property owners who participate in this very large geographical area. Respectfully, Avra Jain Commissioner Hardemon, I was surprised not to be advised of the agenda item regarding the designation of Little Haiti. I have been getting many phone calls from property owners asking why we were not engaged in the conversation. That is a large area from what I can tell which includes a very diverse group of people and businesses. It also overlays a historically rich neighborhood which was one of the first in the Miami. I think community outreach on such a resolution is important. We all embrace and enjoy the Haitian community and culture. I am writing more about the process in which this is being handled and ask that you defer the matter until you have spoken to the entire community and its many stakeholders. Your consideration in this matter is appreciated. Respectfully, Avra Jain IS - Ow5 - QeVt( I -VA -A — w�t , f � Commissioners May 26`h, 2016 RE 11 City of Miami Submitted into F�mi record f r rm( 3500 Pan American Drive on` City Miami, FL 33133 RE: RE 11 RESOLUTION 16-00695 A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH ATTACHMENT(S), DESIGNATING THE AREA DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT "A", ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED, AS "LITTLE HAITI" IN RECOGNITION OF THE HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL IMPORTANCE OF THE AREA TO THE CITY OF MIAMI AND MIAMI-DADE COUNTY AS A WHOLE. Dear Commissioners, This letter is on behalf of the Little River Business District Board and its members. We the Board and the Members of the Business District do not support this item and request that it be rejected or deferred for open Community discussion. The boundaries of this map conflict with the Little River Business District boundaries and all members of our district that have communicated to us en masse on this issue are opposed to this resolution as it has been presented. Some of our members will be attending the hearing and many wish to express their displeasure with such a last minute short notice item going on the agenda without public input. Sincerely, Mallory Kauderer Chairman Little River Business District Board Re: RE 11 on May 261h 2016 From: Robert A Burr <rob@ robertburr.com> To: Khardemon @ miamigov.com; Wgort@ miamigov.com; Fcarollooffice @ miamigov.com; Fsuarez @ miamigov.com; Krussell @ miamigov.com; Tregalado @ miamigov.com Sent: Monday, May 23, 2016 2:55 PM Submitted into the public record Ir ite7 s �� on cJ U City Clerk Subject: Lemon City / Little Haiti name designation RE 11 on May 26th. Distinguished Miami Mayor and Commissioners, it has come to my attention that there is an effort to rename one of Miami's historic neighborhoods, Lemon City. As a family member of early pioneers of Lemon City, Little River, Arch Creek and the Rediand region, I'm concerned that the loss of a name place -- made all the more famous by my friend Thelma Peters in her iconic pioneer history book of the same name -- could be a short-sighted error in judgment by some that might not appreciate our recent past. Lemon City, Arch Creek, Little River, Buena Vista... these place names are the last lingering remainders of our short history in South Dade. They are associated with the bold and proud early pioneers that forged this territory. My great grandfather Edward DeVere Burr was chairman of the Dade Country Commission during the formative years of 1915 to 1921. His older brother was state railroad commissioner for 25 years. His younger brother established Burr's Berry Farm back in 1919. The brothers are buried in the first plot of Miami's pioneer cemetery. 1 Submitted into theP ublic K record fQ r iter(s) (s) - I on 51 City Clerk My hope and prayer is that as today's leaders, as stewards of our founders' legacy, you will make every effort to respect, protect and admire such small but significant vestiges of these living remainders. The erasure of such an iconic place name is a travesty that deprives all who follow from some significant clues to our past. Every noteworthy group that contributes to the success and legacy of our communities deserves some respect and admiration for their efforts, but not at the expense of those that came before them, who forged a pioneer wilderness into this world renowned bustling metropolis that we share -- and strive to protect. Robert A. Burr rob @ robertburr.com 305-443-7973 office 305-439-1376 cell httip://www.robertburr.com/BunBurr.htmi 2 Submitted into the public From: Bea Hines <bea.hines(0amail.com> record f1r ite s) M. �' To: Penny Lambeth <pl2 @ bellsouth.net> on I City Clerk Sent: Monday, May 23, 2016 1:20 AM Subject: Re: Important - Historic Lemon City in danger of losing its pioneer name to be called Little Haiti May 26th Somebody informed me of this. We need to pack the commission chambers to let our voices be heard. Lemon City is a big part of our history. This has to be stopped. On Mon, May 23, 2016 at 12:20 AM, Penny Lambeth <p12Cbellsouth.net> wrote: This was sent to me by Enid Pinkney Penny Lambeth Dear Friends: The attached resolution asking for the historical I name of communities in Miami (Lemon City) be changed to Little Haiti will be presented to the Miami City Commission on Thursday, May 26, 2016. We do not know the time. You will have to call City Hail to get the time. This agenda item has not been publicized so few people in the community know about it. Please do what you can to get the word out. Please e-mail or write commissioners about your feeling on the matter and please attend the Commission Meeting to express your views at City Hall, 3500 Pan American Drive. Names and numbers at end. Another bit off our history may be removes!. Penny Lambeth "Lemon City is an old neighborhood by Miami standards. Named after the unusually sweet lemon trees that grew in the area, Lemon City was the home to one of the county's oldest schools, the Lemon City School, and first library, the Lemon City Library. One of its early markets, Rockmoor Grocery, would go on to become the first Winn- Dixie store. A year before Miami's incorporation, the 1895 population of Lemon City was 300. The area consisted of a second hotel, three general stores, a barbershop, a real estate office, bakery, sponge warehouse, two or more saloons, a restaurant, blacksmith, livery stable, separate post office, sawmill and photo studio. Being the bayside's 15 -building metropolis in 1895 the area attracted famous visitors -like Henry Flagler- and became the commercial trading center of Biscayne Bay. There were 13 ships moored there in 1891, including the Emily B, a 3 -ton, three -masted schooner that brought Julia Tuttle and her family — including their cow Daisy — to Miami that same year. This is one of our first cities." May 26, 2016 - RE 11 Formally naming historic neighborhoods "Little Haiti" is opposed by many: Submitted into the public` 11 record f r item(s) Many people like and respect the history of the City of Miami. on City Clerk Over the past 4-5 years we heard rumors that several residents of the City of North Miami and several residents of Miami Shores were interfering in the politics and the history of the City of Miami. In September -October of 2013 these out-of-town activists even prevailed upon a City Commissioner to propose legislation, which failed to pass. The City of Miami consists of many historic neighborhoods. As Miami's population ebbs and flows Miami's historic names survive, and in many cases prosper. Little River, Edison, Brentwood, West Little River, Liberty City, Buena Vista, Spring Garden, Lemon City, Oakland Grove, Brownsville, Railroad Shoppes Colored Division, Riverside, Bellaire, Bayside, Elmira, Shenandoah and many others all survive. We know that many Haitians have vacated the City of Miami over the past 15-20 years. In fact, the Federal Census states that from 2000 to 2010 12,800 residents vacated District 5. We know from interviewing teachers and principals in the Lemon City and surrounding neighborhoods that the enrollment in local elementary schools has declined 50% to 60% over the past 15-20 years. That is a decline of about 2% per year over the past 20 years. Children, and of course their families, have left. Acknowledging the mass exodus, the City of Miami recently completed voter Re -Districting and expanded the geographic area of District 5 into District 2 to take into account residents who left District 5. Schools that were formerly so overcrowded that they were forced to use mobile containers for classrooms in the 1980's now struggle to fill traditional classrooms in 2013- 2016. On September 26th, 2013 City of Miami Commissioner Michelle Spence -Jones brought a Discussion Item in front of the City Commission (DI. 4). Titled "Little Haiti". Spence - Jones stated she wanted to install an umbrella name over 4-5 historic neighborhoods within the City of Miami. (Back -Up Document for DIA Oct 24 Agenda shows up to 14 historic neighborhoods were threatened). West Little River, Little River, Lemon City, Oakland Grove, Edison, Oakland Grove, Bellaire, etc... Over the objections of many, Spence desired to call this new large area "Little Haiti". On September 26th, 2013 Commissioner Spence -Jones would not allow anyone from the public to speak. She did have five (5) hand picked speakers lined up to praise her scheme. At least three of whom lived outside the City of Miami. (N. Miami, Miami Shores, Miami Beach). Spence -Jones stated that she wanted the City to formally and legally name a large area of this northern section of the City of Miami as "Little Haiti". She mentioned borders such as NE 36th Street or NE 47th Street on the south, Biscayne Blvd or the FEC RR tracks on the east and the City borders on the north. We have been unable to determine the proposed west border, perhaps I-95. We were unable to receive Spence -Jones's proposed map for what she determined to be "Little Haiti". 1 RE 11 on May 26th, 2016 Talking Points: This is a nuanced issue. tt v Submitted into the public( `1 record or ite (s) �°1 , L on 5 City Clerk This same item came up in October 2013 as a Discussion Item, with no resolution. It is apparent that stakeholders were not provided any notice and it was only an accident that the African-American and Bahamian community found out. We need to hear from historians and from more members of the community. We should hear from Marvin Dunn, Paul George, Avra Moore Parks, Enid Pinkney ... the Dade Heritage Trust and perhaps many other experts. The borders in this item seem very haphazard. Obviously, a cartographer was not involved. It appears our Preservation Office was not involved? We know from Thelma Peters book, "Lemon City — Pioneering on Biscayne Bay 1850-1925" that our history and the history of this area is extensive. Obviously, we owe respect to our early pioneers who included "blacks" We now know that local property owners who own 55-65 acres to be designated strongly support Lemon City and Little River and they strongly oppose the designation. Property owners who oppose the designation; 1 Submitted into the public record it s) on I) City Cler Tony Cho — 15 acres and 200,000 sq ft for space. Avra Jain and Matt Vender Worff — 12+ acres and 60 properties in Little River Bennett Pumo — 200 buildings and 500 tenants in the area. 60 years in Little River. Mallory Kauderer — 8-12 buildings in Lemon City and Little River Peter Ehrlich — 4 acres and 100,000 sq ft in 5 buildings and 18 tenants in Lemon City. 18 years in the area. Alberto Sbarra — Recently built 12-13 buildings in Lemon City and Little River. The first new construction in 30 years. Prank Rudman — 3 acres and 100,000 sq ft in Little River. 43 years in Little River. Silvia Wong — 3 acres and 60,000 sq ft in Little River. 25 years in Little River. List in formation... These property owners and others pay millions in property taxes. This issue needs more study. We need to hear from African-Americans, Bahamians and we need to hear from affected property owners. We should defer this issue and bring it back as a Discussion Item first... Lemon City Cemetery Community Corporation RE 12 on May 26, 2016 Agenda May 23, 2016 To: Mayor Tomas P. Regalado Commissioner Wilfredo Gort, District 1 Commissioner Kenneth Russell, District 2 Commissioner Frank Carolio, District 3 Commissioner Francis Suarez, District 4 Commissioner Keon Hardemon, District 5 City Manager Daniel Alfonso Submitted into the public j �1 record fq r i e s) �, on I 1 f City Clerk The Lemon City Cemetery Community Corporation is concerned about the pending legislation (RE 11 on May 26, 2016) that the City of Miami proposes to change the name of Lemon City, Little River and some other historical areas of Miami to "Little Haiti." We believe to do so will desecrate the history and legacies of those communities. On September 17, 1883 John Saunders, the jailer homesteaded 148 acres of bay front from which Lennon City was developed. He was born in the Bahamas about 1837. The first mention of Lemon City in public records was Eugene C. Harrington's sale of the bay front to Charles S. B. Moffat, December 28, 1889. The history of Lemon City is graphically described in Dr. Thelma Peter's book, Lemon City, Pioneering on Biscayne Bay, 1850- 1925. The name Lemon City is purported to have come from the fact that there were lemon trees on John Saunders' property and they were less sour than other lemons especially when eaten with salt. In Chapter Thirteen of Dr. Peters book on Lemon City she states that blacks performed much of the hardest physical work that had to be done in the new country. They worked on the railroad, built roads, dug ditches, worked for lumber companies, in rock pits, and as laborers on construction. They also cleared the land for landholders with a machete and the strength of their backs. When the overseas extension of the railroad was announced there was a rush of blacks to get jobs clearing the right-of-way on the Florida Keys, blasting, loading and grading. A foreman of the Key Largo stretch of the railroad, John Hill was quoted in the News Leader, January 18, 1962 that he liked to hire Bahan-tan blacks because they were very good with a machete for brush whacking. George N Submitted into the public +� record Ir ite s)on 5Z City Clerk Merrick, founder of Coral Gables said in his article '`Pre-'Prel Influences on the Lower Florida East Coast in Tequesta, 1941" that some Bahamian blacks were living in Lemon City. He paid tribute to these black Bahamians for changing the viewpoint of early white settlers who saw the rocky country as forbidding and desolate from a planting point of view. Bahamians knew how to plant on coral rock and how to use it. They introduced pigeon peas, sour soup, sour apple, caneps, sopotes and other fruits and vegetables. They knew how to build and were hired as masons. They knew how to make lime mortar from rock and how to use it in building. These pioneers did much to develop and cultivate the city. The Lemon City Cemetery Corporation was incorporated in 2009 It was formed to preserve the history and legacy of the Lemon City Cemetery when there were plans to build affordable housing on the cemetery where 525 people, mostly Bahamians, had been buried. The Cemetery has local historic designation and is the resting place of veterans of World War 1, an African American incorporator of the City of Miami and many outstanding citizens. We feel a great sense of responsibility to ourselves and the Lemon City Community to preserve the history, heritage and legacy of Lennon City. Changing the name from Lemon City to Little Haiti would further marginalize the presence of Lemon City as a part of Greater Miami. It will show disrespect for the existing name of Lemon City and its historical contribution to Greater Miami. Therefore be it Resolved: That the Lemon City Cemetery Community Corporation respectfully request that the City of Miami NOT change the name(s) of the historical Miami Communities to Little Haiti. Respectfully submitted, Enid C. Pinkney, President Lennon City Cemetery Community Corporation SWIM Submitted into the publir I record fo item s) on Miami Commissioners on Thursday will consider a resolution that de es 6 Cit) m boundaries of Little Haiti. But the legislation sponsored by Chairman Keon Hardemon is shaping up to be a clash of Haitian culture with the history of Miami's first settlers. Proponents of the plan say it will brand a neighborhood that welcomed Haitian refugees when they arrived in the 1980s. They say they hope the designation will provide a buffer against further encroachment by developers. Longtime residents say the new boundaries erase historic neighborhoods that were settled by the Bahamian, African-American and white people who built Miami in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Those neighborhoods include Lemon City, Edison and Little River. "I'm against it because of the history of the community," said Enid Pinkney, a leading local historic preservationist and chairman of the Hampton House Trust. "I respect history. I think when you disrespect history you disrespect the foundation of the community. That's who we are today." Pinkney said the pioneers of the community are Bahamian immigrants, Black Americans and whites. "People like my grandparents who with the machete and strength of their backs cleaned up the place when there was nothing but palmetto bush and made Miami beautiful -- they are the contributors to what Miami is today," Pinkney said. The area in question is on the northern part of Miami, west of Interstate 95. The proposed boundaries are roughly from 79th to 54th streets between Northwest Sixth to Northeast Fourth avenues. Hardemon did not return several calls to his office and cell phone. Hardemon's office says the designation connects with a tourism strategy to promote cultural tourism, which creates experiences unique to a neighborhood to bring visitors into the area. If approved, the resolution would take effect immediately. His chief of staff James McQueen said the Haitian community expressed interest in formalizing the boundaries. "The community has been asking for this for eight to 10 years," McQueen said. Submitted into the public record f r i e s ,,k onj r City Clerk Marleine Bastien, president of the activist group FANM (Haitian Women of Miami), said Haitian -American organizations have repeatedly spoken with Hardemon about the designation since he came into office. Part of the reason for the push, Bastien said, was to slow down gentrification. She said developments have encroached into the boundaries of Little Haiti. "We feel that it's time that little Haiti is recognized," Bastien said. "We're all victims of gentrification. We have to settle for what is offered right now, instead of showing we are divided." Also, Bastien said, when Haitian refugees settled into the area, it was a blighted. "Haitians were left to fend for themselves. They organized themselves out of sheer determination. They built a culturally rich community," she said. "Whether we want it or not, Little Haiti is here to stay." Pinkney disagreed with that contention. "They have not brought anything back up. They are so disrespectful. They don't respect the history. They are insulting to the pioneers who suffered injustice," Pinkney said. She pointed to an incident when her grandparents returned from field work and found a sign on a tree in front of their home saying, "n*ers run." "These are the people that fought the injustices that were perpetuated on them by the white community." Bastien said the designation does not exclude the contributions of early settlers. "Haiti has always been opening and inclusive. I don't think anyone should feel we're erasing anything. All these historic contributions should be celebrated. I don't think we're excluding anyone," Bastien said. "We've always been welcoming. We are one." Chris Rupp, executive director of the Dade Heritage Trust, where Pinkney serves as a director, said the history of Lemon City and the other neighborhoods need to be part of the equation. The organization released a statement Tuesday. "Dade Heritage Trust supports the retention of the original name of the community, Lemon City. We have no objection appending Little Haiti to that Submitted into the public record fr ite sl on City Clerk historic name. In the future, the immigration patterns may change, and Little Haiti may no longer be accurate; however, it will always be Lemon City," the statement said. "What's tough about this issue," Rupp said, "is that there are so little landmarks remaining from the era when it was Lemon City. It's hard for a causal visitor to go there and visit. There are very little indicators that show this was once called Lemon City." Meanwhile, Pinkney is rounding up longtime Miamians for Thursday's commission meeting. She's reached out to the Booker T. Washington Alumni Association, churches and historic preservation groups to counter the contingent of Haitian Americans who will be at City Hall. "They don't think that we respect ourselves, so they can do anything they want to do because we're not out there marching and raising the flag. That doesn't mean we don't respect our history, heritage and our culture," Pinkney said. "We don't want the name change. They came here. They met Miami. Miami was already Miami. They didn't make Miami. They can't come and change things. They got to respect the communities that are here." r'-, fza 6�t B-,_ rC Submitted into the publi record f ite s From: Robert A Burr <robarobertburr.com> on City Clerk To: Khardemon2miamigov.com; Wgort&miamigov.com; FcarolloofficeAmiamigov.com; Fsuarez c7 miamigov.com; Krussellnn"amigov.com; Tregalado2miamigov.com Sent: Monday, May 23, 2016 2:55 PM Subject: Lemon City / Little Haiti name designation - RE 11 Distinguished Miami Mayor and Commissioners, It has come to my attention that there is an effort to rename one of Miami's historic neighborhoods, Lemon City. (RE 11 on May 26, 2016). As a family member of early pioneers of Lemon City, Little River, Arch Creek and the Redland region, I'm concerned that the loss of a name place -- made all the more famous by my friend Thelma Peters in her iconic pioneer history book of the same name -- could be a short-sighted error in judgment by some that might not appreciate our recent past. Lemon City, Arch Creek, Little River, Buena Vista... these place names are the last lingering remainders of our short history in South Dade. They are associated with the bold and proud early pioneers that forged this territory. My great grandfather Edward DeVere Burr was chairman of the Dade Country Commission during the formative years of 1915 to 1921. His older brother was state railroad commissioner for 25 years. His younger brother established Burrs Berry Farm back in 1919. The brothers are buried in the first plot of Miami's pioneer cemetery. My hope and prayer is that as today's leaders, as stewards of our founders' legacy, you will make every effort to respect, protect and admire such small but significant vestiges of these living remainders. The erasure of such an iconic place name is a travesty that deprives all who follow from some significant clues to our past. ( t) Submitted into the public record fQr ite (s) on I City Clerk Every noteworthy group that contributes to the success and legacy of our communities deserves some respect and admiration for their efforts, but not at the expense of those that came before them, who forged a pioneer wilderness into this world renowned bustling metropolis that we share -- and strive to protect. Robert A. Burr robnrobertburr.com 0 305-443-7973 office 305-439-1376 cell I'0 , TAI LO Submitted into the public j 1 record fqr ite s on I City Clerk May 24, 2016 Mayor Tomas Regalado, Commissioners Wilfredo Gort, Kenneth Russell, Frank Carollo, Francis Suarez, Keon Hardemon , City Manager Daniel Alfonso RE: City of Miami Commission Meeting May 26, 2016 - RE 11 My name is Frank Rudman. I am the CEO for Sportailor, Inc., a garment manufacturer of sun protection clothing in the Little River Business District (FKA Little River Industrial Park) since 1963. I am writing to you to explain the reasons for denying the change of name of our area to Little Haiti as proposed in your Thursday May 26 agenda Item RE 11. The political immigrations that Miami has seen in the last 60 years, first the Cubans (I am Cuban born and came to the USA in 1961 escaping the communist government there), and then many other people came, including Haitians. None of these immigrants had any money. They went to housing in the cheapest and poorest sections of the City of Miami but as soon as they made some money the Cubans moved out to Westchester and other neighborhoods. It is hard to find a Cuban living in Little Havana this days, as you all know. The Haitians came to 62nd street and NE 2nd Avenue because of a church located there that was helping provide food and clothes. But as soon as they made some money, they moved out to North Miami Beach now 30% Haitians and North Miami 80% Haitians. If you check the school records of our area you can see the exodus of children leaving the area every year. Based on the evidence I do not believe you can call this area the heart of the Haitian community anymore. In fact, several years ago the Miami Herald published a long piece describing 123rd Street as the center of Haitian life in South Florida. Our Little River Business District and Lemon City warehousing and adaptive reuse district is the job creator in the NE City of Miami and Miami -Dade County. We have over 3,000 people that make a living here. Many of the businesses in this area cater to local trade and depends of visitors to do their business. Sportailor is a 53 -year-old company located in Little River for 51 years with 100,000 square feet of property. We have a national business providing merchandise to 50 states. Many customers come to visit us because we are so _ - _TJnr:,3], SPORTAILOR Submitted into the public (� j record fq�' it s�, on j ( City Clerk near to the Miami International Airport. These customers, are of course, concerned with safety. I strongly believe that associating the name Haiti and/or Little Haiti, which represents one of the poorest and crime ridden countries in the western hemisphere, to our area will be in detrimental to our ability to do business and pay our Real Estate taxes which appear to increase every year. It is difficult enough to stay in business in this economy. We face enormous competition. We, the job creators, expect local government to help us grow. We hope local government will NOT create problems or pass laws that handicap us. I am respectfully requesting that you DENY the change of name to Little Haiti for Little River and Lemon City, names engraved in the history of the city of Miami since the 1800's. Rees.pmtfully, Frank Rudman, CEO Sportailor Inc. 6501 NE 2nd court Miami, fl 33138 -._. D 3. D 7 x.3255 r 305,754.b559 • W www.spo rtailancom iv - lw pinewoods stretched without end along Biscayne Bay, rs protected one's body from mosquitoes, when coontie n bikes were the best mode of transportation on sandy lad a way of corning uninvited for dinner. er of Lemon City, a thriving pioneer community in what is were everyday occurrences. The sparkling, witty spirit y 1900s fills this book, and over one hundred lustrations c to life today. unpublished diaries and manuscripts, the area's earliest and periodicals, and countless interviews yielding oral ided details about actual persons — their loges, hates, —in a unique subtropical setting. rys fascinating, Lemon City is a model local history, of residents, genealogists, and all those interested in the tyles of bygone days. Thelma Peters LEMON CITY Pioneering on Biscayne Bay 1850-1925 Submitted into the public L IJ I record f ite (s) 4 on 617,1 � I � , City Clerk LEMON CITY Pioneering on Biscayne Bay 1850-1925 History buffs, residents, genealogists, and all those interested in the simpler—if rougher—life-styles of bygone days will be fascinated by Thelma Peters' lively yet factual account of a once -thriving pioneer community now part of Greater Miami. Gone are the days when pinewoods stretched without end along Biscayne Bay, when layers of newspapers pro- tected one's body from mosquitoes, when coontie starch was a staple, and when Indians had a way of coming uninvited for dinner. But the sparkling, witty spirit of these times—the late 1800s and early 1900s—fills this book. Unpublished diaries and manuscripts and the area's earliest newspapers, pam- phlets, and periodicals were all carefully researched. Countless interviews yielded oral reminiscences and long -forgotten photographs. Together these sources provide rich details about the era when the focal point of the town was the bay with its docks and the sailing craft that carried passengers, mail, lumber, and general merchandise in to the home- steaders. The changes that occurred with the coming of the railroad in 1896 are detailed—the advent of truckers, saw- mills, new residents, and tourists—that culminated in Lemon City being swal- lowed up by the city of Miami in 1925. The settlers of Lemon City endured the hardships and loneliness of the fron- tier as truly as any other pioneers in our American tradition. Though in a subtropi- cal setting, their failures were no less