The Deering Estate at Cutler, a Miami-Dade county park, preserves both the historic buildings along with their unique antique collections and a remnant of the Addison Hammock, a pine rockland along the old road following Cutler Ridge.
Resources
Overview
Location: Cutler Ridge
Lat-Lon: 25.615014, -80.309074
Fees: $12 adults, $7 ages 4-14
Open: 10 AM-4 PM daily
305-235-1668
Location
16701 SW 72 Avenue, Miami, FL
Details
In 1896, the Richmond family settled on the edge of the village of Cutler and built a grand home overlooking Biscayne Bay. In 1900, they opened the Richmond Cottage, the first hotel between Coconut Grove and Key West. These two buildings are among the last examples of early frame vernacular architecture in South Florida.
Purchased by industrialist Charles Deering in 1913, the estate expanded with additional buildings, including his grand Mediterranean Revival “Stone House” and a boat basin, where today manatees frolic. Deering – a cousin of James Deering, the owner of Vizcaya – purchased the home in 1913 and used it as a winter retreat until his death in 1927.
The park encompasses nearly 450 acres and includes a portion of the Addison Hammock. Visited in 1904 by John Kunkel Small and Percy Wilson on their botanical collecting trip along the Cutler Ridge, it continues to be home to rare species like the Miami-lead plant and liguus snails.
Addison Hammock can only be visited during guided walks with a naturalist. These are offered daily at specific times, showcasing the archeological and biological significance of the hammock, including the site of the original pioneer village and a burial mound from the 1600s.
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