A Brief History of Coconut Grove

Coconut Grove

Founded in 1873, Coconut Grove is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Miami.  Situated along Biscayne Bay, Coconut Grove is a tropical oasis well known for its friendly, serene streets, lush landscaping, beautiful parks, marinas and its artsy and Bohemian feel.

In the mid-1800’s, the first settlers began to settle in Coconut Grove around the area known today as the Barnacle State Park.  By the end of the 1800’s, many ideas became a reality as many establishments were built in Coconut Grove such as the Coconut Grove Post Office, Sunday School, Biscayne Bay Yacht Club, the oldest graveyard in Miami-Dade County, a public school, the Housekeeper’s Club known today as the Women’s Club of Coconut Grove, the Bay View House known today as the Peacock Inn, the original Barnacle and the Pine Know Camp school for boys which is famously known today as the Ransom Everglades school.

In the early 1900’s Ralph Munroe, the builder of the Barnacle, opened Camp Biscayne as a tourist haven in Coconut Grove.  Additionally, America’s first Naval Air Stations opened at Dinner Key and put Coconut Grove on the map.  Upon the closing of the Naval Air Station, a few years after opening, Coconut Grove officially incorporated as a town.  At this point, Coconut Grove really started to develop as prominent architects began to implement a town center.

In 1925, Coconut Grove was annexed to Miami in a unique annexation election.  At this point Coconut Grove continued to grow as a seaplane base was established at Dinner Key by Pan American Airways and was then sold to the City of Miami.  Thereafter, the city of Miami used the Pan American site to build a city hall and the Dinner Key Auditorium.

In the mid 1950’s, the Coconut Grove movie theater was successfully converted into the Coconut Grove Playhouse and the Coral Reef Yacht Club was opened up along the bay.  By the late 1960’s, Coconut Grove began being majorly developed with high-rise Coconut Grove condos, hotels and office buildings along Bayshore Drive, one of the most prestigious streets today in Coconut Grove.  Thereafter, the Mayfair shopping mall, Cocowalk, Coconut Grove’s movie theater—Paragon Grove 13, various restaurants and boutique shops opened thereby drawing more and more tourists to the beautiful, serene streets of Coconut Grove.