Miami Springs is a city located in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The city was founded by Glenn Hammond Curtiss, "The Father of Naval Aviation", and James Bright, during the famous "land boom" of the 1920s and was originally named Country Club Estates. It, along with other cities in Miami-Dade County such as Coral Gables, Florida and Opa-locka, Florida, formed some of the first planned communities in the state. Like its counterparts, the city had an intended theme which in its case, was to reflect a particular architecture and ambiance.
In this case it was a regional style of architecture called Pueblo Revival developed in the southwest, primarily New Mexico, and incorporating design elements of Pueblo architecture. Other buildings incorporated Mission style design. In fact, the original Hotel Country Club was designed to resemble a Pueblo village.
Shortly prior to incorporation in 1926, the city was renamed after a spring located in the area which provided parts of Miami with fresh water until the mid-1990s. As of 2013, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 14,316.
Geography
Miami Springs is located at 25°49′11″N 80°17′28″W.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.0 square miles (7.8Â km2). 2.9 square miles (7.5Â km2) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10Â km2) of it (1.34%) is water.
Roughly speaking the core of Miami Springs (excluding the more recently annexed areas) is roughly shaped as a triangle with three definable sides. Northwest 36th Street forms most of the southern boundary whilst the Miami River canal forms the northern/eastern boundary. Finally, the Ludlam Canal and Florida East Coast Railroad Yard delimit the western boundary.
Surrounding areas
- Â Hialeah
- Â Medley Miami
- Unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Virginia Gardens  Hialeah, Miami, Unincorporated Miami-Dade County
- Â Unincorporated Miami-Dade County Unincorporated Miami-Dade County
- Â Virginia Gardens, Unincorporated Miami-Dade County
Demographics
As of 2010, there were 5,361 households out of which 5.6% were vacant. In 2000, 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.9% were non-families. 24.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.16.
In 2000, the city population was spread out with 22.9% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 92.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males.
In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $50,000, and the median income for a family was $56,892. Males had a median income of $37,176 versus $30,823 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,963. About 6.9% of families and 9.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.8% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.
As of 2000, speakers of Spanish as a first language made up 63.21% of residents, while English accounted for 35.49% of the population. Other languages spoken as a mother tongue were well below 1.00%.
As of 2000, Miami Springs had the sixteenth highest percentage of Cuban residents in the US, with 31.83% of the populace. It had the thirty-third highest percentage of Colombian residents in the US, at 3.89% of the city's population, and the twenty-second highest percentage of Nicaraguan residents in the US, at 2.06% of the population. It also had the twenty-sixth most Peruvians in the US, at 1.90%, while it had the nineteenth highest percentage of Venezuelans, at 1.01% of all residents.
History
Miami Springs was founded by an aviation pioneer, and thus, the fate of the city has always been intertwined with the aviation industry, particularly since Miami International Airport (MIA) is located just south of the city on the southern border of NW 36th Street. The airline industry brought many residents from airline crew bases, as well as employment opportunities at the airport, which brought much prosperity to the city. This dependence, however, left the city vulnerable. The sudden 1991 collapses of both Eastern Airlines and Pan American World Airways left many Miami Springs residents unemployed and unable to afford living in the neighborhood. Given that the businesses in Miami Springs had always relied upon the large disposable incomes of the employees of the large airline carriers, the bankruptcy of both corporations in the same year created a chain reaction, eventually causing many small businesses to close their doors. Despite the closure of the airlines, from a residential standpoint, Miami Springs remained strong. The city is often seen as blessedly isolated from the perceived turbulence of the rest of Miami-Dade County. This has continued to provide ample replacements for the older residents who are lost over time. Nonetheless the legacy of the airline closures remains. Residential mileage taxation rates hover near the state mandated maximum because continued weakness in the commercial sector makes it an insufficient source of tax revenue.
Economy
The Consulate-General of Bolivia in Miami is located in Suite 505 at 700 South Royal Poinciana Boulevard in Miami Springs.
Significant historical landmarks
Curtiss Mansion is a Pueblo style home that belonged to city founder Glenn Curtiss. After suffering the ravages of two fires in which arson was suspected, it was little more than a burned out shell. The outside of the Curtiss Mansion has been restored through the tireless efforts of the Curtiss Mansion Board, which consists of local activists and celebrated architects.
Fair Haven Nursing Home is one of the oldest buildings in Miami Springs and is built in the pueblo style favored during the initial development. Before becoming a nursing home, the building served as the Hotel Country Club (Fairhavens). ahe hotel was built by Glenn Curtiss and partners.The building was designed by architect Bernard E. Muller. It was designated a Miami Springs Historic Site in 1984.
The hotel was intended to promote the development of the then-new Country Club Estates.. It was furnished in a Southwestern style, with Navajo rugs on the floor and handcrafted solid mahogany furniture. In 1929, after the crash, Curtiss sold the hotel to his friend John Harvey Kellogg. He opened the Miami Battle Creek Sanitarium which he operated for many years. In WW2, it served the Air Transport Command as a hospital for recuperating military personnel. Later it became a home for the elderly, which it still is today.
Education
The city of Miami Springs is served by a sizeable number of public and private educational institutions.
The city is part of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools System (M-DCPS), and all public schools under this system follow guidelines set forth by the Florida Department of Education. Miami Springs is served publicly by:
- Miami Springs Elementary School
- Miami Springs Senior High School
- Miami Springs Middle School
- Springview Elementary School
Two charter schools serve Miami Springs:
- Glenn Curtiss Elementary AIE Charter School (Academy for International Education) provides K-8 education.
- ISAAC Academy (Integrated Science and Asian Culture) provides K-8 education.
Private schools in Miami Springs are largely provided by local religious institutions:
- All Angels Episcopal Church operates All Angels Academy for children of a similar age group.
- Blessed Trinity Catholic School is located in nearby Virginia Gardens, Florida, and provides K-8 education.
- Grace Lutheran Church operates Grace Lutheran Learning Center for children of a similar age group.
References
External links
- City of Miami Springs
- MiamiSprings.com Community site
- SpringyLeaks Miami Springs news
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