History »
Gallery of Historical Events in Florida
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- Aerial view of the Deering Estate in the 1930s shows how isolated and remote the estate was prior to modern development.
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- View of the Deering Estate showing the two historic homes ca. 1980s.
Aerials
Archaeology
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- Archaeologist examining remains at the Cutler Fossil Site, the oldest site of Paleo human presence south of Lake Okeechobee.
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- Artist in Residence John Bailly and County archaeologist Jeff Ransom visit the Cutler Fossil Site, inspiring Bailly’s artistic sketches (above).
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- The Tequesta Native Americans (ca. 3rd century BCE to mid-18th century), known as the Biscayne Bay people, left behind shell tools that have been discovered onsite, including Horse Conch hammers and cutting edge tools, Queen Conch celts, drills and awls, and Lightning Welk dippers.
Charles Deering
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- Charles Deering (1852-1927) was an industrialist, philanthropist, art collector, and environmentalist.
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- Charles William Deering, Cadet at the US Naval Academy 1873.
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- Marion Denison Whipple Deering (1857-1943) with children Barbara, Roger, and Marion Jr. at their Evanston, Illinois home ca. 1890s.
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- Charles and Marion Deering’s children Barbara, Marion Jr., and Roger with family dog in Evanston, Illinois home ca. 1890s.
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- Charles, Catalan artist Ramon Casas, and several friends socializing outdoors ca. 1910s.
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- Charles Deering posing with local children in the Netherlands during one of his European travels ca. 1910s.
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- Drawing of Charles Deering and Ramon Casas by Casas in one of his letters during their art collecting travels throughout Europe ca. 1910s.
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- Barbara Deering Danielson, Charles’ youngest daughter, resting on the front porch of the Richmond Cottage in the 1960s.
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- Joe Summer, Charles Deering’s chauffeur throughout his European travels.
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- Deering family members at Villa Vizcaya, winter home of James Deering (Charles’ younger half-brother) ca. 1930s.
Cutler
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- Dr. Samuel Richmond, land surveyor of the Florida East Coast Railway company, and his wife Edith Richmond built their home in 1896.
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- The Cutler Dock was the center of commercial activity for the town from the 1880s through the 1910s.
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- John and Mary Addison built the first permanent homestead of the town of Cutler in April 1864.
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- Henry Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railway company spurred extensive development throughout South Florida by the turn-of-the-century.
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- In 1900, the Richmond Cottage was expanded, becoming
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- Seminoles and residents of the town of Cutler ca. 1880s.
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- Brown & Moody General Store was one of several main town buildings along with a post office, factory, and school serving over 75 settlers.
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- Aileen Brown Carmichael, daughter of Crawford Brown, owner of Brown & Moody General Body Store in the town of Cutler ca. 1880s.
International Harvester
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- William Deering (1826-1913), Charles’ father, partnered with E. H. Gammon in 1870 in the manufacture of the Marsh Grain Harvester.
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- By 1879, William Deering became the sole owner of Gammon & Deering Manufacturers. Over the course of twenty years, Deering Harvester Company expanded and became a fierce competitor with the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company.
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- International Harvester was formed in 1902 by the merging of McCormick Harvesting Machine Company, Deering Harvester Company, and three other agricultural equipment companies.
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- The Executive Officers of International Harvester featured members of the McCormick and Deering families, including Charles as Chairman of the Board of Director and his half-brother James as a Vice-President.
John Kunkel Small
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- Small photographed the unique geology and ecological landscapes of the Deering Estate in the 1910s.
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- Charles Deering’s vessel the “Barbee” with a load of cactus plants being delivered by botanists and crew for study in December of 1916.
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- Letter written to John Kunkel Small by former Cutler resident A. C. Richards in 1922.
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- John Kunkel Small (1869-1938), curator of the New York Botanical Gardens and a trained botanist specializing in Florida plants, spent various seasons at the Deering Estate collecting specimens for study
Richmond Cottage & Surrounding Structures
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- The Richmond Cottage, purchased in 1916, was renovated and redesigned to include fireplaces, gas hook-ups, electricity, and plumbing
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- View of the Carriage House, built in 1916 as a garage for Deering’s cars, a laundry-room, and mechanic’s living quarters.
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- The boat basin was constructed between 1916-1917 to house Charles Deering’s two boats, the Barbee and Mar-y-cel.
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- Worker posing with concrete mixer during construction of the Chinese Bridge in 1916 on today’s 72 Avenue.
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- An Afro-Bahamian worker that helped construct the People’s Dock just south of the Estate.
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- The Chinese bridge, inspired by Charles Deering’s naval experience in the Asiatic Squadron.
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- Following Hurricane Andrew in 1992, workers rebuilt over 70% of the Richmond Cottage while incorporating salvaged original materials and maintaining historic standards.
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- View of the Richmond Cottage in the 1980s.
Spain
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- Charles Deering also purchased and financed the restoration of Tamarit, a Romanesque fortress from the 12th century in Catalonia.
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- Gold Salon in Deering’s residence and art palace Maricel in the outskirts of Barcelona in Sitges, Spain.
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- Interior of Maricel in 1917 shows Spanish decorative furnishings and master artworks that later were transferred to the Deering Estate Stone House and major museums, including this 1904 Equestrian Portrait of young King Alfonso XIII by Ramón Casas.
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- Color plate Auto-chrome slide of the interior of Maricel with Charles Deering’s tapestry collection.
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- Charles Deering Portrait by Ramon Casas in the study at Maricel in 1917.
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- Hand-lettered proclamation thanking Charles Deering for his philanthropy to the town of Sitges in 1919.
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- Dedication written to Charles Deering for his philanthropy in Catalonia, Spain by the archivist for the province of Catalonia ca. 1910s.
Stone House
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- View of the Stone House in the 1980s.
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- The Stone House was designed by Beaux Arts Architect Phineas Paist who is also known for his work alongside George Merrick in Coral Gables.
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- The structure is made of poured concrete with Miami oolitic limestone applied as a façade on the exterior walls.
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- Original Stone House Columns resting in the Stone House ballroom during conservation work after Hurricane Andrew.
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- Construction of the Stone House took approximately 11 months to complete between 1922 and early 1923.
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- Unique concrete capitols were sculpted into place by skilled artisans.
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- An Otis elevator in the Stone House was one of the first private residence elevators to be installed in South Florida.
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- Hurricane Andrew’s powerful category 5 winds and storm surge devastated the Estate in 1992, however this special seashell mosaic was stable enough to be restored.