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Cocoanut Grove, Florida

Official Directory of the City of Miami and Nearby Towns>

1904

Five miles below Miami, the terminus of the Florida East Coast Railway, is situated Cocoanut Grove.

The trip from Miami is made either by carriage or boat. Leaving Miami, the drive extends through a primeval forest or hammock, over a hard rock road, the beauties of which form a fitting introduction to the semi-tropical paradise of Cocoanut Grove.

As the carriage emerges from the hammock drive, and the visitor sees the deep blue waters of Biscayne Bay, dimpling and dancing beneath a most perfect sky, he feels it is a positive delight to live—to merely breathe.

Driving along the smooth, hard, rock road, several large, handsome homes are passed, built upon a high ridge, west of the roadway. Among these are the homes of Mr. Dearborn and Mr. Cul farther along the visitor passes, several stores nestling among the tall trees, which, from a distance, presents a pretty pic which has been sketched in water color by Mr. Harry Arnold, the artist.

Coming to a sudden stop, we are confronted by a gateway, leading into the grounds of the famous Peacock Inn. This hostelry is located on a rise of ground back from the bay, several hundred yards, and from the upper verandas of which, a beautiful view of the bay and ocean is to be had. The hotel is attractive and homelike, and is yearly visited by hundreds of tourists from all over the world.

Early in the '70's a postoffice was established at Cocoanut Grove, and later on abandoned. It was 1881, when Chas. Peacock purchased a piece of land from Chas. Frow, who then owned all of what was then known as the Beasley Homestead, comprising a tract of 160 acres, and cost him $100.

Since that time several tracts have brought $1,500 per acre. With the advent of Mr. Peacock, a new era began, and a new store opened, the postoffice re-established and the Bay View House opened, which was finally known as Peacock Inn. This hostelry is located on a rise of ground back from the bay, and from the upper veranda of which a beautiful view is obtained of the bay and ocean. The hotel is attractive and homelike and is visited by many tourists from all over the world.

Among the points of interest about Cocoanut Grove are the famed Everglades, the home of the vanishing race of Indians, the Seminoles; Cape Florida, with its deserted lighthouse, the scene of an awful massacre during the Seminole war.

The hunting around the Grove is very good, and includes deer, quail, ducks, snipe, coons, 'posum, turtles, alligators, and the true crocodile in the waters below Cutler.

Bathing can be indulged in the year round, and the fishing is excelled.

Paul Ransom's famous Adirondack Florida School is located near the home of the well-known author, Mr. Kirk Munro. It is here amid these scenes that some of Mr. Munroe's popular boys' books are laid.

The residents of Cocoanut Grove are refined and well-to-do, here, having built numerous attractive and comfortable homes an the Bay Ridge.

Among its leading citizens are: R. R. McCormick, Com. R. M. Munroe, Kirk Munroe. E. C. Dearborn, Hon. J. W. Ewan, A. A. Boggs, W. T. Satone, H. H. Culbertson. Chas. Peacock.

The growth of Cocoanut Grove has been steady and substantial, and today it will compare with any city of its size. It has good schools, churches, a public library, yacht club, and is surrounded by many choice citrus groves.

Source:
Excerpt from "Cocoanut Grove" Official Directory of the City of Miami and Nearby Towns, 1904.

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