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Cutler, Florida

Official Directory of the City of Miami and Nearby Towns

1904

Fifteen miles below Miami on Biscayne Bay, is a tract of land of 24,000 acres, or six miles square, known as the Perrine Grant. This body of land was given by Congress to Dr. Henry Perrine about fifty years ago for the purpose of making an experimental station on a large scale for the introduction of "tropical trees and plants." Dr. Perrine was killed on Indian Key about seventy-five miles south of Cutler, and his children being too young to perfect the claim the matter lay dormant until about seven years ago, when the East Coast Railway combined with the heirs to carry out the original contract with the United States Government. One or more settlers having been placed on every section and a variety of tropical trees having been introduced, the patent was secured and developments on the grant begun.

The prairies have been drained and good roads made from the bay into the interior. A first-class macadamized road has already been built from Miami to Cutler, and the railway now runs to Black Creek.

The draining of the prairies has opened some of the finest vegetable lands in the world for winter track farming. Over 700 acres of tomatoes are grown here and in the busy season 3,000 crates per day are marketed. Irish potatoes, Bermuda onions, cabbage, beets, squashes and other vegetables grow to perfection.

Easterling Eros. Co., of Barnewell, N. C. own three entire sections just below Cutler, all of sections 13, 18, 19 and 26 of the Perrine Grant.

The prices of land range from $5 to $30 per acre for pine land, and $25 to $100 for praries. The average price of pine land is $213, and $30 for prairie.

Cutler is located in a most beautiful spot, overlooking Biscayne Bay, open to the broad ocean and to one of the healthiest localities in the United States. The water is pure and sweet and the climate everything that could be desired. The town consists of a few houses with two good stores, those of Tweedell Bros., and Brown & Moody, each of whom have built up a thriving business with the surrounding country. Cutler has daily mail and three wharves from which boats take freight and passengers to and from Miami. There is one hotel, "Richmond Cottage," which overlooks the bay and furnishes a most delightful retreat for one who wishes to enjoy rest and quiet. This is the most southerly hotel on the mainland of the United States.

Walter C. Crofts is the postmaster at present.

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

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