Miami Beach Prior to 1926 - a photo on Flickriver

Miami Beach Prior to 1926

            The Postcard

A postcard that was published by the E. C. Kropp Co. of Milwaukee. The card has a divided back, on which the publishers have printed:

"The Seashore of Miami Beach
extends for several miles, with
splendid bathing facilities.
The clean white sand slopes
for 1,000 feet gradually into
deeper water, affording ample
space for thousands of bathers.
Nearness to the Gulf Stream
keeps the water at a very even
temperature, the winter average
being 74 degrees.
Surf bathing is enjoyed 365
days in the year in Miami."

Miami Beach Bathing “Casinos”

Miami Beach sunbathers in the early 20th. century flocked to Casinos, which actually were “bathing pavilions” that had nothing to do with gambling. 

The first bathing casino was built by Dick Smith in 1901 on 1st. Street on the beach, and was called the Ocean Beach Casino. It had a high pyramidal roof, the sides were open and there were no amenities. 

In 1909, this location was bought out by Avery C. Smith, and re-named Smith’s Casino. At the time it opened, it was re-built as a two-story wooden structure with changing rooms, a small dance floor and a refreshment stand.  

By 1912, Smith was running his own ferry service to his bathhouse from across the bay. An alternate way to get across the bay was John Collin’s new bridge which opened on the 12th. June 1913. The Collins Bridge was later replaced by the Venetian Causeway in 1925. 

In April 1913, Dan Hardie, Dade County’s sheriff, opened a bathhouse one block north of Smith’s, equipped with a restaurant, calling it Hardie’s Casino. 

By 1918, both casinos had added swimming pools filled with seawater. By 1920, Hardie’s had expanded and given a new distinctive look with two square towers with peaked tile roofs, complementing the Smith Casino pyramid. 

Unfortunately, The Great Hurricane of 1926 completely devastated this beach resort.  
   

Taken on: September 17, 2023

Tags:

postcard

old

nostalgia

nostalgic

23MAM44

Miami

Beach

Kropp

Milwaukee

white

sand

slop

Gulf

Stream

Bathing

Casinos

pavilions

1909

Smith

1912

John

Collins

1925

1913

Dan

Hardie

1918

1920

hurricane

1926 « less

Sets appears in: • United States

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