After Glenn Curtiss, an aviation pioneer, retired from aircraft development and manufacturing in the 1920s, he became a real estate developer in Florida. In 1926, during the Florida land boom of the 1920s, Curtiss founded the Opa-locka project on 4.2 acres of land in northwestern Miami-Dade County, Florida. The Opa-locka Company was the development and sales company established by Curtiss for his Opa-locka project.[2]
Curtiss named the development "Opa-tisha-wocka-locka", which meant "a big island covered with many trees and swamps."[3][1] He shortened it to Opa-locka. Curtiss hired the American architect Bernhardt E. Muller to design the town in the themes of an "Arabian Fantasy" or "Arabian Nights."[4] Some sources indicate that Curtiss was inspired by his viewing of the 1924 motion picture The Thief of Baghdad.[4]
Muller designed 86 buildings in Opa-locka in a Moorish Revival style.[1] The buildings elements include onion-shaped domes, minarets, crenelated parapets, Saracenic arches, watchtowers, mosaic tile, and outdoor spiral staircases. The streets were given Arabian-related names, such as Ali Baba Avenue, Sharazad Avenue, Caliph Street, Sinbad Avenue, Sesame Street, and Aladdin Street.[3][1]
The Administration Building has been described as "the anchor of the new city,"[1] and was designed by Muller as the headquarters for the Opa-locka Company. It was later used as Opa-locka's City Hall. The building has been called "The Nation's Weirdest City Hall",[4] and was reported to have been inspired by the description of the palace of the Emperor Kosroushah in One Thousand and One Nights. The Administration Building includes "a dazzling array of domes, minarets, and arches, which combined to create a delightful oriental palace and afforded the appearance of a magical, fantasy city."[1]
The 1926 Miami hurricane struck in September of that year and destroyed many of the original Moorish-style buildings, but some survived.[3][5] Based on a survey and documentation prepared later in the twentieth century, twenty of the surviving structures have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[3] The Opa-locka Company administration building is one of the listed buildings.[3] Three other commercial buildings were listed on the National Register together.[1]
The following buildings were added to the National Register of Historic Places as part of a Multiple Property Submission with the 1981 study, or later, consistently with the study guidelines of the Opa-locka Thematic Resource Area report.
^Opa-locka Community Development Commission - History of Opa-locka Architecture - accessed 2 September 2008
External linksedit
A trip around Opa-Locka Thematic Resource area, Jan. 2013
Media related to National Register of Historic Places in Opa-Locka, Florida at Wikimedia Commons
May 06, 2024
locka, thematic, resource, area, group, thematically, related, historic, sites, locka, miami, dade, county, florida, united, states, area, comprises, surviving, moorish, revival, buildings, which, listed, national, register, historic, places, buildings, were, . The Opa locka Thematic Resource Area is a group of thematically related historic sites in Opa locka Miami Dade County Florida United States The area comprises 20 surviving Moorish Revival buildings which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places The buildings were designed in the mid 1920s by architect Bernhardt E Muller as part of the development of Opa locka by Glenn Hammond Curtiss an aviation pioneer and his development and sales company Opa locka Company In developing Opa locka Curtiss sought to follow a theme inspired by the Arabian Nights The designated buildings include the Opa locka Company administration building considered the anchor of the Opa locka development the Opa locka railroad station and the development s first commercial building the Harry Hurt Building Opa locka Thematic Resource AreaU S National Register of Historic PlacesLocationOpa locka Miami Dade County FloridaMPS 1 NRHP reference No 64000117Added to NRHPMarch 22 1982 Opa locka Company administration building Opa locka railroad station Long House Harry Hurt Building Contents 1 History of the sites 2 List of registered sites 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksHistory of the sites editAfter Glenn Curtiss an aviation pioneer retired from aircraft development and manufacturing in the 1920s he became a real estate developer in Florida In 1926 during the Florida land boom of the 1920s Curtiss founded the Opa locka project on 4 2 acres of land in northwestern Miami Dade County Florida The Opa locka Company was the development and sales company established by Curtiss for his Opa locka project 2 Curtiss named the development Opa tisha wocka locka which meant a big island covered with many trees and swamps 3 1 He shortened it to Opa locka Curtiss hired the American architect Bernhardt E Muller to design the town in the themes of an Arabian Fantasy or Arabian Nights 4 Some sources indicate that Curtiss was inspired by his viewing of the 1924 motion picture The Thief of Baghdad 4 Muller designed 86 buildings in Opa locka in a Moorish Revival style 1 The buildings elements include onion shaped domes minarets crenelated parapets Saracenic arches watchtowers mosaic tile and outdoor spiral staircases The streets were given Arabian related names such as Ali Baba Avenue Sharazad Avenue Caliph Street Sinbad Avenue Sesame Street and Aladdin Street 3 1 The Administration Building has been described as the anchor of the new city 1 and was designed by Muller as the headquarters for the Opa locka Company It was later used as Opa locka s City Hall The building has been called The Nation s Weirdest City Hall 4 and was reported to have been inspired by the description of the palace of the Emperor Kosroushah in One Thousand and One Nights The Administration Building includes a dazzling array of domes minarets and arches which combined to create a delightful oriental palace and afforded the appearance of a magical fantasy city 1 The 1926 Miami hurricane struck in September of that year and destroyed many of the original Moorish style buildings but some survived 3 5 Based on a survey and documentation prepared later in the twentieth century twenty of the surviving structures have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places 3 The Opa locka Company administration building is one of the listed buildings 3 Three other commercial buildings were listed on the National Register together 1 List of registered sites editMap all coordinates using OpenStreetMap Download coordinates as KML GPX all coordinates GPX primary coordinates GPX secondary coordinates The following buildings were added to the National Register of Historic Places as part of a Multiple Property Submission with the 1981 study or later consistently with the study guidelines of the Opa locka Thematic Resource Area report Resource Name Also known as Location Added Harry Hurt Building Logan Executive Center 490 Ali Baba Avenue25 54 05 N 80 15 04 W 25 901389 N 80 251111 W 25 901389 80 251111 Harry Hurt Building March 22 1982 Opa locka Company administration building Opa locka City Hall 777 Sharazad Boulevard25 54 17 N 80 15 11 W 25 904722 N 80 253056 W 25 904722 80 253056 Opa locka Company Administration Building March 22 1982 Opa locka Bank First Baptist Church 940 Caliph Street25 54 21 N 80 15 01 W 25 905833 N 80 250278 W 25 905833 80 250278 Opa locka Bank May 19 1983 Opa locka railroad station 490 Ali Baba Avenue25 54 01 N 80 15 12 W 25 900278 N 80 253333 W 25 900278 80 253333 Opa locka Railroad Station June 25 1987 H W Baird House Edmunds House 401 Dunad Avenue25 54 11 N 80 15 22 W 25 903056 N 80 256111 W 25 903056 80 256111 H W Baird House August 17 1987 George Cravero House Lewis House 1011 Sharar Avenue25 54 28 N 80 15 05 W 25 907778 N 80 251389 W 25 907778 80 251389 George Cravero House August 17 1987 J W Crouse House Rey House 1156 Peri Street25 54 33 N 80 14 56 W 25 909167 N 80 248889 W 25 909167 80 248889 J W Crouse House August 17 1987 Clarence Etheredge House Raad House 915 Sharar Avenue25 54 27 N 80 15 09 W 25 9075 N 80 2525 W 25 9075 80 2525 Clarence Etheredge House August 17 1987 R M Griffiths House Ortiz Figueroa House 826 Superior Street25 53 53 N 80 15 04 W 25 898056 N 80 251111 W 25 898056 80 251111 R M Griffiths House August 17 1987 S K Haislip House Payon Diaz House 1141 Jann Avenue25 54 31 N 80 14 57 W 25 908611 N 80 249167 W 25 908611 80 249167 S K Haislip House August 17 1987 Helm Stores and Apartments 1217 Sharazad Boulevard25 54 18 N 80 14 53 W 25 905 N 80 248056 W 25 905 80 248056 Helm Stores and Apartments August 17 1987 Roy Helms House Rose House 721 Sharar Avenue25 54 24 N 80 15 17 W 25 906667 N 80 254722 W 25 906667 80 254722 Roy Helms House August 17 1987 A H Higgins Duplex Smith House 1210 1212 Sesame Street25 54 20 N 80 14 53 W 25 905556 N 80 248056 W 25 905556 80 248056 A H Higgins Duplex August 17 1987 King Trunk Factory and Showroom O Dell Apartment House 951 Superior Street25 53 55 N 80 14 54 W 25 898611 N 80 248333 W 25 898611 80 248333 King Trunk Factory and Showroom August 17 1987 C E Long House Peterman House 613 Sharar Avenue25 54 21 N 80 15 20 W 25 905833 N 80 255556 W 25 905833 80 255556 C E Long House August 17 1987 E E Root Building Rondon Building 111 Perviz Avenue25 54 15 N 80 15 14 W 25 904167 N 80 253889 W 25 904167 80 253889 E E Root Building August 17 1987 L M Taber Duplex Brown House 1214 1216 Sesame Street25 54 21 N 80 14 52 W 25 905833 N 80 247778 W 25 905833 80 247778 L M Taber Duplex August 17 1987 W A Tinsman House Morales House 1110 Peri Street25 54 34 N 80 15 00 W 25 909444 N 80 25 W 25 909444 80 25 W A Tinsman House August 17 1987 W P Tooker House Quick House 811 Dunad Avenue25 54 23 N 80 15 12 W 25 906389 N 80 253333 W 25 906389 80 253333 W P Tooker House August 17 1987 H Sayre Wheeler House Riopelle House 1035 Dunad Avenue25 54 24 N 80 15 01 W 25 906667 N 80 250278 W 25 906667 80 250278 H Sayre Wheeler House August 17 1987See also editCurtiss amp Bright a partnership entity that also developed in this area National Register of Historic Places listings in Miami Dade County FloridaReferences edit a b c d e f g Rolla L Queen October 1981 National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Opa Locka Thematic Resource Area Rolla L Queen October 1981 National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Opa locka Thematic Resource Area Continuation page 2 item number 8 page 2 a b c d e City of Opa locka History www opalockafl gov The City of Opa locka Florida Retrieved February 22 2018 a b c The Nation s Weirdest City Hall Weird US Opa locka Community Development Commission History of Opa locka Architecture accessed 2 September 2008External links editA trip around Opa Locka Thematic Resource area Jan 2013 nbsp Media related to National Register of Historic Places in Opa Locka Florida at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Opa locka Thematic Resource Area amp oldid 1190180831, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
