ITEM 7 HISTORIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL PRESERVATION BOARD STAFF REPORT

NAME 8DA11 / Dupont Archaeological Conservation Area

ADDRESS 300 SE 3 Street

PROJECT DESCRIPTION Preliminary evaluation of data to determine conformance with City of Preservation Ordinance requirements for local designation of 300 SE 3 Street as an historic and archaeological site; if appropriate, directing the Planning Department to prepare a designation report

PREFACE It is essential to note that until archaeological excavations are concluded and analysis and technical report production is completed by the project archaeologist, the significance of the parcel at 300 SE 3 Street (hereinafter referred to as “the Site”) can only be understood as it relates to the historical record, to previous technical archaeological reports produced for adjacent properties, and the preliminary findings on the Site itself. Due to the in-progress nature of archaeological study at the Site, official interpretation of the exact archaeological significance of the Site may evolve.

ANALYSIS The parcel at 300 SE 3 Street (hereinafter referred to as “the Site”) is located on Miami’s prehistoric shoreline, where the once met . The Site has always been prime real estate in Miami. Archaeological data obtained from adjacent sites indicate that Native American settlement at the site dates back approximately 2,000 years. The first written accounts of Spanish explorers in South from the early 1500s note that a Tequesta village was located at the mouth of the Miami River, and that it was one of the largest Native American settlements in South Florida. In the historic record, accounts have been made that the Site or the immediately adjacent areas hosted 16th and 17th century Spanish missions and an 18th-century plantation. During the Second and Third Seminole Wars (1836-1858), Fort Dallas and military encampments were set up on this Site for defensive purposes. In 1897, the year after Miami was incorporated and Henry Flagler brought the Florida East Coast Railroad to town, Flagler commissioned the Royal Palm Hotel, Miami’s first mega‐project, to be constructed on the Site, taking advantage of its striking views and cooling breezes. By a fluke of circumstance, the Site has been used as a parking lot for nearly 80 years; nothing has been built here since the Royal Palm Hotel was demolished in 1937. As a result, an unusual amount of features and artifacts associated with Miami’s earliest settlements is preserved in place on the Site.

As part of archaeological excavations taking place on the Site in preparation for new development, thousands of postholes have been discovered. Many of these postholes appear to represent linear features including at least six (and possibly eight or more) circular alignments and

April 1, 2014 Page 1 of 8 ITEM 7 many linear alignments that represent what is believed to be the foundations of a Tequesta settlement. The Site also contains significant historic components, specifically a well that suggests the use of the parcel as part of Fort Dallas in the Second and Third Seminole Wars and the foundations of the Royal Palm Hotel (1897‐1930), Miami’s first major resort destination. Photos of these findings, a diagrammatic map of findings, and a survey of archaeological findings as of January 2014 are located in Attachment A of this Staff Report.

These archaeological findings at the Site take on added significance when considered in context with other archaeological findings in the immediate vicinity, including, but not limited to, the Granada Site, the Miami Circle at Point, and previous phases of the Met Miami development project (200 SE 2 Street and 200 SE 3 Street).

In the late 1970s, archaeological study was undertaken at the Granada site, in the area between SE 1st Avenue and SE 2nd Avenue, and between the Miami River and SE 4th Street. At that time, extensive cultural deposits associated with the Tequesta were discovered and documented. The results of that study are available in the reports Excavations at the Granada Site (included in Attachment B of this staff report) and Where the River Found the Bay: Historical Study of the Granada Site, Miami, Florida (Included in Attachment C of this staff report). As a result of these studies, a Florida Master Site File was created for an archaeological area that includes both the Granada Site and the Site at 300 SE 3 Street (Included in Attachment G of this staff report). The Florida Master Site File is numbered 8DA11, and in 1985 it was determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.

In the 1990s, the archaeological site known as the Miami Circle at Brickell Point was discovered at 401 Brickell Avenue, directly across the Miami River from the Site. As a result of archaeological studies at Brickell Point, the Miami Circle was locally designated as an archaeological site by the City of Miami for conformance with Criterion 7 and Criterion 8 of the City of Miami Preservation Ordinance, was listed in the National Register for Historic Places, and was listed as a National Historic Landmark. (The Landmark nomination form is included in Attachment E of this staff report). In addition, in preparation for the National Historic Landmark nomination of the Miami Circle at Brickell Point site, a National Historic Landmark theme study, Southern Florida Sites Associated with the Tequesta and their Ancestors, was developed to provide archeological and historical context. (Included in Attachment D of this staff report). This document provides valuable context for understanding the Site as it is studied today.

In the 2000s and 2010s, during archaeological excavations associated with the Met Miami development project at 200 SE 2 Street, 200 SE 3 Street, and 300 SE 3 Street, extensive cultural deposits were discovered and

April 1, 2014 Page 2 of 8 ITEM 7 continue to be discovered today. The Met III development site at 200 SE 2 Street yielded extensive cultural deposits that are believed to be related to a Tequesta burial ground. The archaeological data from those sites has further contributed to the data available to understand prehistoric habitation along the Miami River. The results of those findings are available in multiple reports including, but not limited to, Phase III Archaeological Investigations of Parcel D, MDM, Miami-Dade County, Florida.

The archaeological findings at the Site should be considered within the context of the archaeological research and reporting for adjacent sites along the Miami River.

According to the State of Florida Division of Historical Resources in their letter to Francisco Garcia dated November 4, 2013, The discovery of an extensive, well-preserved set of archaeological features such as those at Met Square is highly unusual in the United States. The arrangements of postholes discovered at this site are far more extensive and complex than those found at the Miami Circle several years ago. At most archaeological sites, the resource itself is destroyed as soil is removed and artifacts are taken out of context for evaluation and interpretation. The Met Square site is an exception, because the postholes carved into the limestone are permanent evidence of prehistoric Native American architecture. Additionally, the brick‐lined well from Fort Dallas and the stairs of the Royal Palm Hotel are tangible evidence of Miami’s dynamic history. The discovery at Met Square is exceptional, and it tells the story of over 2,500 years of Florida history at a single location. Given the site’s location and the archaeological materials collected from the site, it is not inappropriate to consider the area the birthplace of Miami. The remarkable design and orientation of the postholes carved into the bedrock limestone are unique in the United States, especially when placed into context with the nearby Miami Circle. The postholes likely relate to prehistoric architecture, ceremonial structures, a settlement, or all of the above. Indeed, the features at Met Square represent a pre‐European contact urban planning project, and are a rare example of prehistoric engineering. The features and artifacts discovered at this site have the potential to significantly contribute to our understanding of South Florida’s prehistory. Furthermore, the site contains the remnants of Fort Dallas, established in 1836 during the Seminole Wars, as well as components of Henry Flagler’s historic Royal Palm Hotel.

According to Section 23-4 of the City of Miami Code, properties may be locally designated as historic resources, historic districts, or archaeological sites and zones only if they have significance in the historical, cultural, archaeological, paleontological, aesthetic, or architectural heritage of the city, state, or nation; possess integrity of design, setting, materials,

April 1, 2014 Page 3 of 8 ITEM 7 workmanship, feeling, and association; and meet one or more of the following criteria: 1. Are associated in a significant way with the life of a person important in the past; 2. Are the site of a historic event with significant effect upon the community, city, state, or nation; 3. Exemplify the historical, cultural, political, economical, or social trends of the community; 4. Portray the environment in an era of history characterized by one or more distinctive architectural styles; 5. Embody those distinguishing characteristics of an architectural style, or period, or method of construction; 6. Are an outstanding work of a prominent designer or builder; 7. Contain elements of design, detail, materials, or craftsmanship of outstanding quality or which represent a significant innovation or adaptation to the South Florida environment; or 8. Have yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history.

The Site at 300 SE 3 Street is significant in the historical, cultural, archaeological, and architectural heritage of Miami, Florida, and the United States. The Site itself represents multiple layers of Miami’s most significant periods of development. These components are physically evident through architectural features present at the Site, including prehistoric postholes, a Seminole War-era well, and Flagler-era foundations of the Royal Palm Hotel. Prehistoric postholes comprising circular alignments have already been proven to be significant at the local, state and national level, as evidenced by the listing of the Miami Circle across the Miami River as a National Landmark, listing of the Miami Circle on the National Register of Historic Places, and local designation of the Miami Circle for conformance with criteria 7 and 8 of the City of Miami Preservation Ordinance. Fort Dallas was a Federal fort during the time of the Second and Third Seminole Wars, a conflict that has historical significance in the development of Miami and the State of Florida. Finally, the Royal Palm Hotel has significance at the local and state level. It represents Miami’s first luxury mega-hotel and the dawn of a tourist industry that has defined Miami to the present day. The Royal Palm Hotel was one of many important stops on Henry Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railway. The Florida East Coast Railway was an important catalyst for urban development along Florida’s east coast, and Flagler built large luxury hotels along the route to serve as tourist destinations, from St. Augustine to Palm Beach to Miami.

The Site possesses integrity of design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association. The architectural features that have been discovered in situ represent layers of history and pre-history on the Site. The original relationship of these features to one another, to the original shoreline of the mouth of the Miami River, and to previous archaeological findings along the Miami River is evident, representing integrity of setting, feeling and association. Currently, the relationship to the Miami Circle across the Miami

April 1, 2014 Page 4 of 8 ITEM 7 River is also perceptible, enhancing this understanding of setting, feeling and association. The architectural features on the Site are in their original location and the majority of the features remain in their original condition, allowing understanding of their design, materials, and workmanship. The foundations of the Royal Palm Hotel can be understood as part of the archaeology of the site rather than as an original work of architecture.

Finally, the Site meets two of the eight criteria required for local designation:

7. Contain elements of design, detail, materials, or craftsmanship of outstanding quality or which represent a significant innovation or adaptation to the South Florida environment: The prehistoric postholes found carved into the limestone bedrock represent a resourceful adaptation to the South Florida environment, employing local building tools and materials available prior to European contact. There is evidence on site that the Tequesta may have carved the holes by twisting a sharpened conch shell into the rock, resulting in relatively uniform-diameter holes that relate to the tool cutting them. Also discovered in the area were charred wooden posts, leading archaeologists to believe that the Tequesta may have trimmed and prepared pine trees and inserted them into the post holes cut into the bedrock to form the foundations and walls of structures. This hypothesis has been studied and supported through extensive research of Tequesta settlement patterns in South Florida and particularly in association with the Miami Circle Site. More information is available in the National Historic Landmark / National Register of Historic Places Theme Study: Southern Florida Sites Associated with the Tequesta and their Ancestors, and the National Historic Landmark Nomination: Miami Circle at Brickell Point.

8. Have yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history: Through intensive archaeological investigation, the Site has yielded significant data related to the prehistory and , through the uncovering of artifacts and the discovery of significant archaeological features such as complex alignments of postholes cut into the bedrock. This data, if thoroughly studied and vetted, has the potential to significantly contribute to our understanding of Tequesta culture as well as the early history of Miami.

In addition, the following criteria may be appropriate to consider for the local designation of the Site: 1. Are associated in a significant way with the life of a person important in the past: The Site may meet this criterion due to its association with Henry Flagler. Henry Flagler is often credited as being responsible for the urban development of the east coast of Florida, through the construction of his Florida East Coast railway, and the necessary support services and tourist destinations to attract passengers. Henry Flagler extended his Florida East

April 1, 2014 Page 5 of 8 ITEM 7 Coast railway to Miami in the 1890s, and as part of his business plan, he constructed the luxury hotel and tourist destination, the Royal Palm Hotel, on the north bank of the Miami River. The foundations of the Royal Palm Hotel at the Site represent a link with one of Henry Flagler’s important building projects in Florida.

3. Exemplify the historical, cultural, political, economical, or social trends of the community: The Site may meet this criterion through the presence of architectural features that represent two significant periods of Miami’s early history: a Fort-Dallas era well representing occupation of the site during the Second and Third Seminole Wars (1836-1858) and the foundations of the Royal Palm Hotel, representing the arrival of the railroad and Miami’s first tourist destination. Further investigation of data is necessary to demonstrate that criterion 1 and criterion 3 are appropriate for the designation of the Site.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Please note that the bibliography below is preliminary, and that further investigation is necessary to determine the most appropriate research materials to complete a designation report for the Site. Please also note that sources cited by authors in the documents below are incorporated into this bibliography by reference.

Griffin, John W., Sue B. Richardson, Mary Pohl, Carl D. McMurrary, C. Margaret Scarry, Suzanne K. Fish, Elizabeth S. Wing, L. Jill Loucks, Marcia K. Welch. Excavations at the Granada Site: Archaeology and History of the Granada Site, Volume I Florida Division of Archives, History and Records Management 1978 (ATTACHMENT B)

Parks, Arva Moore Where the River Found the Bay: Historical and History of the Granada Site, Volume II Florida Division of Archives, History and Records Management 1978 (ATTACHMENT C)

Saldana, Greg Documentation of Historic and Existing Conditions: North Wing – Basement Level Workshop of the Royal Palm Hotel. 2004

Arva Parks & Company One Miami 2002

Carr, Robert S., M.S., and William F. Rombola, B.A. An Archaeological Assessment of the First Phase Construction, Miami Met 1, MDM-Eastern Half of Parcel B, Miami, Florida. AHC Technical Report #569, 2005

Carr, Robert S., M.S., William Schaffer, M.A., Ashley Gelman, M.A., Bradley M. Mueller, M.A., Shannon D. Iverson, M.S., Willam F. Rombola, B.A., Ryan Franklin, Ph.D., Phase III Archaeological Investigations of Parcel D, MDM, Miami-Dade County, Florida. AHC Technical Report #933, 2010

April 1, 2014 Page 6 of 8 ITEM 7 Zamanillo, Jorge An Archaeological and Historical Assessment of the One Miami – Parcel A, Miami, Florida. AHC Technical Report #269, 2000

Southern Florida Sites Associated with the Tequesta and their Ancestors: National Historic Landmark / National Register of Historic Places Theme Study, Florida Division of Historical Resources (ATTACHMENT D)

Miami Circle at Brickell Point: National Historic Landmark Nomination, Florida Division of Historical Resources (ATTACHMENT E)

Wheeler, Ryan J. Cultural Resource Assessment of Brickell Point and the Miami Circle: Florida Archaeological Reports 10, Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research, Florida Department of State, Division of Historical Resources, 2000

Topogr. Sketch of the Miami River from the to Kay Biscayne Bay. By F.H. Gerdes, U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, 1849

Sketch of the Miama (sic) River, South Florida, From the Rapids in the Everglades, to the Mouth in Kay Biscayne Bay, W. of Cape Florida. Distance straight line 3 ¾ mile. By F.H. Gerdes, U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, 1849

Mouth of the Miami River Fl: Kay Biscayne Bay, W of Cape Florida. By F.H. Gerdes, U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, 1849

Sketch map by Lieutenant J.H. Robertson, based on memory of Fort Dallas from 1849-1850, 1854

Letter, Lieutenant J.H. Robertson to Haynes, 1854, National Archives Microfilm Publication M1084, Roll 3 Frames 1050 & following. F/W R2 1854

“Observations on the Miami River” An Interesting Journal by F.H. Gerdes, Asst. on Florida Reefs, &c. 1848-9 Sect. VI U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey, A.D. Bache, Supt.

Survey of Archaeological Features on Site as of May 2013, provided by MDM to the City of Preservation Office in July 2013

Monthly Reports of Archaeological Activity at Met Square Development Site, provided by Robert Carr, project archaeologist, on behalf of MDM, to the City of Miami Preservation Office • March 2013: email dated April 8, 2013 • April 2013: letter dated April 30, 2012 (sic) (with attachments) • April 2013: email dated May 21, 2013 (with attachments) • July 2013: email dated August 14, 2013 (with attachments) • August 2013: email dated September 16, 2013 (with attachments) • September 2013: email dated October 30, 2013 • November 2013: email dated December 4, 2013

April 1, 2014 Page 7 of 8 ITEM 7 • December 2013: email dated December 31, 2013 • January 2014: email dated January 24, 2013 (with attachments) • January 2014 addendum: email dated February 3, 2013 (with attachments) (ATTACHMENT F)

Notices of Discovery at Met Square Development Site, provided by Robert Carr, project archaeologist, on behalf of MDM, to the City of Miami Preservation Office • November 21, 2012 • February 25, 2013 • April 3, 2013 • April 30, 2012 (sic) (with attachments) • May 21, 2013 • August 5, 2013 (with attachments) • September 9, 2013 • September 18, 2013 • October 4, 2013 (with attachments) • October 30, 2013 (with attachments) • February 3, 2013 (with attachments)

Florida Master Site File 8DA11: Miami Midden I (Granada), State of Florida, Department of State (ATTACHMENT G)

Met Miami’s Presentation to HEP Board on February 14, 2014: relevant information regarding archaeological data retrieved from the Met Square site.

RECOMMENDATION The Preservation Office finds that the data associated with the Site at 300 SE 3 Street conforms with the City of Miami Preservation Ordinance requirements for local designation as an historic and archaeological site, because the data supports the principle that the Site is significant in the historical, cultural, archaeological, paleontological, aesthetic, and architectural heritage of the city, state, and nation; it possesses integrity of design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association; and it meets one or more of the criteria outlined in Chapter 23 of the City Code.

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