Historic and Environmental Preservation Board Staff Report
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ITEM 6 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 Miami 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 artifact 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 Miami River once met Biscayne Bay. 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 Florida 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 March 4, 2014 Page 1 of 8 ITEM 6 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 Brickell 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 March 4, 2014 Page 2 of 8 ITEM 6 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, March 4, 2014 Page 3 of 8 ITEM 6 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.