First Coconut Grove Schoolhouse

United States historic place


First Coconut Grove School
U.S. National Register of Historic Places

Coconut Grove Schoolhouse, March 2011
25°43′25″N 80°14′52″W / 25.723515°N 80.247809°W / 25.723515; -80.247809
Architectural style	Bungalow/Craftsman
NRHP reference No.	75000547^[1]
Added to NRHP	January 21, 1975

The First Coconut Grove Schoolhouse is a historic school located in Coconut Grove, Florida. The school originally resided at 2916 Grand Avenue in Miami.^[2] The structure was built in 1887 by Coconut Grove pioneer Charles Peacock.^[2] Peacock reportedly constructed the house using wood gathered from ships wrecked in nearby Key Biscayne.^[2] The building originally served as a community gathering place, with Sunday School as its main purpose.^[3]

In 1889, the one-room schoolhouse became the very first public school for area children.^[4] The building's owner, Charles Peacock, was paid rent in the amount of $12.00 for the first seven-month school year.^[5] Ten children from the Frow, Pent, and Peacock pioneer families, were its first attendees.^[6]

The first meetings of the Miami-Dade County School Board can be traced back to this period, with the First Coconut Grove Schoolhouse located in School District Number Three.^[6] The first teacher hired by the Miami-Dade County School Board to instruct pioneer children of Coconut Grove, Flora McFarlane, was contracted in November 1889.^[7]

The schoolhouse also retains historical significance since the first meetings of the Woman's Club of Coconut Grove were held on site.^[8] In February 1891, Flora McFarlane and Coconut Grove pioneers Isabella Peacock, Euphemia Frow, Mary Munroe, and Louisa Newbold held began their work of organizing numerous social, civic, and educational projects.^[8]

In 1902, Charles Peacock sold the First Coconut Grove Schoolhouse for $400.00.^[9] The property remained in possession of the new owner until it was sold again in 1944.^[9] The building was then purchased by Ryder Systems, refurbished, and relocated to the Plymouth Congregational Church property in 1970.^[10] The schoolhouse remains on church property at 3429 Devon Road, Miami, Florida, 33133.^[11]

On January 21, 1975, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.^[12]

References

Notes

^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
^ ^a ^b ^c Wilcox, Bob (April 17, 1971). "Dedication Will Recall History of Class of '89". The Miami News. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
^ "First Coconut Grove Schoolhouse Designation Report" (PDF). City of Miami. Heritage Preservation Board. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
^ "First Coconut Grove Schoolhouse Designation Report" (PDF). City of Miami. Heritage Preservation Board. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
^ Kent, Gertrude. "The Coconut Grove School" (PDF). FIU Digital Collections. Tequesta. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 December 2014. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
^ ^a ^b Kent, Gertrude. "The Coconut Grove School" (PDF). FIU Digital Collections. Tequesta. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 December 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
^ Bonawit, Oby J. (1980). Miami, Florida: Early Families and Records. Miami, FL: Bonawit.
^ ^a ^b "Woman's Club of Coconut Grove Records". University of Miami Digital Libraries Special Collections. University of Miami Digital Libraries. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
^ ^a ^b Parks, Arva Moore (September 20, 2010). Coconut Grove: Images of America. Chicago, IL: Arcadia Publishing.
^ "Historic Timeline: 1950-Present". Plymouth Congregational Church. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
^ "Florida's History Through Its Places". Florida Department of State Historical Resources. State of Florida. Archived from the original on September 27, 2014. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
^ "Dade County, Florida". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. Retrieved 25 September 2014.