Matheson Hammock Park
Encyclopedia
Matheson Hammock Park is a 630 acres (2.5 km²) urban park
in metropolitan
Miami at 9610 Old Cutler Road
, just south of Coral Gables
, Florida
. The park surrounds the north and western ends of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
.
, a gift of 80 acres to the county from William J. Matheson
. It was administered by the county's first director of public parks, A. D. Barnes and designed by the landscape architect William Lyman Phillips. Matheson wanted the land to be used as a park "to preserve the wild and natural beauty." It grew with further donations by the Matheson heirs, purchases by county commissioner Charles Crandon, and other donations to its current 630 acres. Civilian Conservation Corps
(CCC) crews were assigned to Matheson Hammock in 1936 and began to develop the Bayfront park area. Coral stone buildings rose and the picnic area had a coral stone shelter. Without the use of the inexpensive and skilled labor force under the state and federal assistance programs, it would have been impossible to build the miles of carefully-hewn coral stone walls and native stone buildings. The quality of the CCC's work was verified in 1945 when a hurricane resulted in 12 foot waves rolling over Matheson Hammock causing immense damage to equipment and furnishings, and depositing layers of mud and trash in the park, but the basic CCC structures stood firm and the park recovered.
, which is flushed naturally with the tidal action of adjacent Biscayne Bay
. The beach sea breeze
is popular among families. The park operates a snack bar and restaurant built into an historic coral stone building, picnic pavilions and nature trails.
In conjunction with the park the county runs a marina on the site, accommodating vessels of up to 50 feet (15.2 m²). Other facilities include a fishing tackle
shop, boat launching ramps, gas and diesel fuel, and wetslips.
Urban park
An urban park, is also known as a municipal park or a public park, public open space or municipal gardens , is a park in cities and other incorporated places to offer recreation and green space to residents of, and visitors to, the municipality...
in metropolitan
Miami-Dade County, Florida
Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 2,496,435, making it the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States...
Miami at 9610 Old Cutler Road
Old Cutler Road
Old Cutler Road is an off-grid plan north-south main road that runs south of Downtown Miami in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States.-Route description:...
, just south of Coral Gables
Coral Gables, Florida
Coral Gables is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, southwest of Downtown Miami, in the United States. The city is home to the University of Miami....
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. The park surrounds the north and western ends of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is a botanic garden, with extensive collections of rare tropical plants including palms, cycads, flowering trees and vines. It is located in metropolitan Miami, just south of Coral Gables, Florida, United States, surrounded at the south and west by Matheson...
.
History
Matheson Hammock opened in 1930 as the first county park of Dade CountyMiami-Dade County, Florida
Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 2,496,435, making it the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States...
, a gift of 80 acres to the county from William J. Matheson
William John Matheson
William John Matheson was an American industrialist, born in Wisconsin but educated in Scotland. Having learned, while in Scotland, about recent breakthroughs in the development of aniline dyes, Matheson became an early importer and distributor of such dyes from Germany...
. It was administered by the county's first director of public parks, A. D. Barnes and designed by the landscape architect William Lyman Phillips. Matheson wanted the land to be used as a park "to preserve the wild and natural beauty." It grew with further donations by the Matheson heirs, purchases by county commissioner Charles Crandon, and other donations to its current 630 acres. Civilian Conservation Corps
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
(CCC) crews were assigned to Matheson Hammock in 1936 and began to develop the Bayfront park area. Coral stone buildings rose and the picnic area had a coral stone shelter. Without the use of the inexpensive and skilled labor force under the state and federal assistance programs, it would have been impossible to build the miles of carefully-hewn coral stone walls and native stone buildings. The quality of the CCC's work was verified in 1945 when a hurricane resulted in 12 foot waves rolling over Matheson Hammock causing immense damage to equipment and furnishings, and depositing layers of mud and trash in the park, but the basic CCC structures stood firm and the park recovered.
Facilities
Matheson Hammock Park is a scenic park featuring a man-made atoll poolAtoll
An atoll is a coral island that encircles a lagoon partially or completely.- Usage :The word atoll comes from the Dhivehi word atholhu OED...
, which is flushed naturally with the tidal action of adjacent Biscayne Bay
Biscayne Bay
Biscayne Bay is a lagoon that is approximately 35 miles long and up to 8 miles wide located on the Atlantic coast of South Florida, United States. It is usually divided for purposes of discussion and analysis into three parts: North Bay, Central Bay, and South Bay. Its area is...
. The beach sea breeze
Sea breeze
A sea-breeze is a wind from the sea that develops over land near coasts. It is formed by increasing temperature differences between the land and water; these create a pressure minimum over the land due to its relative warmth, and forces higher pressure, cooler air from the sea to move inland...
is popular among families. The park operates a snack bar and restaurant built into an historic coral stone building, picnic pavilions and nature trails.
In conjunction with the park the county runs a marina on the site, accommodating vessels of up to 50 feet (15.2 m²). Other facilities include a fishing tackle
Fishing tackle
Fishing tackle, is a general term that refers to the equipment used by fishermen when fishing. Almost any equipment or gear used for fishing can be called fishing tackle. Some examples are hooks, lines, sinkers, floats, rods, reels, baits, lures, spears, nets, gaffs, traps, waders and tackle...
shop, boat launching ramps, gas and diesel fuel, and wetslips.