ABOUT

The story of Coral Gables is one of resiliency, heritage and making a dream reality. In 1899, after several harsh northeast winters and the death of one of their daughters, Reverend Solomon Greasley Merrick and his wife, Althea, took their life savings and purchased a 160-acre tract of land west of Coconut Grove for $1,100, sight unseen. With the help of their oldest son, George who later founded the city, they cleared the land, built a crude wooden cabin and planted grapefruit and avocado trees. Their grove matured into a prosperous business and soon they added to the wooden cabin, incorporating the native coral rock into the structure and building a gabled roof. The Merrick family named their new home Coral Gables.

George had always dreamed of transforming the groves into a cosmopolitan city. When his father died, he began building Mediterranean-style homes with local materials, European-style plazas and wide tree-lined boulevards. Merrick also envisioned a thriving center for commerce and a gateway for global business. He wanted Coral Gables' legacy to stand the test of time like the solid rock from which the first structures were built. And so, it has.

Almost 100 years later, Coral Gables is one of the most sought-after residential communities in South Florida with a vibrant downtown featuring its bustling main street, Miracle Mile. It is Merrick's vision that has built Coral Gables into what it is today, a world class City with a hometown feel.