MIAMI — Tucked under rising buildings in downtown Miami rests a treasure of city history.

Fort Dallas Park is a gem hidden in plain sight, located at 64 SE Fourth St. along the Miami River.

“The cottage is a fantastic story,” said Miami Commissioner Damian Pardo. “When Henry Flagler was building the railroad, his workers lived in tents, and he didn’t want them to live in tents, so he built a series of cottages for them to be able to live in. This is the last of those cottages, so it is priceless.”

The historic park ― that goes back 200 years ― is one that many in South Florida have likely never seen.

“It’s been closed for a decade and yet we are in the urban core and everyone knows the urban core from development, traffic, all these issues,” said Pardo. “People need a place to go by the water that is nice, that has canopy, that is a pleasure experience, and this is what we are trying to build here. We passed a $13 million allocation for our district. We are taking $2 million of that allocation and we are applying that to Flagler Cottage.”

Fort Dallas Park represents the birthplace of Miami.

It used to be the site of old Fort Dallas, built in 1836 to provide a U.S. military presence during the Seminole Wars.

In 1891, the city’s founder, Julia Tuttle, purchased 644 acres on the north bank of the Miami River, which included Fort Dallas. She’s who convinced Florida East Coast Railway executive Henry Flagler to come and build a railroad, and hotels nearby, sending him orange blossoms and oranges to persuade him in order to bring tourism dollars and economic prosperity to the area.

For years, Miami River Commission Chairman Horacio Stuart Aguirre said he and others have advocated for the historic structure to be restored and for that section of river front to be re-opened to the public.

“We have been working on this for maybe like 15 or 20 years,” he said. “For me, this is very, very moving.”

That’s because he’s seeing action.

“What you see happening here today is phase one,” said Pardo. “We’re adding ground cover, trees, building the canopy, and we’re giving access to the public, to the residents, to this wonderful area and the waterfront, which has been denied.”

Pardo said when they get to phase two, officials will bring in food trucks and different kinds of activities for residents to enjoy.

“And, of course, the restoration of the cottage, which is where the money goes,” he said.

Added Aguirre: “We’ve got trees that go back several hundred years. We are going to protect and preserve those. They are unbelievably valuable, and are going to stay here.”

Most Miami commission meetings including public comment will come with residents expressing their frustration at the lack of green space in the city and concern that enough is not being done to preserve its history.

“This is super important,” said Aguirre. “The Miami River Commission insists that all properties on the Miami River allow public access.”

Pardo said this project aims to address both the lack of green space and preserving the city’s history.

“That’s how we retain the character and the identity of our neighborhoods, that’s why this is so important, because in the end, that’s what makes Miami interesting,” he said. “If we don’t have that, why live here?”

Built around 1897, the cottage is also one of the city’s few surviving examples of folk Victorian architecture and was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1989.

Officials said the full restoration of the cottage is expected to be completed by mid-2028.

Below you’ll find a rendering of what the finished work should look like, along with a current photo of the cottage and a plaque placed on the historic structure in 1897.

RENDERING:

CURRENT STATE OF COTTAGE:

HISTORIC PLAQUE:

Centuries-old hidden treasure on Miami River finally getting new lease on life: ‘It is priceless’

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Christina Vazquez