History of Schenley Park Pt 3: Early Memories of Schenley Park

Image and story sourced the HistoryMiami Museum. https://historymiami.org/carol-s-green-2/

Schenley Park’s history isn’t just about developers, but also about the people who made it home. One longtime resident shares a vivid memory from the early days of Miami:

“I have been in Miami since 1949. We lived in a small house behind the store, and when my mother’s family soon followed from Pennsylvania, everyone lived in this small home while my father and his new neighbors built a house on Southwest 57th Avenue and 33rd Street. The mortgage? All of $7,000. The neighborhood is now known as Schenley Park.”

“My parents moved here from Pennsylvania when I was almost a year old. My father opened a soda fountain on Southwest 67th Avenue and Eighth Street. At the time, it was the closest place for the Miccosukee Indians to come and eat. I remember the pictures of them in their traditional Native American dress.”

While the soda fountain itself was just outside what became Schenley Park, these early Miami memories reflect the kind of community and neighborly spirit that shaped the neighborhood. From humble beginnings to a thriving, close-knit community, Schenley Park continues to honor the legacy of its early residents.

A reminder that our neighborhood’s story is not just about land deals or architecture, but it’s also about people, memories, and the everyday places that brought us together.

Do you know more about Schenley Park and its history? We would love to hear all about it! Send us an email or message us in our forum .

To learn more about where we learned this fascinating history, check out our source here: https://historymiami.org/carol-s-green-2/