Coral Gables was incorporated April 29, 1925, from George Merrick's family grapefruit plantation. Its 13 National Register listings, museums and how to visit.
Last checked Oct. 8, 2026. History on this page comes from the City of Coral Gables Historical Resources and Cultural Arts Department’s History of Coral Gables. National Register listings and dates come from the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places database. Historical Resources: City of Coral Gables, 305-446-6800.
Coral Gables began as a family farm. In 1899 the Rev. Solomon Merrick, a Congregational minister, moved his family from Duxbury, Massachusetts, to the Miami area and bought a 160-acre tract west of Coconut Grove for $1,100, sight unseen. His son George turned it into a planned city. The city was incorporated on April 29, 1925.
How the city began
- 1899: Solomon Merrick and 13-year-old George arrive at the homestead and, with Bahamian workers, clear it for grapefruit and avocado groves.
- 1906: The groves bear fruit, and the family builds a coral rock addition to its cottage, quarried from the pit that later became the Venetian Pool. They name the house “Coral Gables” and the groves the Coral Gables Plantation.
- 1911: Solomon Merrick dies, leaving George in charge.
- 1920: George Merrick has grown the holdings from 160 to 1,600 acres.
- 1921: Coral Gables is fully mapped out on paper by early in the year, and the first lots are sold.
- 1924: The Venetian Pool, first called the Venetian Casino, is built in the old quarry, and Merrick pays for Coral Gables Elementary School.
- April 29, 1925: The city is incorporated. Building permits already total more than $25 million.
- Jan. 15, 1926: The Miami-Biltmore Hotel formally opens.
- October 1926: The city counts more than 4,000 structures, 100 miles of paved streets and 125 miles of sidewalks.
Merrick’s team gave the city its look. His uncle, artist Denman Fink, designed the Venetian Pool, City Hall and the city’s entrances and plazas. Architect Phineas Paist carried the designs to completion, and landscape architect Frank Button laid out the winding drives and tree-lined boulevards. Much of the city was built between 1921 and 1926, much of it by Bahamian stonemasons expert in coral rock. Where Coral Gables High School stands was then a tent city for construction workers.
National Register of Historic Places
The National Park Service lists 13 properties with a Coral Gables address:
| Property | Address | Listed |
|---|---|---|
| Douglas Entrance (La Puerta del Sol) | Douglas Road and SW 8th Street | Sept. 22, 1972 |
| Miami-Biltmore Hotel | 1210 Anastasia Ave. | Sept. 27, 1972; National Historic Landmark 1996 |
| Coral Gables House (Merrick House) | 907 Coral Way | April 13, 1973 |
| Coral Gables City Hall | 405 Biltmore Way | July 24, 1974 |
| Coral Gables Congregational Church | 3010 De Soto Blvd. | Oct. 10, 1978 |
| Venetian Pool | 2701 De Soto Blvd. | Aug. 20, 1981 |
| Coral Gables Police and Fire Station | 2325 Salzedo St. | Nov. 6, 1984 |
| Coral Gables Elementary School | 105 Minorca Ave. | June 30, 1988 |
| Entrance to Central Miami | West of Red Road between SW 34th and 35th streets | Jan. 19, 1989 |
| Coral Gables Woman’s Club | 1001 E. Ponce de Leon Blvd. | March 27, 1990 |
| MacFarlane Homestead Historic District | Around Jefferson Street, Frow Avenue, Brooker Street and Grand Avenue | May 26, 1994 |
| Coco Plum Woman’s Club | 1375 Sunset Drive | June 17, 2005 |
| Cla-Reina Hotel | 116 Alhambra Circle | April 22, 2020 |
The city also keeps its own list of locally designated historic properties, which come under the Historic Preservation Board.
Places to visit
| Place | Address | When | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merrick House | 907 Coral Way | Tours Sat. and Sun., 1, 2 and 3 p.m.; cash only; adults $5 | 305-774-0155 |
| Venetian Pool | 2701 De Soto Blvd. | Tue.-Sun.; closed Mon. | 305-460-5306 |
| Coral Gables Museum | 285 Aragon Ave. | Check before visiting | 305-603-8067 |
| Lowe Art Museum, University of Miami | 1301 Stanford Drive | Thu.-Sat., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. | 305-284-3535 |
| Biltmore Hotel | 1200 Anastasia Ave. | A working hotel; the city’s Fourth of July fireworks are held there | |
| Pinewood Cemetery | Erwin Road (SW 47th Avenue) south of Sunset Drive | Memorial Day service each year |
At the Merrick House, tours cover 14 rooms, and the 1.3-acre grounds include a grotto, a heritage garden and a lily pond. Free parking is behind the house.
Pinewood Cemetery is the oldest cemetery south of the Miami River and the resting place of many of the county’s pioneer settlers. It was first called Larkins Cemetery, after the settlement that became South Miami; the last known burial was in the 1940s. Citizens began restoring it in 1983, and in 1989 the Coral Gables chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution placed a bronze historic marker on the new wall along Erwin Road.
The Lowe Art Museum opened in 1952 as the first art museum in South Florida, the city says, and holds more than 19,000 objects.
What this means for you
- Start with a weekend Merrick House tour; it is the city’s origin story in one building.
- The Venetian Pool is both a National Register site and a working city pool.
- Thinking of changing a historic home? Talk to the city’s Historical Resources staff first.
More: parks and trails, things to do this month and Coral Gables population and growth.
Frequently asked questions
When was Coral Gables founded?
George Merrick mapped out Coral Gables by early 1921 and sold the first lots that year. The city was incorporated on April 29, 1925.
Why is it called Coral Gables?
The Merrick family named their home Coral Gables after they added a wing built of native coral rock around 1906, quarried from the pit that later became the Venetian Pool.
Can you tour the Merrick House?
Yes. Docent-led tours run Saturday and Sunday at 1, 2 and 3 p.m. at 907 Coral Way, with no reservation needed. Tours are cash only; adults pay $5. Call 305-774-0155.
How many National Register of Historic Places listings are in Coral Gables?
The National Park Service lists 13 properties with a Coral Gables address, from the Douglas Entrance and the Miami-Biltmore Hotel in 1972 to the Cla-Reina Hotel in 2020.
When did the Biltmore Hotel open?
The Miami-Biltmore Hotel, designed by the New York firm Schultze and Weaver, formally opened on Jan. 15, 1926.
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