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LEISURE Discover the history and beauty behind these astounding areas The Historic Side of Miami Words by Marla E. Schwartz Miami is the place people go for some fun in the sun and to frolic on the beach, but it's more than that, it's full of historical places that are certainly worth your attention. There are a little more than a dozen historical landmarks in Miami, but the areas that are foremost in the minds of many visitors include: Deering Estate at Cutler Bay, Virginia Key Beach Park and Vizcaya Museum & Gardens. An interesting fact is that half-brothers Charles and James Deering, (sons of wealthy industrialist William Deering) both fell in love with this tropical landscape as their father had a winter home in Coconut Grove. After their father's death, they both built their monumental estates in the area, Charles built Deering Estate and James built Vizcaya. Virginia Key Beach Park is a sacred place within Miami's Black community. During the Jim Crow era, it became the only beach in the area where Caucasians weren't allowed, which seems fair because all of the 90 MIAMI LIVING other beaches only allowed Caucasians, so you can see how this location has come to symbolize the embryonic civil rights revolution in the 1950s and 1960s. All three areas encompass the beauty of nature and harbor a wealth of history. Looking for a new place to spend your weekend? Check these out! DEERING ESTATE AT CUTLER BAY There's no doubt that upon entering the Deering Estate at Cutler Bay that your breath will be taken away by its beauty. This 444-acre property is located along the edge of Biscayne Bay (16701 SW 72 Avenue, 305-235-1668; 10:00 am to 5:00 pm daily, except Christmas and Thanksgiving; tickets available at main gate: $12.00, adults & $7.00 young ages 4-14). In addition to being an environmental, archeological and historical preserve, it has a very exciting artist-in- residence program that Charles Deering himself would be proud of as he was a connoisseur and art patron as well as a passionate collector of the Spanish masters. He amassed over 4,000 pieces of art and had one of the largest collections in the world, which was appraised in 1992 at $60 million. He built the Stone House on this property based on his taste in art and he himself pursued a career in painting, often painting portraits of prominent individuals such as William Denison Whipple and Brevet Major General of the U.S. Army, which hang in this house. The Deering Estate's Artist in Residence program is pleased to announce awards for this season. Studio Residencies are housed in the Artist Village Buildings Carriage House and Power House and were awarded to Mia Leonin, Alex Trimino, Lucinda Linderman, Christina Pettersson and Antonia Wright. Project Residencies consist of specific interactions with the Estate and its resources and were awarded to Diego Quiros and Dona Altemus. Additionally, the Annual