Coral Gables — Merrick's Lost Blueprint

Your investigation begins at Coral Gables City Hall, a 120-foot-tall edifice designed by Denman Fink and inaugurated on April 23, 1932, by George Merrick. This structure, located at 405 Biltmore Way, is a central point for understanding the ambition of 'Coral Gables - The City Beautiful'. The city hall's archives, built between 1931 and 1932, contain clues about the city's early developments, and every detail of its Mediterranean Revival architecture may conceal a lead to the lost blueprint. It is here that the founder of Coral Gables envisioned the soul of his creation, a future National Historic Landmark.

Heading west, 0.8 km from City Hall, you reach the Biltmore Hotel at 1200 Anastasia Avenue. Opened on February 15, 1926, this 315-foot-tall, 15-story hotel was Florida's tallest building until 1928. Developed by George Merrick, it is a cornerstone of Coral Gables and even served as a military hospital from 1942 to 1945 during World War II. Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1985, the Biltmore Hotel symbolizes Merrick's opulence and vision. Its vast corridors and period rooms could hold forgotten documents or symbols related to the city's initial plan.

Your journey then takes you to the Venetian Pool, 1.2 km from City Hall. Opened on June 21, 1924, this historic public pool, also designated a National Historic Landmark in 2000, was created by George Merrick from an old coral rock quarry. With its 120 x 82 foot water surface and 30-foot-high waterfall, it embodies the ingenuity of the landscape design envisioned by Merrick and Frank Button. The carved coral grottoes and alcoves might hide messages left by the builders or maps detailing the location of future Coral Gables constructions, a major Florida tourist site.

You continue your exploration towards Douglas Entrance, a monumental 40-foot-high arch designed by Phineas Paist and adorned with sculptures by Denman Fink. Built in 1925-1926, 1 km from City Hall, it marks the historic northern entrance to Coral Gables from Douglas Road. With its Corinthian columns and Mediterranean motifs, this edifice is not just a gate, but a symbol of the 'City Beautiful'. George Merrick intended every entrance to his city to be a work of art, and it is possible that crucial clues for the lost blueprint are etched or hidden within these historic stones of Coral Gables.

Finally, your quest leads you to Miracle Mile, a main avenue in Coral Gables (Coral Way, 3300-4000 blocks) developed by George Merrick between 1921 and 1925. This approximately 1.6 km long street, lined with arcades and Mediterranean buildings, is a historic commercial artery, named 'Miracle Mile' in 1957 for its post-Depression success. 0.5 km from City Hall, it is the ideal place to reassemble the blueprint fragments. The facades of over 150 shops and inscriptions could reveal Merrick's last secret. You will have thus explored the Coral Gables Historic District, a living testament to Mediterranean Revival Architecture and the George Merrick Legacy, a true gem of Florida Historical Sites.