Coconut Grove neighborhood fights to protect the home of Everglades hero

Two noteworthy trees embellish the front of Marjory Stoneman Douglas’ Coconut Grove home. One is a proud Mahogany, which is estimated to be an 80-year-old tree. The second is 70- to 80-year-old Lignum Vitae, which is characterized by its small leaves. It sits next to the Mahogany, wrapping towards the left side of the house.

She lived and worked as an author, Everglades historian, conservationist and civic activist in her home for more than 70 years. Although the state of Florida has tried to open it to the public, Douglas’ neighbors stand in the way.

The modest bungalow now sits tucked away in the trees.

“The street used to be all bungalows like this. Now it’s all ‘McMansions,’ ” said Steve Dimse, park services specialist for the Barnacle, in charge of supervising the house and maintaining it.

For five months, he has been enjoying its history with his cat, Sam Hill, “named after one of Marjory’s many cats.”

“The state very much would like this to be a museum,” said Dimse. “But the neighbors objected to that plan.”

Because the street is narrow, they were concerned about disruptions from bus traffic.

Dimse, however, contends that “the plans were very modest. The house would not have been open to the general public. There would have been only a few buses per day with students and special groups.”

The state wanted the house to become a museum because of the contributions Douglas made to Florida. The Designation Report, which established the house as a historic site in 1989, discusses its significance as follows:

“Marjory Stoneman Douglas is best known for her role in promoting the protection of Florida’s critical environments, particularly the Everglades. The publication of her book The Everglades: River of Grass in 1947 focused national attention on this unique resource, and she became the guiding force behind the creation of Everglades National Park. She formed Friends of the Everglades several decades later to continue to restore and maintain the area’s natural state.”

The Everglades: River of Grass, as well as all of Douglas’ novels and short stories, were written in her Coconut Grove home. It was also where she organized her conservation efforts. She lived and worked there until 1998, when she died at the age of 108.

The house’s designation “means it’s protected,” said Providencia Velazquez, a historic preservation planner for the City of Miami. “Whenever work is done on it, it has to go through this office and we have to determine whether it’s appropriate.”

In 2006, the state attempted to resolve the issue with a plan to move the house to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, which Douglas played a major role in creating in 1938. The plan, however, was not approved by Historic Preservation Miami.

“I think it was just too controversial to relocate it,” said Velazquez. “It’s not very easy to move a house that’s been designated.”

“Preservationists did not feel it was an appropriate thing to do to an old house,” said Dimse. Marjory loved the land as much as she loved the house, and it would have been a travesty to have it turned into another ‘McMansion.’ ”

Although it is not possible to go inside, Velazquez still encourages people to visit the house.

“There’s still a lot to see on the outside. It’s very interesting and it’s in a great part of Miami,” Dimse said. “A lot of the plants date from her time here. When she first built it, it was very bare.”

The house is also architecturally significant. The Designation Report indicates that it is “a fine example of Masonry Vernacular architecture in Dade County in the 1920s. The Masonry Vernacular structure is eclectic in design and contains elements of both Tudor revival and Medieval Revival styles. The house is particularly noteworthy for its roof type, half-timber details, and use of materials.”

Douglas had her home custom-designed in 1924 by her friend George Hyde, who “mostly designed factories. Mrs. Douglas felt this was fortunate, because she hoped her ‘little house would be as stout and as sparse as a factory,’ ” the report said.

Douglas’ home is not only distinctive in outer design, but on the inside as well.

“It’s unusual to find a house where all the other rooms are so small and then one big room,” said Dimse. “That was her design choice. She wanted a big room where she could work.”

Her oversized work room contains her original desk and bookshelves. The rest of Douglas’ furniture has been collected by the state and sits in storage.

“She never had a stove, she only had a hot plate,” he said. “That’s one of the things she’s famous for. She had lots of friends and as she got older they cooked for her.”

Unfortunately, these distinctive characteristics cannot be seen from the outside, and do not draw a lot of crowds.

“It’s rare,” Dimse said of the times he sees tourists visiting Douglas’ home. “Sometimes a week goes by that I don’t catch anyone taking their picture in front of it.”

Douglas’ home sits nearly forgotten, her incredible contributions to the state of Florida thwarted by overdevelopment. But, as a small victory to her memory, the house cannot be changed and will continue to stand as a reminder of Marjory Stoneman Douglas’ legacy to all who care to visit.

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