PALMETTO BAY
Palmetto Bay is a suburban village incorporated on September 10, 2002.
To the south, Palmetto Bay stands as the closest neighbor to Pinecrest. During the 1900s, both areas began growing and evolving together.
A preserved example of Palmetto Bay in the 1920s is the historic Deering Estate, home of Charles Deering, a Chicago industrialist, preservationist, environmentalist, art collector, philanthropist, first chairman of the International Harvester Company, an agricultural machinery company, and an indelible part of Palmetto Bay’s beginnings.
From 1913-1918, Charles Deering purchased hundreds of acres of land down on the coast along Old Cutler Road. By 1915, he had acquired several hundred acres on Palmetto Bay and moved his winter quarters over there permanently.
In 1922 Charles Deering built a Mediterranean- style Stone House to showcase his valuable art collection.
Charles Deering died in 1927, but the Estate remained with his heirs until 1986 when it was purchased by the State of Florida.
Deering Estate is both a museum and an ecological gem, home to an estimated 170 resident and migratory species of birds. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this state-protected park is spread across 444 acres of coastal Palmetto Bay and offers everything from canoe tours and bird walks to moonlit kayaking, Biscayne Bay boat tours, hiking, nature trails, eco-tours and more.
In August 1992, Palmetto Bay and the surrounding areas were severely damaged by Hurricane Andrew. Many of the homes and businesses in Palmetto Bay were destroyed. In the subsequent years, Palmetto Bay was slowly rebuilt. Unlike the destroyed homes which were made of wood frame construction, the new homes were rebuilt with concrete walls. Although many areas of Miami were heavily affected by Hurricane Andrew, Palmetto Bay was one of the worst affected areas and remain as a reminder of the hurricane's extensive disaster in the city today.
