A somewhat undiscovered gem of old Florida is the Charles Deering estate, nestled in a grove on the water in south Miami. Deering was a Chicago businessman, the head of International Harvester. Midwest winters being what they are, he preferred to be in Florida during the cold part of the year. He died in 1927, leaving the estate to his heirs. The state of Florida and Miami-Dade County eventually took over the property in the 1980s.
The main, stone house.
Living room and library/dining room.
The grounds are gorgeous. There's a large inlet for docking your yacht.
Mmmm, a wine cellar. Deering had it built during prohibition. The entrance was a vault door hidden behind a bookcase. Substantial stairs.
Deering's office.
One of the many bathrooms and bedrooms.
The other main structure on the property, Richmond cottage. It's the original structure on the property, opened as a rooming house for fishermen and anyone willing to venture into swampy Florida at the turn of the 20th century. BAC - Before Air Conditioning.
