Florida Insiders’ Brief History of Vizcaya

Construction of the entire formal gardens, with Main House in the background. Photo dated December 28, 1916.

A Brief History of Miami’s Vizcaya Museum and Gardens

November 25, 2019

In South Florida, Vizcaya is synonymous with luxury and a great wedding photo. Almost all locals in Miami know about Vizcaya, and have visited the mansion at one point in their lives. Throughout the community, it is well-known as the perfect place to take a nice wedding picture or have a special event.

Not a lot of people know about its history, however.

The estate used to belong to industrialist and conversationalist James Deering. He set out building it to conserve the local landscape in the area and to protect the wildlife and plants. Deering rounded up as many as 1,000 workers to construct his luxurious estate on Biscayne Bay, in what is the present-day Coconut Grove area.

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