James Deering. Photo courtesy of the Vizcaya Archives.
James Deering (1859-1925), Vizcaya’s owner, was the vice president of his family’s business, International Harvester, the leading manufacturer of agricultural machinery in the United States around 1900. In 1908 Deering retired and began planning a winter retreat in Miami to escape Chicago’s cold winters.
Reflecting his interests in agriculture and technology, Vizcaya built a farming village on the estate and, while creating what appeared to be a centuries-old Italianate estate, incorporated the most advanced technology of the day. As a bachelor without direct descendants, Deering’s nieces eventually inherited Vizcaya.
Explore this 360° image of Deering’s Library on the first floor and his suite of rooms on the second floor to learn more about Deering.
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VIZCAYA AFTER DEERING
Deering built Vizcaya—a Gilded Age home of singular architecture and design in an uncommon location—as a place of retirement and respite for his pernicious anemia, which was incurable at the time. He was a lifelong bachelor with no direct descendants, and Deering left no instruction for Vizcaya in his Will or otherwise. Upon his death, the estate’s ownership transferred rapidly among family members ultimately landing with Deering’s nieces: Barbara Deering Danielson and Marion Deering McCormick.
Barbara and Marion, along with their spouses Richard and Chauncey, initiated the process to realize Vizcaya as a public museum. In the 1930s Barbara and Marion invited Vizcaya’s original Artistic Director Paul Chalfin back to prepare the estate in hopes of opening Vizcaya as a museum. But after two hurricanes (1926 and 1935), the effort was too difficult and expensive to achieve. In 1951 Miami-Dade County purchased the house and gardens; the Deering family donated the art collection, furnishings, decorative objects and garden sculpture. Vizcaya opened as a public museum in 1953. The Deering family conveyed the Vizcaya Village—a cluster of buildings across South Miami Avenue that housed staff, machine shops and domestic farm functions—to the county in 1955.
Vizcaya was accredited by the American Alliance of Museums in 1986 and achieved National Historic Landmark status in 1994. Once a private home and now a public museum, Vizcaya preserves cultural and environmental resources to engage people in connecting with the past, understanding the present and shaping the future.
Was James Deering a book lover?
Tap, swipe and zoom on the images below to see this correspondence in more detail.
1. James Deering describes his vision for how he would like to make books accessible to guests at Vizcaya.
You know that in my Chicago House I have felt that I should like to have a bookcase in each bedroom. I do not believe that we need that in Florida, that is to say, where you already have pieces of furniture containing books in Florida, it would be all right, but where you have not, I think you can perfectly well put a supply of books on a table or mantelpiece and hold them together by two of the weighty structures that are so commonly used for this purpose.
Before you buy any wicker chairs for me, I hope you see the chairs that Mr. Sykes ordered for my brother and give them careful consideration as a horrible example!
Yours truly,
[signed] JD
Paul Chalfin, Esq.
2. Six months later, Deering describes his purchase of 299 books for Vizcaya's library
Letter: July 12, 1916
From: James Deering, Vizcaya's Owner, Chicago
To: Paul Chalfin, Vizcaya's Artistic Director, New York
"International Harvester Company
Of New Jersey, Inc.
__________________________________________
Manufacturer of the
“Champion” “Deering” “McCormick” “Milwaukee” “Plano”
“Osborne”
Harvesters and other lines of machinery
Office of the Vice President Harvester Building Chicago, July 13,1916
Dear Mr. Chalfin: —
It may interest you to know that I have bought the following books for our library in Florida, all of which are to be rebound:
166 English
87 French
10 Spanish
9 Italian
7 German
Making a total of 399, plus quite a number of books from my library in Chicago, as, for example, Encyclopedia Britannica. Later, as promised, I will let you know how much space they will occupy.
Yours sincerely,
James Deering
Mr. Paul Chalfin,
432 Fourth Avenue,
New York, N.Y.
"
What does James Deering's attention to books in his homes say about him?
Deering wanted Vizcaya to be a place of hospitality and thoughtful conversation, but he also wanted guests to have restful experiences. By having a central library and a few books in the bedrooms at Vizcaya, he gave his visitors a choice.
If you were a guest of James Deering, where would you curl up with your favorite book?
What motivated James Deering's rush to occupy Vizcaya?
Tap, swipe and zoom on the images below to see this correspondence in more detail.
Mr. Hoffman:-- I sent you to-day the following day letter: "Seems probable must go to Florida middle Octiber account father's health. I should regret greatly leaving without all questions settled as fear it may cost a Florida season which means a year. Cannot all open questions preventing starting of work be settled immediately. Better let Macdonald go forward with present work immediately." I have begun to get nervous as my telegram indicates with the fear that we are not getting started early enough to make it certain that I can have the completed house for occupancy in the winter after the two coming winters. You will remember that in Florida we cheerished the hope that this could be accomplished for the winter after next. Our various absences I suppose have made this impossible, but we ought to have plenty of margin the coming winter. My father's health is such that I fear it will be necessary for me to go to Florida with him by or soon after the middle of October. I am, therefore exceedingly anxious that all questions about the house should be settled before that time, If it is absolutely necessary I can come to New York between now and then expressly for that purpose. I should regrewt exceedingly to be obliged to go to New York from Florida for this purpose. Yours truly, (Signed) James Deering.
Mr. F.B. Hoffman, 15 East Fortieth Street, New York, N.Y.
Dear. Mr. Chalfin;-- Many thanks for your letter; hearty congratulations on the successfull outcome of your lawsuit. It is a pleasure to have the world know that we are intelligent enough to keep within our rights. I must say that our reputation for intelligence did get a pretty severe shock in the case of the Paris house.
I am glad to know that you liked the books which I sent you. You can now learn the tricks of the hero of the books by heart and you will have, I trust, just as many opportunities to practice them as may be agreeable to yourself. Many thanks also for your New Year's good wishes, but kind as they are, they do not satisfy me. I want the house in the condition so poetically described by your to eat my birthday dinner in. You may not know that my birthday occurs November 12th.
Yours truly, JD
Paul Chalfin, Esq.
Was Deering's Urgency Motivated by Business or Personal Reasons?
James Deering was born into business and realized that time is money. But he also had a health condition called pernicious anemia, which was considered fatal at the time. The failing health of his parents in Florida was a reminder of his own fragile condition. The wish to have his birthday dinner at the completed house may symbolize an affirmation of his legacy and a more restful life.
What places can you imagine James Deering most looked forward to enjoying when he wintered at Vizcaya?
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Fountain Garden. Photo by Alex Serna.
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Why did a playful seahorse annoy James Deering?
Tap, swipe and zoom on the images below to see this correspondence in more detail.
1. James Deering questions his colleague, Paul Chalfin.
Telegram: March 6, 1916
From: James Deering, Vizcaya’s Owner, New York
To: Paul Chalfin, Vizcaya’s Artistic Director, Miami
Transcript
Always understood weathervane on house was to be caravel. It is now up and is a seahorse. Seahorses abound with only one caravel to date. You informed me glass in doors of closed loggia would be plain. They cannot be seen through and should be changed.
JD 1AM
2. Three days later, Deering sounds annoyed.
Telegram: March 9, 1916
From: James Deering, Vizcaya’s Owner, New York
To: Paul Chalfin, Vizcaya’s Artistic Director, Miami
Twenty times at least we have agreed caravel is emblem of house seahorse is incidental and secondary. Nothing else ever discussed connot understand your forgetting. In any case, think best it should be so. Have ordered making seahorses for arches in forecourt not made for present. Can transfer seahorse weathervane to boathouse. Am writing. Concrete fences like original pink fences cost dollar ninety-four per foot. Everything considered do you not think wise use same fence on new purchases? Have ordered contours made.
JD 5:05p
Who should have the final say, the owner or designer?
Deering wanted Vizcaya’s symbol to be a caravel, representing exploration and cultural exchange. Chalfin preferred the more playful seahorse inspired by Vizcaya’s waterfront location.
Who did have the final say?
Explore the 360° image of the Enclosed Loggia below and decide for yourself.
DEERING FAMILY TREE
Take a closer look at three generations of the Deering family to begin to understand how James Deering—who was born in Maine, ran a family business in Chicago and had homes in New York City and Neuilly, France—selected Miami for his winter retreat.
Branch 1: William Deering (1826-1913)
William Deering controlled the Deering Harvester Company, which manufactured equipment for commercial agriculture. When Deering’s health weakened, the family began spending time in Florida. By 1910 the Deerings had settled in Coconut Grove.
Branch 2: Charles Deering (1852–1927)
James Deering spent time with Charles, his older half-brother, in Miami and James often invited his brother’s advice during the design of Vizcaya. Charles built a home on the Miami River, but eventually moved to Cutler, south of Miami. Today the Deering Estate at Cutler is a public park, also owned by Miami-Dade County.
Branch 3: James Deering (1859–1925)
Shortly after his retirement from the family business in 1908, Deering began to plan a winter home. Like his father, he looked to Miami’s warm climate. In 1916 he took up residence at Vizcaya, which was just barely finished, and spent winter seasons there until his death in 1925. Deering remained a lifelong bachelor.
Branch 4: Marion Deering McCormick (1886–1965)
Marion and younger sister Barbara inherited Vizcaya from their uncle James upon his death in 1925. With her sister and husband Chauncey B. McCormick (1884–1954), Marion maintained the vast estate for several decades and managed the transition of Vizcaya from a private estate to a public institution.
Branch 5: Barbara Deering Danielson (1888–1982)
Barbara and older sister Marion inherited Vizcaya from their uncle James upon his death in 1925. With her sister and husband Richard Danielson (1885–1957) Barbara invited Vizcaya’s Artistic Director Paul Chalfin back to prepare the estate in hopes of opening Vizcaya as a museum.
What did James Deering think should be the official emblem of Vizcaya? Explore the XXX to find out.
Look for the XX Symbol….
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Take a closer look at three generations of the Deering family to begin to understand how James Deering––who was born in Maine, ran a family business in Chicago and had homes in New York City and Neuilly, France––selected Miami for his winter retreat.
William Deering controlled the Deering Harvester Company, which manufactured equipment for commercial agriculture. When Deering’s health weakened, the family began spending time in Florida. By 1910 the Deerings had settled in Coconut Grove.
James Deering spent time with Charles, his older half-brother, in Miami and James often invited his brother’s advice during the design of Vizcaya. Charles built a home on the Miami River, but eventually moved to Cutler, south of Miami. Today the Deering Estate at Cutler is a public park, also owned by Miami-Dade County.
Shortly after his retirement from the family business in 1908, Deering began to plan a winter home. Like his father, he looked to Miami’s warm climate. In 1916 he took up residence at Vizcaya, which was just barely finished, and spent winter seasons there until his death in 1925. Deering remained a lifelong bachelor.
Marion and younger sister Barbara inherited Vizcaya from their uncle James upon his death in 1925. With her sister and husband Chauncey B. McCormick (1884–1954), Marion maintained the vast estate for several decades and managed the transition of Vizcaya from a private estate to a public institution.
Barbara and older sister Marion inherited Vizcaya from their uncle James upon his death in 1925. With her sister and husband Richard Danielson (1885–1957) Barbara invited Vizcaya’s Artistic Director Paul Chalfin back to prepare the estate in hopes of opening Vizcaya as a museum.
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Deering built Vizcaya—a Gilded Age home of singular architecture and design in an uncommon location—as a place of retirement and respite for his pernicious anemia, which was incurable at the time. He was a lifelong bachelor with no direct descendants, and Deering left no instruction for Vizcaya in his Will or otherwise. Upon his death, the estate’s ownership transferred rapidly among family members ultimately landing with Deering’s nieces: Barbara Deering Danielson and Marion Deering McCormick.
