Amelia Earhart Park
Encyclopedia
Amelia Earhart Park is a 497 acres (2 km²) urban park
in metropolitan
Miami, just north Hialeah
, Florida
. It offers a number of recreational attractions like bike trails, skateboarding
, and fishing
.
, and opened to traffic in 1926. A portion of the land was renamed in honor of Amelia Earhart
and dedicated as Amelia Earhart Field in October 1947. The General Services Administration
closed the naval air station
, and later the marine air station, in 1959 as part of cutbacks to military surplus. Most of the former air station was donated to Dade County for use as a general aviation airport in the mid 1960s and it became Opa-locka Airport. Development of the Amelia Earhart Park was completed in 1980.
and fire road trails with a number of climbs, downhills, and banked corners. The Bill Graham Farm Village is a farm
replica featuring a demonstration shed where visitors can watch horseshoe
ing, cow-milking, livestock
judging and sheep shearing
, as well as a petting zoo
, exhibit hall, sugar cane press and pony ring. Near the barn is a country store
and an adjoining insect museum
.
There is fenced, 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) dog park
, an 18-hole disc golf
course, and other amenities which include paved walkways, benches, shade trees, waste
dispenser stations.
Urban park
An urban park, is also known as a municipal park or a public park, public open space or municipal gardens , is a park in cities and other incorporated places to offer recreation and green space to residents of, and visitors to, the municipality...
in metropolitan
Miami-Dade County, Florida
Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 2,496,435, making it the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States...
Miami, just north Hialeah
Hialeah, Florida
Hialeah is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 226,419. As of 2009, the population estimate by the U. S...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. It offers a number of recreational attractions like bike trails, skateboarding
Skateboarding
Skateboarding is an action sport which involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard.Skateboarding can be a recreational activity, an art form, a job, or a method of transportation. Skateboarding has been shaped and influenced by many skateboarders throughout the years. A 2002 report...
, and fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
.
History
The park was a part of the Miami Municipal Airport at Masters Field, what became Opa-locka AirportOpa-locka Airport
Opa-locka Airport , also known as Opa-locka Executive Airport, is a general aviation airport and joint civil-military airfield 10 miles north of Downtown Miami, primarily in metropolitan Miami, Florida, United States, with a portion within the city proper of Opa-locka.The airport's control tower...
, and opened to traffic in 1926. A portion of the land was renamed in honor of Amelia Earhart
Amelia Earhart
Amelia Mary Earhart was a noted American aviation pioneer and author. Earhart was the first woman to receive the U.S. Distinguished Flying Cross, awarded for becoming the first aviatrix to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean...
and dedicated as Amelia Earhart Field in October 1947. The General Services Administration
General Services Administration
The General Services Administration is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of federal agencies. The GSA supplies products and communications for U.S...
closed the naval air station
Naval Air Station
A Naval Air Station is a military airbase, and consists of a permanent land-based operations locations for the military aviation division of the relevant branch of their Navy...
, and later the marine air station, in 1959 as part of cutbacks to military surplus. Most of the former air station was donated to Dade County for use as a general aviation airport in the mid 1960s and it became Opa-locka Airport. Development of the Amelia Earhart Park was completed in 1980.
Facilities
The park offers 8 miles (12.9 km) of bike trails. They include single trackSingle track (mountain biking)
Single track or singletrack is a narrow mountain biking trail that is approximately the width of the bike. It contrasts with double track or fire road which is wide enough for four-wheeled off-road vehicles...
and fire road trails with a number of climbs, downhills, and banked corners. The Bill Graham Farm Village is a farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
replica featuring a demonstration shed where visitors can watch horseshoe
Horseshoe
A horseshoe, is a fabricated product, normally made of metal, although sometimes made partially or wholly of modern synthetic materials, designed to protect a horse's hoof from wear and tear. Shoes are attached on the palmar surface of the hooves, usually nailed through the insensitive hoof wall...
ing, cow-milking, livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
judging and sheep shearing
Sheep shearing
Sheep shearing, shearing or clipping is the process by which the woollen fleece of a sheep is cut off. The person who removes the sheep's wool is called a shearer. Typically each adult sheep is shorn once each year...
, as well as a petting zoo
Petting zoo
A petting zoo features a combination of domestic animals and some wild species that are docile enough to touch and feed. In addition to independent petting zoos, also called children's farms or petting farms, many general zoos contain a petting zoo...
, exhibit hall, sugar cane press and pony ring. Near the barn is a country store
Country store
Country store may refer to:* A general store in a rural setting such as a village* Country Store , a muesli-based breakfast cereal...
and an adjoining insect museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
.
There is fenced, 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) dog park
Dog park
A dog park is a facility set aside for dogs to exercise and play off-leash in a controlled environment under the supervision of their owners...
, an 18-hole disc golf
Disc golf
Disc golf is a disc game in which individual players throw a flying disc into a basket or at a target. According to the Professional Disc Golf Association, "The object of the game is to traverse a course from beginning to end in the fewest number of throws of the disc." Of the more than 3000...
course, and other amenities which include paved walkways, benches, shade trees, waste
Waste
Waste is unwanted or useless materials. In biology, waste is any of the many unwanted substances or toxins that are expelled from living organisms, metabolic waste; such as urea, sweat or feces. Litter is waste which has been disposed of improperly...
dispenser stations.