Perrine, Florida
Encyclopedia
Perrine, Florida was an unincorporated
community in Miami-Dade County
about midway between Miami
and Homestead
. It is located at 25°36′18"N 80°21′13"W The community was named after Dr. Henry Perrine
, who in 1839 had been granted
a survey township
of land in the area by the United States Congress
in recognition of his service as United States Consul
in Campeche
, Mexico
, and to support his plans to introduce new plants from tropical
countries into cultivation in the United States
.
While waiting to hear if Congress had approved his grant, Dr. Perrine took up residence with his family at Indian Key, Florida
, in 1838. This location was considered safer than the southern Florida mainland
, as the Second Seminole War
was still in progress. On August 7, 1840, Indians
attacked Indian Key. Several people were killed, including Dr. Perrine, but his family escaped.
Dr. Perrine's son, Henry Jr., and one of Dr. Perrine's business partners, Charles Howe, made various attempts to exploit the grant, with little success. Eventually homesteaders
began incroaching on the grant, and in 1886 families that had started farms in the grant area formed a squatters' union to fight eviction from their farms by the Perrine heirs. Two railroad companies, including the Florida East Coast Railway
, joined with the Perrine heirs, and the courts eventually awarded 2,000 acres (8 km²) to the squatters, 10,000 acres (40 km²) to the Perrine family, and 5,000 acres (20 km²) each to the railroad companies (part of the original grant had been sold earlier).
The community that became known as Perrine started as a railroad camp during the construction of the Florida East Coast Railway extension from Miami to Homestead. The first school in Perrine was opened in 1909. The community developed in a very segregated
fashion, with the area to the east of the railroad all white and the area to the west of the railroad all black. Perrine incorporated as a city in 1948. A year later a black was elected mayor. The all-white city council and the first mayor requested the Florida Legislature
to dissolve the city, and it did.
Perrine was a Census-designated place
(CDP) in the 1990 U.S. Census, with a counted population of 15,576. In the 2000 Census, Perrine was divided into two CDPs, East Perrine
and West Perrine
. East Perrine has since become part of the new incorporated municipality of Palmetto Bay
.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
community in Miami-Dade County
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...
about midway between Miami
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
and Homestead
Homestead, Florida
Homestead is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States nestled between Biscayne National Park to the east and Everglades National Park to the west. Homestead is primarily a Miami suburb and a major agricultural area....
. It is located at 25°36′18"N 80°21′13"W The community was named after Dr. Henry Perrine
Henry Perrine
Henry Perrine was a physician, horticulturist, United States Consul in Campeche, Campeche, Mexico, and an enthusiast for introducing tropical plants into cultivation in the United States....
, who in 1839 had been granted
Land grant
A land grant is a gift of real estate – land or its privileges – made by a government or other authority as a reward for services to an individual, especially in return for military service...
a survey township
Survey township
Survey township, sometimes called Congressional township, as used by the United States Public Land Survey System, refers to a square unit of land, that is nominally six miles on a side...
of land in the area by the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
in recognition of his service as United States Consul
Consul (representative)
The political title Consul is used for the official representatives of the government of one state in the territory of another, normally acting to assist and protect the citizens of the consul's own country, and to facilitate trade and friendship between the peoples of the two countries...
in Campeche
Campeche, Campeche
San Francisco de Campeche is the capital city of the Mexican state of Campeche, located at,...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, and to support his plans to introduce new plants from tropical
Tropics
The tropics is a region of the Earth surrounding the Equator. It is limited in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere at S; these latitudes correspond to the axial tilt of the Earth...
countries into cultivation in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
While waiting to hear if Congress had approved his grant, Dr. Perrine took up residence with his family at Indian Key, Florida
Indian Key State Historic Site
Indian Key State Historic Site is an island within the Florida State Park system located just a few hundred yards southeast of U.S. 1 within the Florida Keys. The island was briefly inhabited in the middle of the 19th century, but is now an uninhabited ghost town...
, in 1838. This location was considered safer than the southern Florida mainland
Mainland
Mainland is a name given to a large landmass in a region , or to the largest of a group of islands in an archipelago. Sometimes its residents are called "Mainlanders"...
, as the Second Seminole War
Seminole Wars
The Seminole Wars, also known as the Florida Wars, were three conflicts in Florida between the Seminole — the collective name given to the amalgamation of various groups of native Americans and Black people who settled in Florida in the early 18th century — and the United States Army...
was still in progress. On August 7, 1840, Indians
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
attacked Indian Key. Several people were killed, including Dr. Perrine, but his family escaped.
Dr. Perrine's son, Henry Jr., and one of Dr. Perrine's business partners, Charles Howe, made various attempts to exploit the grant, with little success. Eventually homesteaders
Squatting
Squatting consists of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied space or building, usually residential, that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have permission to use....
began incroaching on the grant, and in 1886 families that had started farms in the grant area formed a squatters' union to fight eviction from their farms by the Perrine heirs. Two railroad companies, including the Florida East Coast Railway
Florida East Coast Railway
The Florida East Coast Railway is a Class II railroad operating in the U.S. state of Florida; in the past, it has been a Class I railroad.Built primarily in the last quarter of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th century, the FEC was a project of Standard Oil principal Henry Morrison...
, joined with the Perrine heirs, and the courts eventually awarded 2,000 acres (8 km²) to the squatters, 10,000 acres (40 km²) to the Perrine family, and 5,000 acres (20 km²) each to the railroad companies (part of the original grant had been sold earlier).
The community that became known as Perrine started as a railroad camp during the construction of the Florida East Coast Railway extension from Miami to Homestead. The first school in Perrine was opened in 1909. The community developed in a very segregated
Racial segregation
Racial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home...
fashion, with the area to the east of the railroad all white and the area to the west of the railroad all black. Perrine incorporated as a city in 1948. A year later a black was elected mayor. The all-white city council and the first mayor requested the Florida Legislature
Florida Legislature
The Florida State Legislature is the term often used to refer to the two houses that act as the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The Florida Constitution states that "The legislative power of the state shall be vested in a legislature of the State of Florida," composed of a Senate...
to dissolve the city, and it did.
Perrine was a Census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in the 1990 U.S. Census, with a counted population of 15,576. In the 2000 Census, Perrine was divided into two CDPs, East Perrine
East Perrine, Florida
East Perrine was a census-designated place in Miami-Dade County, Florida at the time of the 2000 census. In the 1990 census it was part of Perrine census-designated place. It has since been incorporated into the Village of Palmetto Bay...
and West Perrine
West Perrine, Florida
West Perrine is a census-designated place in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. Prior to the 2000 census it was part of Perrine. The other part of Perrine became the East Perrine CDP for the 2000 census and is now part of the incorporated Village of Palmetto Bay...
. East Perrine has since become part of the new incorporated municipality of Palmetto Bay
Palmetto Bay, Florida
Palmetto Bay is a Miami suburban incorporated village in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The population was 24,469 at the 2000 census.Palmetto Bay includes two census-designated places defined in the 2000 census, Cutler and East Perrine.-History:...
.
Population History from the U.S. Census Bureau
- 1950....2,859
- 1960....6,424
- 1970...10,257
- 1980...16,129
- 1990...15,576
Source: U.S. Census Bureau