Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Amelia Earhart Park

I'm sure some of you have been to Amelia Earhart Park, on the borders of Hialeah and Opa Locka, but how many of you know how it got that name?

Back before it was a county park, it was the Miami Municial Airport.  And on June 1st, 1937 at 5:55am, Amelia Earhart took off from there on what would be her last flight - her failed attempt to circumnavigate the globe.

Sadly, I'd bet my life that right this moment, not one person in that park, including employees, even know that.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'd hope at least SOME folks would know about her. PanAm mechanics worked on her plane. She hadn't originally planned to leave from Miami, but had to change her plans when her plane crashed in Hawaii and by the time it was fixed, weather patterns had changed.

Barbara

SwampAngel65 said...

Oh, I'm sure folks know about her...I just doubt they know anythin about the hisory of that park!

Anonymous said...

Probably right there....please keep the history stuff coming! My parents grew up in Miami, my dad was there for the 1926 hurricane, and my grandparents remembered binder boys and the real estate boom, and bust. But too few of my peers when I was growing up had a clue about Miami's history. So many people were recent transplants. And most were still mooning over their own hometowns and later their own home countries, and didn't give a hoot about Miami.

Let me get off my soapbox now...

Thanks for the good info SwampAngel! Glad to see the site being revitalized.

Barbara

SwampAngel65 said...

Barbara, I know what you mean...I remember in elementary school having lessons in Miami and Florida history. I don't think they do that anymore. Everything in the schools is geared towards that damn FCAT crap and the kids are suffering for it (IMHO).

MiamiLover said...

Hi everyone. I just remembered the name of the restaurant in the Falls: el Torito. The best Mexican food.