THE LEGACY OF DEERING BAY

Cutler was famous for its high ground, its hardwood
hammock, its lush vegetation and its accessibility
to Biscayne Bay. Although settlers cut a road through the
hammock to Coconut Grove, Cutler remained
a place apart. Dr. S. H. Richmond opened the Richmond Inn
that catered to the kind of people who were attracted to
Cutler’s natural beauty and seclusion. One of those
people was Charles Deering.

Charles Deering, and his brother James came to
Coconut Grove to visit their father William Deering, founder of
International Harvester, at his winter home. Both brothers
fell in love with South Florida and soon built their own
homes on the Bay. James chose a site near his father in the
Brickell Hammock and built a magnificent home
he called Viscaya. Charles chose a more remote site in Buena Vista
(later became Bay Point).

By 1915, however, Charles became discontent
with the intrusion of civilization – the noise of the new
automobiles, the sound of the locomotive. He sold his Buena Vista
property and moved to Cutler, eventually buying up
and walling in the entire town, including the Richmond Inn.
He hired Phineas Paist, the supervising architect of Coral Gables,
who had also worked on Villa Viscaya, to design an Italian-style
mansion for him. Deering also restored the Richmond Inn and made it part of his new home, now known as the Deering Estate.

Although Villa Viscaya has been opened to the public
for more than thirty years, until very recently, when Dade County
acquired the property, the Charles Deering Estate remained
hidden from public view – a mysterious world of its own.
The Deering brothers left South Florida a legacy
of unsurpassed dedication to excellence. Viscaya is
considered to be one of the grandest homes in America
and the Charles Deering Estate is equally unique, containing
natural, archaeological, architectural and historical treasures.
Both estates are living proof of a family’s ability
to live well while respecting and protecting the natural environment.

For those who search for the kind of elegant,
tasteful seclusion that the Deerings enjoyed,
there is only one place left. Deering Bay offers
the last chance to experience both privacy
and luxury on glorious Biscayne Bay.

Historical Research by: Arva Moore Parks