The Barnacle Historic State Park, State park in Coconut Grove, Miami, United States
The Barnacle Historic State Park is a two-story house with a rough light gray wall surface and a red tile roof with exposed dark wooden rafters under the eaves. A raised wooden porch with a white balustrade and dark wooden posts stands on the left, a large multi-paned window with dark red-brown frames faces front, and a tall rectangular stone chimney rises on the right. The house was raised in 1908 and a new first story inserted below the octagonal central room.
Ralph Middleton Munroe built this house in 1891, creating one of the first permanent structures in the Miami area during Florida's early development. The property was later protected as a historic site and preserves the story of the region's early settlement and maritime traditions.
Munroe named the house "The Barnacle" for its resemblance to the shellfish, and the octagonal central room of the 1891 bungalow survives within the enlarged structure. He served 22 years as Commodore of the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club, founded in 1887, and drew plans for 56 yachts. A replica of his 28-foot sharpie Egret is moored offshore.
The park entrance is at 3485 Main Highway in Coconut Grove; the grounds are reached by walking through a tropical hardwood hammock, one of the last remnants of the original Miami Hammock. The Miami Metrorail serves the area at the Douglas Road and Coconut Grove stations. The house stands on the bayfront, and Munroe's 28-foot sharpie replica Egret is moored offshore.
The property was long the private home of Ralph Munroe, who was not only an experienced boat builder but also a naturalist and wildlife observer. His personal collection of natural objects and sketches offers insight today into the life of a versatile man of the pioneer era.
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