Memories of Virginia Key Beach Recorded at the Hadley Senior and Cultural Center
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Material Information

Title:
Memories of Virginia Key Beach Recorded at the Hadley Senior and Cultural Center
Series Title:
Virginia Key Beach Park Trust Oral Histories
Publication Date:
Language:
English
Physical Description:
00:41:26

Subjects

Subjects / Keywords:
Virginia Key Beach Park (Miami, Fla.) ( lcsh )
Oral history ( lcsh )
Genre:
Video recordings
Spatial Coverage:
United States -- Florida -- Virginia Key
Coordinates:
25.735959 x -80.155953

Notes

General Note:
The video opens with Marcy Anderson and Dr. Anthony Dixon meeting with a group of people at the Hadley Senior and Cultural Center. Anderson and Dr. Dixon want to record and archive the group's memories of their visits to Virginia Key beach during the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. Anderson and Dr. Dixon tell the crowd that the goal is to archive their memories in the planned Virginia Key beach museum. Dr. Dixon then discusses the recent history of Virginia Key, such as the planned condominium development, and the creation of the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust to protect the islands historical and ecological integrity. Next, the video shows the members recalling their experiences at Virginia Key beach. One person remembers riding the boat to Virginia Key when she was twelve years old. One person recalls that the jukebox was on a tree. Others remember that the beach was very crowded during the weekends. Another person remembers that the beach held sunrise Easter services. She was a member of the Dorsey high school chorus, who also sang at the services. She graduated from the school in 1950, and remembers singing at the beach in either 1948 or 1949. Others remembered their churches performing baptisms at the beach. Next, Anderson informs the crowd that the cabanas and cabins no longer exist at the park. Then Anderson reveals to the crowd that the Trust owns pictures that show Dr. Martin Luther King visiting the cabanas at Virginia Key beach. One person says that "some celebrities" used to visit the beach, but that it was mostly people from Miami who came to the beach. After the group looks at pictures of the carousel, Anderson asks them if it cost money to ride the miniature train at the beach. They all answer no, that you could ride the train for free. Next, Anderson reveals that the park is bringing several elementary schools to the park on field trips and that Virginia Key will be hosting a summer camp in the following summer. One man recalls taking "hayrides" to Virginia Key beach where he, and others, grabbed the back of a truck full of hay and rode it to the beach. The man said that riding a hay truck to the beach was a common thing. One woman reveals that she recently visited Florida's capitol where she saw a sign with a white "lady" that contained a pro-segregation message about Virginia Key beach. One woman remembers going to Bayfront and boarding a boat to Virginia Key. Several people ask questions about the sea-grass at Virginia Key and if they can clean up the grass that washes ashore on the beach. Someone also wants to know if they will be able to swim at the beach. Anderson and Dr. Dixon tell the crowd that you cannot swim at the beach "right now" due to the ecological restoration project at the beach. But, they also say that the beach will be open for swimming in the future. Next, Dr. Dixon and Anderson talk about the characteristics of the planned museum. It will focus on three things: the history of Virginia Key beach, the history of the Civil Rights movement, in particular the Civil Rights movement in Miami, and the natural environment at Virginia Key. Then, Dr. Dixon wants the group to bring any photos they have of the beach to the next meeting so that they can store them in the planned museum. The video ends with everyone telling Anderson and Dr. Dixon their names.

Record Information

Source Institution:
Virginia Key Beach Park Trust
Holding Location:
Florida International University
Rights Management:
No copyright - United States
Resource Identifier:
FIVK045605

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Aggregations:
Virginia Key Beach Park Trust