By Ellen J. Uguccioni

Ellen J. Uguccioni was the City of Coral Gables’ second historic preservation officer when she arrived in 1982, one year before the start of the Biltmore Hotel’s extraordinary rehabilitation. Her efforts, initiatives and publications led to a state-wide recognition of Coral Gables’ historic preservation programs. Ms. Uguccioni served on the Florida Historical Preservation Commission in Tallahassee for twelve years, serving as the Architectural Historian member, appointed by both the Secretary of State and the Governor. She was one of the founders of the Coral Gables Historic Preservation Association, a lecturer at the University of Miami’s School of Architecture and a member of the Board of History Miami. She was named a Trustee Emerita by the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation and was awarded its Lifetime Achievement Award. She is the author of numerous books, including “The Biltmore Hotel: An Enduring Legacy” and “Coral Gables: Miami Riviera: An Architectural Guide”

I was born and bred a Yankee, growing up in Southeastern Connecticut. It was not until 1982 that the most fortuitous and magical set of circumstances led to my hire by the City of Coral Gables as the Historic Landmark Officer, under the Planning Department. Formerly I had been with the Landmarks Commission in Kansas City, Miss., learning my craft in the observation of architecture and of its history, firmly asserting that the past is ever a part of the present. As an architectural historian I was exposed to the breath of this country’s origins and design conventions as it moved from an agrarian to industrial force, and then to the founding of new cities which had never before seen development.

Having lived in larger metropolitan areas for most of my life, I hadn’t been prepared for my first experience when interviewed at the Coral Gables Merrick House. I jetted in on an evening flight and found a hotel close to the thunderous traffic on U.S. 1. That morning, arising entirely too early, I opened the curtains. In front of me was the most spectacular, and quite unexpected array of Chinese homes—with their upturned royal blue and bright yellow ceramic tile roofs; proliferation of primary colors on the roof ribs which ended in whimsical ceramic animals. I was momentarily terrified, was I in the right place? In anticipation of my interview I had done considerable research about Coral Gables, developed in the early 1920s with a City Beautiful- inspired theme and a vision for a Mediterranean paradise. These Chinese dwellings were clearly out of place, was I?

It wasn’t too long until I learned about the planned villages constructed later in the development of Coral Gables— but it was my first lesson about “authenticity,” the desire to create a world where verisimilitude is a core value instilled by both the developers and designers alike. With new interstate road signs reading “Follow the Golden Galleon” potential buyers would be charmed by this new Mediterranean City promising an “old world” view of the world.

The designs originated in Mediterranean countries with particular emphasis on Italy and Spain. George Merrick, the developer, would employ and send his architects to view first-hand, the materials and construction methods; the preferred massing and embellishments; and the sun- filled, radiant atmosphere that demanded available outdoor spaces. Those architects would “translate” these confections in a new land, one barely removed from its own origins as a citrus plantation and scrub pine forest.

I would become familiar with the extraordinary development of Coral Gables during my tenure, first as the Historic Landmark Officer and later as the first director of the City Commission directed newly created Historic Preservation Department.

I returned to my Yankee roots in 2023 and now live in Mystic, Conn., where I serve on the board of New London Landmarks, yet another advocacy group raising awareness about our historic resources. Now I am exposed to more distant reminders of our historic past, particularly during the Colonial and Victorian eras.

Distance brings with it a unique perspective, one that allows me to compare and contrast— I can imagine myself at the beginnings of the 20th Century in a New York City or New Haven Train Station bedecked with vibrant posters heralding a new and unimaginably fantastic land. This perspective makes even more meaningful my recollections of these fanciful, unique and indelibly South Florida landmarks.

I am excited to write about my experience with one of the most beautiful cities in the country — the City of Coral Gables. In future articles I will address this community’s early efforts to recognize the city’s landmarks, the story of historic preservation policies and our struggles and the pleasantly zealous personalities that ensured the city’s rightful place as a leader in historic preservation.