The Barnacle Historic State Park

The Barnacle Historic State Park at 3485 Main Hwy in Coconut Grove preserves the 1891 home of Ralph Middleton Munroe, a yacht designer, boat builder and early settler of Biscayne Bay. Munroe came to Coconut Grove from Staten Island, New York, and built a house on the bay designed for the subtropical climate, with deep porches, tall ceilings and cross-ventilation. In 1908 he raised the house and built a new ground-floor level beneath it, a design that created a larger, cooler home and gave it its present form. The name reflects his love of boats, as the house was meant to cling to the shore like a barnacle. Munroe was also a founder of the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club and a pioneer of shallow-draft sailing design. The house is the oldest house in Miami-Dade County still standing in its original location. The Munroe family lived there for decades, and in 1973 the property passed to the state of Florida. The five-acre park includes the house, a boathouse and one of the last remaining stands of tropical hardwood hammock in the area, and it overlooks Biscayne Bay with views toward the skyline. The interior has original furnishings, a collection of family items, and historic photographs. Interpretation is by guided tour at set times, and the grounds host concerts and community events. The state maintains the structure and grounds, with restoration work covering the roofing, porches and siding. It is near the Coconut Grove village center and its restaurants and shops. The house shows how early settlers adapted to heat, storms and isolation in the 1890s, long before the arrival of the railroad and the modern city that now surrounds the park. Visitors are advised to confirm current opening hours, admission prices and any guided-tour schedules directly with the venue before traveling, since these details change seasonally and with special events in Miami, Florida.