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The Bernhardt E. Muller collection is a compendium of newspapers, architectural drawings, renderings, and photographs related to the design and construction of Opa-locka, Florida, the nation’s largest concentration of Moorish Revival architecture. The city, incorporated in 1926, was the third Florida suburban real estate development of Glenn H. Curtiss, aviation pioneer and millionaire developer. Opa-Locka is the only known city in the United States that used Moorish Revival architecture as its original theme.

The contents of the Muller collection fall into two distinct groups: architectural materials related directly to buildings designed by Muller and his staff; and supporting materials presumably collected by Muller that pertain to his work and the city of Opa-Locka. The vast majority of these materials are directly concerned with Muller’s work in the Opa-Locka and Miami area between 1925 and 1928. Supporting materials, including magazine extracts, brochures, and newspapers, date mostly from 1926 and 1927, with a few items from 1928, 1930, 1959, and 1960.

The Muller collection’s importance concerns its detailed documentation of the progress of Opa-Locka from a developer’s dream to a constructed city. Opa-Locka was designed according to a specific theme: a combination of Arabic, Persian, and Moorish architectural styles. It is also the first known instance of a town developed from interpretations of a literary work, The One Thousand and One Tales of the Arabian Nights.

The collection contains construction documents, sketches, renderings, and photographs of Opa-Locka’s first buildings. Extensive material exists on the designs of the Opa-Locka Company’s administration building, now the City Hall, as well as plans for seventeen institutional and public projects, including the Archery Club, Bathing Casino, and Observation Tower, with unbuilt designs for a Golf Club, school, and Mid-Winter Southern States Exposition.

Eighteen commercial buildings are found in the Muller collection, including many stores and apartments, as well as an unbuilt Chinese hotel. Sixty-three private residences of various sizes and designs are included in these drawings. It is probably that most of the work Bernhardt Muller ever did for Opa-Locka is contained in the collection. The majority of these drawings and materials date from 1926 to 1927, with only three drawings dated later than 1927.

The Muller collection is significant for its documentation of the history and development of South Florida. The volume of work designed and media contents demonstrate and describe the magnitude of the Florida Land Boom, which peaked early in 1926, just as construction began on Opa-Locka.

The Muller collection contains newspaper articles describing the hurricane that struck South Florida on September 17 and 18, 1926. The storm’s direct effect was a loss of 372 lives and $159 million in property, but its long-term results included the onset of the land “bust” and an economic decline that preceded the Great Depression of the 1930’s.  There are numerous articles and photographs of the hurricane's destruction.

The Silvio Acosta Papers contain scrapbooks of the professional and personal life of Silvio Acosta, architect.

Traditional Neighborhood Design

This collection contains the original 1924-1925 blueprints used by Schultze & Weaver to design the Coral Gables Biltmore Hotel, as well as a 1981 reconstruction blueprint. Also included is an essay by Andrew E. Colsky titled "The History of the Miami Biltmore Hotel and Country Club," a 1989 report titled "The Biltmore Hotel, Coral Gables, Florida, Operating Results 1989 January Through September & Full Year Outlook, 1990 - 1993 Projection," and a 2002 Biltmore News bulletin.

Originally born in West Virginia, Jefferson attended Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania and studied architecture and industrial design at the University of Michigan. Afterwards, he worked with the Army Corps where he taught aerial photography then supported himself by working as a laborer on various construction sites. He eventually came to Miami in 1954 where he apprenticed under architects, Thomas Madden and Alfred Browning Parker. He ended up establishing his own private architecture firm in Miami in 1959 and dedicated himself to creating plans for residential, commercial, and public buildings. Later, he moved his firm to Stuart, Florida in 1968 and continued to provide the same services.

He also served as a Fellow in the American Institute of Architects and was certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards and was registered with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. His accolades include several architecture awards and international exhibits as well as having his works featured in magazines, such as Architectural Record, House Beautiful, Better Homes and Gardens, Southern Living, Sports Illustrated, Palm Beach Life, American Homes, and L'Architecture d'Aujourd'hui.

This collection contains approximately 191 large format architectural plans and renderings from noted Florida architect, Peter Jefferson. The first 34 plans of his collection have been flattened and placed into map cases while the others remain in their original rolled up state.

Abraham H. Goodman was the Chief Designer at W.S. Tyler Co., and specialized in ornamental bronze work, which was featured in several buildings all around the United States, including Cleveland's Terminal Tower. He was noted for his unique and lavish elevator fronts, many of the designs of which are included in this collection. Also included are photographs, correspondence, memos, records, illustrations, and other graphic materials and 3D objects, created and collected by both him and his granddaughter, Amy Goodhart.

The Joseph Middlebrooks papers includes many of his research documents, administrative files, plaques, awards, drafts, development plans, architectural drawings, urban and development reports, portfolios, clippings, correspondence, audio-visual materials, and other materials related to his life's work.

Novack Residence in Miami, Florida. Photograph showing outside entrance of the house.

Photographs of Rayburn Village and Rio Mar Village, and photographs of architectural drawings and sketches. Organized and labeled in plastic sheets.

Photographs in multiple formats of a waterside structure titled "Moorings" that includes a pool and dining area.

The Fidelia Righi papers contains a notebook of poetry, a series of handwritten pages on architecture with accompanying architectural sketches, six photographs from the Intercollegiate Cosmopolitan Club of the City of New York, a 1922 address by Harry E. Edmonds to the club called "The Ideals of International House," and a 1922 program for "European Night" held at the club.

Slides of Cay Bay, Film of Cay Bay models, and photographs of Cay Bay model.

Photography of the Dutch Pantry Restaurant model, slides of restaurant sketches and images of Dutch pantry.

Photos of an unidentified airport interior

The collection contains architectural plans, photographs, negatives, slides, business ledgers, clippings, and ephemera related to the professional career of Cuban-born architect Osvaldo de Tapia-Ruano, who was active in Cuba and Spain. In addition to materials related to Osvaldo de Tapia-Ruano, the collection also contains a maquette designed by Manuel Tapia Ruano Heinen and sketches of buildings by both architects.

Color photographs taken of various courtyard style apartment buildings in and around Atlanta. No captions or dates.

"80 Plates of Scaled and Measured Drawings"

"Tracings by Wilfred W. Beach from Copy in Library of University of Illinois"

Untitled bundle of blueprints illustrating column types.

The slides show the exterior and interior of a house. The photo shows the living room of the house. The sketches are of furniture including chairs and drawers. The letters are not very legible. The magazine cut outs show living rooms. The receipt is from the Gables Blueprint Company.