The Boathouse

The boathouse functioned in many ways for the Munroe family, including living in it, developing film photography, and as a clubhouse for the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club. However, this structure is one of the newest additions to the property. The original structure was built in 1886 but was struck down during the high winds of the Great Miami Hurricane of 1926. Imagine experiencing a storm like Hurricane Andrew – a category five storm with winds up to 165 miles per hour, with no advanced warning and no preparation. This is what the Munroe family and their neighbors experienced in 1926. Munroe would rebuild the boathouse a year later to be structurally hurricane-proof. This ground-breaking feat of engineering had breakaway walls to withstand another storm surge, tensioned cables to stabilize the building in high winds, and new concrete pilings. In 1992, it was tested by Hurricane Andrew, and Ralph Munroe’s design worked exactly as it should have with the building still standing with minimal damage.

The inception of the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club was sparked by the first Washington’s Birthday Regatta. This structure was its first clubhouse. After many moves throughout Miami, the club still exists today just down the road from us with one of his great grandsons as its current Commodore. 

The boathouse became a gathering place where new experimental vessel designs could be tried. After a chance meeting with famous boatbuilder Captain Nathanael Herreshoff, Munroe and the Wizard of Bristol (as Herreshoff was affectionately known as) would work on many new and revolutionary designs. Herreshoff’s son, L. Francis, wrote of their relationship that "it was doubtful that anyone but Commodore Munroe ever influenced [Captain Herreshoff]” (Herreshoff, Capt. Nat Herreshoff: the Wizard of Bristol).