Barnacle Historic State Park - (305) 442-6866

The Barnacle is one of my favorite places to visit in Coconut Grove...It is the oldest homesteading house in the area with a wild and fascinating history..Just go and sit out on the porch, watch the boats in Biscayne Bay and if you are lucky you will spot a Dolphin or two swimming by..It is a relaxing and enjoyable way to spend some time reflecting on what it must have been like to live in South Florida back in the days before modern conveniences or Air conditiioning..:) PROS: Great place to reflect on Miami's History CONS: None

My first association with The Barnacle was as an elementary school student. I thought this place was so neat I took my parents back. Deep in the heart of Coconut Grove lies an oasis from the hustle and bustle of 21st century life. The Barnacle Historic State Park offers a view of Biscayne Bay and of Old Florida. Commodore Ralph Munroe's home and boathouse are right out of the 19th century and one can well imagine what life may have been like for him and his family as they made their home in the wilds of South Florida, watching and encouraging its growth. Munroe's principal passion was designing yachts. In his lifetime, he drew plans for 56 different boats. As a seaman, civic activist, naturalist and photographer, Commodore Munroe was a man who cherished the natural world around him. A walk into the park passes through one of the last remaining tropical hardwood hammocks which once made up all of Coconut Grove. Commodore Munroe used many of his boat-making skills to build this uniq