Downtown Miami in Miami-Dade County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)

Wagner Homestead

Miami River Greenway

Photographed by Marsha A. Matson, October 19, 2014

1. Wagner Homestead Marker

Inscription.

Wagner Homestead. Miami River Greenway. This 1850s structure is the oldest standing house in Miami-Dade County. It was built by William Wagner, a German immigrant and U.S. Army veteran. After being wounded in the Mexican-American War in 1847, Wagner returned to Fort Moultrie, Georgia to recuperate and married Eveline Aimar, a French Creole., In 1855, Wagner's former Army unit was assigned from Fort Moultrie to Fort Dallas along the north shore of the Miami River. There, Wagner joined forces with Captain Sinclair, a sea captain with two schooners, and established a sutler's store to serve troops during the Third Seminole War (1855-1858). With help from Captain Sinclair, Wagner built a steam-powered coontie mill on Wagner Creek. The production of starch from the native coontie plant (Zamia pumila) which grew profusely in the pine woods became a means by which Miami's early settlers could earn cash. In the late 1850s, Wagner built a house nearly 50 yards from the creek that would come to bear his name. The Dade County pine house is a hand-hewn, peg-fastened and wood shingled example of 19th century shelters., In 1875, acting on a suggestion by the Reverend Bishop Verot of St. Augustine, Wagner built a small Catholic chapel known as the "Little Church in the Pine Woods," which burned down in 1892. The "Little Church in the Pine Woods" was regarded as the earliest house of worship in the Miami area since the Spanish missions., Wagner sold his property to Julia Tuttle in 1893, then bought it back from the probate court in 1899. He died on the land in 1901 at the age of 76. William Wagner was regarded as a true pioneer who lived to see the incorporation of Miami in 1896., Development in 1920-1970 prompted the Wagner Homes donation to the Dade Heritage Trust, a non-profit preservation group who undertook the Wagner Homes' restoration and relocation to Lummus Park, named after Miami's third mayor (1900-1903) John "J.E." Lummus. The Miami City Commission designated the Wagner Homestead a historic site in 1984., Caption: , Catholic chapel circa 1890 Historical Museum of South Florida

This 1850s structure is the oldest standing house in Miami-Dade County. It was built by William Wagner, a German immigrant and U.S. Army veteran. After being wounded in the Mexican-American War in 1847, Wagner returned to Fort Moultrie, Georgia to recuperate and married Eveline Aimar, a French Creole.

In 1855, Wagner's former Army unit was assigned from Fort Moultrie to Fort Dallas along the north shore of the Miami River. There, Wagner joined forces with Captain Sinclair, a sea captain with two schooners, and established a sutler's store to serve troops during the Third Seminole War (1855-1858). With help from Captain Sinclair, Wagner built a steam-powered coontie mill on Wagner Creek. The production of starch from the native coontie plant (Zamia pumila) which grew profusely in the pine woods became a means by which Miami's early settlers could earn cash. In the late 1850s, Wagner built a house nearly 50 yards from the creek that would come to bear his name. The Dade County pine house is a hand-hewn, peg-fastened and wood shingled example of 19th century shelters.

In 1875, acting on a suggestion by the Reverend Bishop Verot of St. Augustine, Wagner built a small Catholic chapel known as the "Little Church in the Pine Woods," which burned down in 1892. The "Little Church in the Pine Woods" was regarded as the earliest

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house of worship in the Miami area since the Spanish missions.

Wagner sold his property to Julia Tuttle in 1893, then bought it back from the probate court in 1899. He died on the land in 1901 at the age of 76. William Wagner was regarded as a true pioneer who lived to see the incorporation of Miami in 1896.

Development in 1920-1970 prompted the Wagner Homes donation to the Dade Heritage Trust, a non-profit preservation group who undertook the Wagner Homes' restoration and relocation to Lummus Park, named after Miami's third mayor (1900-1903) John "J.E." Lummus. The Miami City Commission designated the Wagner Homestead a historic site in 1984.

Caption:
Catholic chapel circa 1890 Historical Museum of South Florida

Erected by Dade Heritage Trust and the Villagers.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Settlements & Settlers • War, Mexican-American • Wars, US Indian. A significant historical year for this entry is 1847.

Location. 25° 46.587′ N, 80° 12.136′ W. Marker is in Miami, Florida, in Miami-Dade County. It is in Downtown Miami. It can be reached from the intersection of Northwest North River Drive and Northwest 3rd Street, on the right when traveling north. The Wagner Homestead and

Wagner Homestead Marker at door of house image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Marsha A. Matson, October 19, 2014

2. Wagner Homestead Marker at door of house

Wagner Homestead 1857 Restored 1987 by Dade Heritage Trust, Inc. Funded in part by The Bureau of Historic Preservation, Florida Department of State with the assistance of The Florida Historic Preservation Advisory Council. Dedicated April 9, 1988.

marker are located in Lummus Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 404 NW 3rd Street, Miami FL 33128, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in South Florida

and on the Gold Coast.

It is also in the American South.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Fort Dallas and the William F. English Plantation Slave Quarters (within shouting distance of this marker); Lummus Park Historic District (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); South River Drive Historic District Boarding Houses (approx. ¼ mile away); Miami River Historic Working Riverfront (approx. ¼ mile away); Dade County (approx. half a mile away); Overtown Lyric Theater (approx. half a mile away); The Historic Negro Police Precinct & Courthouse Museum: The First Five (approx. half a mile away); Judge Lawson Edward Thomas Law Office (approx. 0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Miami.

Also see . . . William Wagner House. Wikipedia entry (Submitted on November 1, 2025, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)

Photographed by Marsha A. Matson, October 19, 2014

3. Wagner Homestead Marker

Wagner Homestead image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Marsha A. Matson, October 19, 2014

4. Wagner Homestead

Wagner House, circa 1925 image. Click for full size.

Photographed by HistoryMiami, 1988-212-42, circa 1925

5. Wagner House, circa 1925

Photographed by Floridata.com, 2004

6. Wagner Homestead Marker

Exerpt from Floridata.com - Florida's indigenous peoples and later European settlers processed the coontie's large storage root to extract an edible starch. For this reason the coontie was often commonly called Seminole bread during the late 1800s.

Credits. This page was last revised on November 1, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 21, 2014, by Marsha A. Matson of Palmetto Bay, Florida. This page has been viewed 1,581 times since then and 60 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on October 21, 2014, by Marsha A. Matson of Palmetto Bay, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.