Coral Gables, Florida facts for kids

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Coral Gables

City

Coral Gables (in foreground) with Downtown Miami barely visible (in background) in 2010

Flag

Seal

Nicknames:

"The City Beautiful", "The Gables"

Location of Coral Gables in Miami-Dade County, Florida (left) and of Miami-Dade County in Florida (right)

U.S. Census Bureau map showing city limits

Florida

April 29, 1925

Government

• Type

Commission-Manager

Area

• Total

37.31 sq mi (96.64 km²)

• Land

12.93 sq mi (33.48 km²)

• Water

24.38 sq mi (63.16 km²)

Elevation

10 ft (2.8 m)

Population

(2020)

• Total

49,248

• Estimate

(2022)

49,193

• Rank

61st in Florida

• Density

3,804.56/sq mi (1,469.32/km²)

Time zone

UTC-5 (EST)

• Summer (DST)

UTC-4 (EDT)

Area codes

305, 786, 645

FIPS code

12-14250

GNIS feature ID

0280801

Website

www.coralgables.com

Coral Gables is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. It's part of the larger Miami metropolitan area in South Florida. The city is about 7 miles (11 km) southwest of Downtown Miami. In 2020, about 49,248 people lived there.

Coral Gables is famous for being home to the University of Miami. This is a large private research university. Its main campus covers 240 acres (97 ha) in the city. The University of Miami is the biggest employer in Coral Gables. It is also the second-largest employer in all of Miami-Dade County.

The city is a planned community with a special Mediterranean theme. It is known for its beautiful historic buildings and strict rules about how buildings can look. Many popular landmarks and tourist spots are found here.

History of Coral Gables

Coral Gables officially became a city on April 29, 1925. It was designed as a planned community. This design was based on the "City Beautiful Movement" from the early 1900s. The city still has very strict rules about how buildings are built.

Who Founded Coral Gables?

The city was created by George E. Merrick, a real estate developer from Pennsylvania. He developed Coral Gables during the "Florida land boom" in the 1920s. Merrick wanted the city's buildings to look like Mediterranean Revival style. This style often looks like old Spanish buildings. For example, the Coral Gables Congregational Church was built in this style. Merrick even donated the land for it. The Catholic Church of the Little Flower was built later in a similar Spanish Renaissance style.

Merrick dreamed of Coral Gables being like "Castles in Spain." He was so successful that Spain's King, Alfonso XIII, gave him an award. It was called the Order of Isabella the Catholic. This award recognized Merrick's support for Spanish culture in Coral Gables.

Growth and Development

By 1926, Coral Gables covered 10,000 acres (4,000 ha). It had made $150 million in sales. Over $100 million was spent on developing the city. That same year, the famous Biltmore Hotel and Golf Course opened. It is still a major landmark today.

Merrick carefully planned different areas of the city. For example, the Downtown shopping area was designed to be only four blocks wide. But it stretched for more than 2 miles (3.2 km). The main street, now called Miracle Mile, went right through the middle. Merrick made sure that every business was less than a two-block walk away.

The city once had an electric trolley system. It stopped running because more people started using cars. But now, a new free trolley system runs along Ponce de León Boulevard. It started in November 2003. Another special feature Merrick planned was the Coral Gables Villages. These villages were built in the 1920s. They showed different architectural styles like Italian, French, and Dutch South African.

University of Miami's Beginning

In 1925, around the same time Coral Gables was founded, the University of Miami was built. It was on 240 acres (97 ha) of land near U.S. Route 1. The first students started classes there in the fall of 1926. There were 372 students in that first class.

Coral Gables During World War II

During World War II, many Navy pilots and mechanics trained in Coral Gables. They also lived in the city.

The skyline of Coral Gables in December 2014

A Spanish-style house built in 1925. This type of architecture is common in Coral Gables.

Preserving History

Coral Gables has always cared a lot about saving its historic buildings. The city made its first preservation law in 1973. This was when many of its original buildings turned 50 years old. More rules were added later to create a Historic Preservation Board and Department. This department helps find important buildings and places. It lists them on the Coral Gables Registry of Historic Places. They also help make sure changes to historic buildings follow the rules.

Geography

Coral Gables is located in South Florida. It has borders on different sides. To the west, it's bordered by Red Road. To the north, it's bordered by Tamiami Trail/U.S. Route 41.

On the east, it's bordered by Douglas Road and LeJeune Road. Part of its eastern border is also Biscayne Bay. To the south, it's bordered by the Charles Deering Estate.

The city covers a total area of about 37.2 square miles (96.3 km2). Most of this area, about 24.0 square miles (62.2 km2), is water. The land area is about 13.1 square miles (33.9 km2).

Climate

Coral Gables has a tropical climate. This is similar to the weather found in many parts of the Caribbean. It's one of the few places in the United States with this type of climate. This means it's usually warm and humid, with a rainy season.

Population and People

As of 2020, Coral Gables had 49,248 people living there. There were 18,457 households and 11,087 families. In 2022, the average household income was estimated to be $118,203.

Things to Do in Coral Gables (Tourism)

Coral Gables at night in January 2014

Matheson Hammock Park in July 2015

Coral Gables is a great place to walk around. It's only about four miles from Miami International Airport. The city has around 140 places to eat and many international stores.

Some famous landmarks in Coral Gables include:

The Venetian Pool
Douglas Entrance
The Miami Biltmore hotel

Media

The main daily newspaper for the area is The Miami Herald. Coral Gables also has its own local newspaper, Coral Gables News Tribune. It comes out twice a month. Students at the University of Miami publish their own newspaper, The Miami Hurricane, every Tuesday.

Economy

Miracle Mile and Ponce de Leon Boulevard in Coral Gables in April 2010

Coral Gables is home to some very wealthy areas in the United States. These include neighborhoods like Hammock Oaks and Gables Estates.

Major businesses and organizations that help the economy of Coral Gables include:

The University of Miami: This is the largest employer in the city. It has over 16,000 staff and faculty.
Baptist Hospital of Miami: This is the second-largest employer in Coral Gables.
Bacardi: This company has its United States headquarters here.
Fresh Del Monte Produce: This company also has its main office in Coral Gables.
ExxonMobil: This large energy company has marine fuel operations here.
MasTec, Inc.: This is one of the largest Hispanic-owned companies in the country.
FIFA: The international soccer organization opened its North American headquarters in Coral Gables. This is to help prepare for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Transportation

Douglas Road station in Coral Gables in March 2020

You can get around Coral Gables using the Metrobus system. The Miami Metrorail also has stations in the city:

Douglas Road station
University station

Coral Gables also has a free trolley service. The trolley runs continuously along Ponce de Leon Boulevard during the day.

Diplomatic Offices

Several countries have offices called consulates in Coral Gables. These offices help their citizens and promote their country. Countries with consulates here include Barbados, Colombia, El Salvador, Italy, Peru, and Spain.

Some countries also have honorary consulates. These are usually run by people who live in Coral Gables. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office for Taiwan is also located here.

Education

The University of Miami, the largest employer in Coral Gables, in April 2006

Coral Gables Senior High School in October 2006

Coral Gables Branch Library in November 2014

University of Miami

The University of Miami is a private university located in Coral Gables. It is known as one of the top universities in the country. It has strong programs in business, engineering, law, marine science, medicine, and music.

Schools for Kids

Public Schools

Schools in Coral Gables are part of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools system. The city has several high schools. These include Coral Gables Senior High School and International Studies Preparatory Academy. Both schools teach students from ninth to twelfth grade.

There is also a K–8 school called Coral Gables Preparatory Academy. It has two campuses, including a historic one. Henry S. West Laboratory Elementary is another school for grades K–6.

For middle school, there are two options: George Washington Carver Middle School and Ponce de Leon Middle School. George Washington Carver Middle School was named after George Carver in 1942.

Private Schools

Coral Gables has several private schools. These include Gulliver Academy, Marian C. Krutulis Campus, which is a PreK–8 school. The lower campus of Riviera Schools is also in Coral Gables.

Other private schools include St. Theresa Catholic School (Pre-K–8), St. Philip's Episcopal School (Pre-K–5), French-American School of Miami (Pre-K–5), and St. Thomas Episcopal Parish School (Pre-K–5).