A hometown reflection on 100 years of community, history and pride
I am about to turn 41, and I have spent roughly 30 of those years living in Miami Springs. I attended Springview Elementary, Miami Springs Middle School and Miami Springs Senior High, where I graduated. Today, I still call Miami Springs home and am a part owner of Uncle Hanks’ Hideaway right here in the city. This community has been a part of nearly every stage of my life, and after what I witnessed during our centennial festivities, I can say without hesitation that I have never been prouder to call Miami Springs my hometown.
For me, the weekend began on a deeply personal note before the unveiling of the Glenn Curtiss statue and June Bug monument. The engraved-brick walkway has long recognized families, residents, organizations and businesses connected to Miami Springs, but for the Centennial, a new addition was added to that walkway. My family’s names and the River Cities Gazette were among those included in the new section. Seeing our names permanently engraved there was difficult to put into words. My family has deep roots here, and the Gazette has spent decades telling the stories of this community. To know that our names are now literally part of the groundwork of this historic place made the Centennial feel personal before the main ceremony had even begun.
The unveiling itself was beautiful, and the statue and monument are fitting tributes to Glenn Curtiss and the aviation history that helped shape Miami Springs. But one of the moments that stood out most to me was Mayor Walter Fajet’s speech. As an educator, he turned his remarks into something more than a ceremonial address. He gave the crowd a history lesson on the early days of aviation, the Wright brothers, Curtiss and the remarkable era that eventually helped give birth to our community. He was prepared, knowledgeable and passionate, speaking without a teleprompter and with an obvious connection to the history he was describing. I learned something listening to him, and I know I was not the only one. Mr. Mayor, thank you. It was an outstanding moment.
Saturday night brought the celebration to the Circle, where families filled the area for rides, games, live music and a mini regatta organized by Lynne Brooks alongside the City of Miami Springs and the Centennial Committee. I was there with my business partner, Justin, serving cheeseburgers from the Uncle Hanks’ booth. We ended up selling out about an hour early, with people still walking up looking for burgers after we had run out. I heard more than a few people insist that Uncle Hanks’ has the best burger in town. I happen to agree — and anyone who wants to challenge that claim is welcome to stop by and give one a try.
More important than selling out, though, was seeing the community come together. I ran into people I had not seen in years. Old friends, longtime residents, families, local leaders and new faces were all sharing the same space and celebrating the same hometown. It felt like Miami Springs — the Miami Springs many of us grew up knowing — at its very best.
Then came the perfect ending: the city’s first drone show. It was spectacular. Watching dozens of lights in the sky form images connected to Miami Springs — including the Curtiss Mansion, our gazebo and even the drawbridge lifting as a boat appeared to pass underneath — was an incredible display of technology and hometown history coming together. It gave the centennial weekend the grand finale it deserved.
Miami Springs turned 100 years old, and our city celebrated in a way worthy of that milestone. Credit belongs to the mayor, City Council, city staff, organizers, volunteers, sponsors, residents and everyone who contributed, including Lynne Brooks and the many people who put countless hours into making the weekend happen. What they delivered was more than a series of events. It was a reminder of who we are, where we came from and why this small city means so much to so many of us.
One hundred years is a major milestone. I am grateful that my family, the River Cities Gazette, Uncle Hanks’ Hideaway and I get to be a small part of the story. After this weekend, I am even more proud to say it: Miami Springs is my hometown.
