Doc Thomas House-Home of Tropical Audubon Society
Posted by: 
Markerman62
N 25° 42.264 W 080° 17.053
17R E 571813 N 2843143
Located at 5530 Sunset Dr.(SW 72nd St)
Waymark Code: WMXKZ1
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 01/26/2018
Views: 3
Arden Hayes "Doc" Thomas, a South Miami-area pioneer, pharmacist and owner of the O. K. Drug & Feed Store, commissioned architect Robert Fitch Smith in 1931 to design this distinctive High Pines home. Completed in 1932, the Rustic style structure is a sophisticated version of a Florida frame vernacular cottage. Characterized by native woods and oolitic limestone, the house also features built-in components and ornamental woodwork. As a lifelong conservationist, Thomas gifted his property to Tropical Audubon Society (TAS) to ensure its preservation and use to benefit both TAS and the general public. Established as a National Audubon Society chapter in 1947, TAS traces its origins to the 1915 Coconut Grove Audubon Society, the first in Dade County. Like all Audubon chapters, TAS is a conservation organization named for John James Audubon, the 19th-century ornithologist, wildlife artist and naturalist. After Thomas's death on December 31, 1975, TAS received his property. Since 1976, the house has functioned as Tropical Audubon Society headquarters, while the surrounding acreage now serves as the Steinberg Nature Center. The Doc Thomas House was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.
Marker Number: F-899
Date: 2016
County: Miami-Dade
Marker Type: City
Sponsored or placed by: Tropical Audubon Society, and the Florida Department of State
Website: Not listed
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