Identity elements
Reference code
Name and location of repository
Level of description
Title
Date(s)
- 1919 - 1946 (Creation)
Extent
1 Box; 0.5 Linear Feet
Name of creator
Biographical history
The Cates family of Miami, Florida included Dennis; his wife Elmira; and their children, Alice, Samuel and Henry. The family patriarch, Dennis Cates, was born in Rock Sound, Eleuthera, Bahamas. He worked as a farmer and ship captain, settling in Cape Sable as a coconut proprietor in 1884, where he planted over 40,000 coconut palms. After being granted a sum of the land he managed, he settled as a pioneer in Miami in the early 1900s, selling coconut oil and copra. He worked as a carpenter in his spare time, helping to build the first homes in Miami Beach. He built a Miami home for his family as well as an apartment building at 22 NW 23rd Street.
Content and structure elements
Scope and content
This collection documents the lives of the Cates Family from 1919 to 1946.Their story is told through photographs, correspondences, purchases, receipts, and business records. Much of the collection centers on the life of the daughter, Alice, as a teenager and adult. This includes photographs of the Buena Vista School, Miami High School and locations visited by her friends and family including Key Biscayne, Virginia Key, The Venetian Pools, and Hialeah Racetrack. Further insight into her daily life including work and romantic interests can be found in her correspondences and school materials. References to the Health Crusade- a response to the Spanish Flu, Armistice Day, the Depression, and World War II can be found throughout Alice's materials. Denis Cates' work as a coconut exporter in Miami, along with his property in Cape Sable, can be found in the business records and receipts. Dennis, his wife Elmira, along with his children Alice, Samuel and Henry can be found in the family photographs. Their home, Model-T, Sharpie boat, and Miami apartment can also be found here.
System of arrangement
Materials are arranged by subject and format.
Conditions of access and use elements
Conditions governing access
The collection is open for research.
Physical access
Technical access
Conditions governing reproduction
Languages of the material
- English
Scripts of the material
Language and script notes
Finding aids
Acquisition and appraisal elements
Custodial history
Immediate source of acquisition
Gift, 2019.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information
Accruals
Related materials elements
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related archival materials
Additional teenage life documentation can be found in the following collections:
Miami Teen Scrapbook
https://www.historymiamiarchives.org/miami-teen-scrapbook-1958-1959
Diary of Lillian Baker
https://www.historymiamiarchives.org/diary-of-lillian-baker-1931
Additional coconut farming information can be found in the following collections:
Letters to Dick Carney
https://www.historymiamiarchives.org/letters-to-dick-carney-1887-1888
Coconut Planting
https://www.historymiamiarchives.org/coconut-planting
Related descriptions
Notes element
General note
Accession number: 2019-206
Specialized notes
Alternative identifier(s)
Description control element
Rules or conventions
Sources used
Archivist's note
Finding aid written by Ashley Trujillo and Jeremy Salloum