Historic Ingraham Building in Downtown Miami

Miami History Podcast

This podcast episode features the history of the Ingraham Building at 25 SE Second Avenue in downtown Miami. This building is named for Miami pioneer James Ingraham and was constructed from 1926 – 27, near and during the end of the building boom of the 1920s.

James Ingraham played an important role for Henry Flagler as a vice president of the Florida East Coast (FEC) Company, and as president of the Model Land Company, the organization responsible for marketing and selling land acquired by the FEC. Ingraham was an icon in early Miami. When he died unexpectedly on October 25, 1924, the city and the FEC organization were shocked and left to fill a big void in leadership.

When the Model Land Company announced that they would construct their corporate office building at the western edge of the former Royal Palm Park, the corner of SE Second Avenue and SE First Street, they naturally named it for their former leader. Despite several setbacks during construction, the building finally celebrated its grand opening on May 1, 1927.