Once a remote outpost near the fledgling city of Miami, Coral Gables was first the dream of George Merrick, who fashioned his planned community out of the pine scrubland in only five years. Following the 1926 hurricane¿s devastation on the region, combined with the Florida real estate bust, development halted, many residents deserted the city, and Coral Gables teetered on the edge of existence. Fortunately, some hardy souls remained, and they staunchly determined to see their home rebuilt. Today, Coral Gables owes much of its unique character and charm to the visionary and pioneering spirit that gave birth to the city and guided it through decades of trial and triumph.