Marjory Stoneman Douglas’ story is deeply connected with her house and property. This was the epicenter of her campaign to save the Everglades. Marjory lived here from 1925 until her death in 1998. She found inspiration in this setting, holding press conferences on the front lawn and working on the back patio.
Marjory wrote about listening to birds and being inspired by the trees and greenery that surrounded her.
This house is located in Coconut Grove, the oldest continuously occupied neighborhood in Miami. While other houses in the neighborhood were replaced with larger residences, this cottage is original to this area.
It was in this house that Marjory Stoneman Douglas wrote her most famous book, The Everglades: River of Grass. Marjory spent five years researching the book, and it was published in 1947, just weeks before Everglades National Park officially opened.
Marjory helped change public perceptions of the Everglades, showing that it was a diverse and beautiful ecosystem that should be protected.
Over 20 years later, when she was 79, Marjory founded Friends of the Everglades, an organization whose mission is to preserve, protect and restore the Everglades through public advocacy and raising public awareness of Everglades conservation.
A remarkable speaker and writer, Marjory Stoneman Douglas championed many causes. She spoke in support of women’s rights all her life. In Miami, she turned her attention to issues of poverty and civil rights. Though she was tiny in size, Marjory did not back down from her beliefs. Even her critics admired her sharp intellect and tenacity.
Marjory Stoneman Douglas died in 1998 at the age of 108. Her legacy lives on through the buildings and natural places that bear her name.
