[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 63 (Friday, May 19, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E917]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   80TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF THE CITY OF OPA-LOCKA, FLORIDA

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. KENDRICK B. MEEK

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 19, 2006

  Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I want to bring to the attention of 
my colleagues the 80th anniversary of the City of Opa-Locka, Florida, 
which I am proud to represent in the United States Congress.
  Home to more than 15,000 residents in Northwest Miami-Dade County, 
``The Great City'' of Opa-Locka has had a long and colorful history, 
from its founding in the mid-1920s, rapid expansion prior to and during 
World War II and its recent efforts at revitalization.
  The name Opa-Locka is a contraction of the Native American name for 
the area, ``Opa-tisha-woka-locka'', meaning a dry place in the swamp 
with trees. The area was developed in the early 1920s by aviation 
pioneer Glenn Curtiss and was based on the Arabian Nights theme with 
streets that have names like Sultan Avenue, Ali Baba Avenue, and Sesame 
Street. The Arabian Nights style is also reflected in the city's 
architecture, which features 105 original buildings with an array of 
domes, elaborate minarets and outside staircases in brightly painted 
colors built between 1925-28 during Florida's land boom. Officially 
incorporated in 1926, Opa-Locka today maintains the largest collection 
of Moorish architecture in the Western hemisphere and 20 sites are 
listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
  Opa-Locka Airport also has a long and colorful history. In 1918, the 
Navy relocated a blimp hangar to Opa-Locka from Key West. In the early 
1930s, a Naval Reserve Training Base was established here. Commissioned 
NAS Miami in August 1940, training in fighter, dive-bombing and torpedo 
bombing skills took place at various times during the history of the 
base. In addition to serving as headquarters for the 7th Naval 
District, the station supported a naval air gunnery school, a Marine 
Corps Air Station, a Coast Guard Station, and a small craft-training 
center. The peak complement, reached in 1945, consisted of 7,200 
officers and men and 3,100 civilians. During the early days of World 
War II, Opa-Locka's pivotal role in training pilots resulting in the 
airport having the unique distinction of supporting more takeoffs and 
landings than any other airport in the world.
  Opa-Locka today is a working community that is looking to the future 
and working hard to revitalize its economic and cultural base while 
maintaining its small town, close knit sense of community. City Hall, 
the old Opa-Locka Hotel and the original Opa-Locka Train Station have 
recently been renovated. Additionally, a new State of Florida Services 
Building and a variety of new business have located in the City in 
recent years, and recent interest in Opa-Locka airport holds promise 
for the future.
  As the city begins its ninth decade, I congratulate its leaders and 
citizens and look forward to working with the government, businesses 
and people of Opa-Locka in building an even stronger, more vibrant 
community in the coming years.

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