Gables green-lights renaming Dixie Highway for Harriet Tubman after January ‘no’ vote

Samantha J. Gross
·2 min read
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Months after rejecting a call to rename Dixie Highway after Harriet Tubman, the Coral Gables commission has finally joined nine other cities that support renaming a portion of the state road after the renowned abolitionist.

The commission, which has two new members since it last took up the proposal, voted unanimously Tuesday to remove a significant roadblock to a Miami-Dade County initiative to add Tubman’s name to 42 miles of U.S. 1 that are also known as Dixie Highway.

The renaming of the street was revived by Mayor Vince Lago, who rejected the idea in January. He said Tuesday that his January vote was cast in the throes of the election cycle, and that his opponent, former commissioner Patricia Keon, put forward the resolution “to create division and score political points.”

He said he was happy to pass the resolution now, though he said he wished Miami-Dade County had been more inclusive in the process and allowed residents to give input before cities were expected to vote in support of the idea.

Protecting Merrick’s legacy

Throughout the brief debate, commissioners made it clear that their vote in favor of renaming Dixie Highway does not signal support of the broad idea of renaming buildings and structures, especially those in honor of the city’s founder, George Merrick.

Lago and Commissioner Michael Mena specifically expressed their disdain for the University of Miami’s decision to wipe Merrick’s name from a parking structure, an action that prompted a counter-petition. In the 1930s, Merrick advocated for moving Miami’s Black residents out of the city.

A statue of Coral Gables founder George Merrick holding a roll of building plans, by sculptor William Beckwith, stands outside Coral Gables City Hall.
A statue of Coral Gables founder George Merrick holding a roll of building plans, by sculptor William Beckwith, stands outside Coral Gables City Hall.

“I want to make it clear that what we are celebrating today does not get mixed up with George Merrick,” Lago said Tuesday. “If it comes down to George Merrick, I will stand in support of his legacy.”

Mena echoed Lago, saying that he felt Merrick’s racist proposals on the county planning board are often taken out of context. He urged people to consider the positive work Merrick did in the Black community, like building schools and churches.

“I was very disappointed with UM’s decision to remove Merrick’s name from certain buildings,” he said. “I’m not looking to take facts out of context when it comes to the founder of this city.”