NARANJA

NAME: Naranja
COUNTY: Miami-Dade
ROADS: 2WD
GRID: 4
CLIMATE: hot and humid most of the year, otherwise warm
BEST TIME TO VISIT: anytime
COMMENTS: Located in Dade County, near the intersection of US1 and Moody Drive (SW 268th St)
REMAINS: none from original town
The town of Naranja began in 1904 as an area filled with orange groves. It became one of the railroad towns along Henry Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railroad. William Moody, of the Brown and Moody General Store, named the town Naranja after the Spanish word for orange, because he liked the way it sounded. In 1913 a major citrus canker epidemic destroyed most of the crops, severely damaging the local economy. In 1926, a powerful hurricane ended what was becoming a major land boom in this tiny South Florida community, further crippling the area financially. In 1935, a devastating Category 5 Hurricane claimed the lives of hundreds in the Florida Keys, and left the railroad line south of Miami in shambles. It was not rebuilt, bringing the original vision of Naranja as a railroad town to an end. Submitted by: Jim Pike


Naranja today, 2007.  The vacant land today grows weeds instead of oranges
Courtesy Jim Pike


Naranja 1905, building used for school and church. 
Courtesy of Florida Archives


Naranja 1924, with train tracks in the background. 
Courtesy of Florida Archives

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