Chapman Field Park

Chapman Field Park
Type	Municipal
Location	13601 Old Cutler Road, Palmetto Bay, Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
Coordinates	25°38′37.15″N 80°17′14.64″W
Opened	1949
Operated by	Miami-Dade Parks and Recreation Department
Website	Chapman Field Park

Chapman Field Park is a park owned and operated by Miami-Dade County, Florida. Of its 493 acres 432 remain as mangrove swamps; 51 acres has been developed as a park featuring three lighted baseball fields. Both the Howard Palmetto Khoury League and the Howard Palmetto Baseball/Softball Association play at the park. There is a boat ramp as well.

The property was first used as an army airfield in World War I. It was later declared surplus and in 1923 the United States Department of Agriculture began using 160 acres as a plant intoduction garden. As early as 1940 the county expressed an interest in acquiring the remaining property. In 1947 an additional 37 acres was added to the garden leaving 633 acres and the property was declared surplus by the War Department. In 1949 The University of Miami got 150 acres and the county the remaining 483 acres. The U of M didn't utilize their portion and in 1956 a local developer took their portion under a long term lease to build a golf course. This portion has gone through several owners. In 1990 it was then called Deering Bay and owned by Armando Codina and others and the lease was extended through 2030. Little has been done to develop the park since the county acquired it in 1949. Money from the Decade of Progress bonds in 1972 led to the construction of three lighted baseball fields. The county does have plans to improve the park sometime in the future.

References

Notes

Bibliography

• McGuire, Raymond G. (30 May 2008). "Chapman Field - The Evolution of a South Dade Army Airdrome". US Department of Agriculture; Agricultural Research Service. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
• Shapiro, Ethan. "History of Deering Bay". Deering Bay Yacht and Country Club. Retrieved 18 April 2011.