The Storm and the Crash: End of an Era

In September 1926, the Great Miami Hurricane roared ashore, devastating South Florida. The storm flattened neighborhoods, destroyed rail lines, and flooded much of Miami. Although the Biltmore’s solid construction spared it from major structural damage, the disaster shattered the city’s confidence and the booming real estate market that had fueled its growth.

The economic aftermath proved catastrophic. Investors fled, property values plummeted, and Merrick—who had poured his fortune into Coral Gables—found himself bankrupt by 1929. The Biltmore struggled to remain profitable as the Great Depression loomed.

The hotel’s grandeur became both its blessing and its burden. Maintaining such an enormous property proved unsustainable as tourism dried up. By the early 1930s, the Biltmore had transitioned from a symbol of prosperity to a monument of excess.

Bowman’s company managed to keep it open for a time, hosting charity galas and social events, but by the late 1930s, the glittering crowds were gone. Yet, the Biltmore’s story was far from over—it was about to find new life in a very different role.

From Ballroom to Battlefield: The Biltmore in World War II

When the United States entered World War II, the federal government sought facilities to train soldiers and medical personnel. The Army took possession of the Biltmore in 1942, transforming the luxurious resort into the Army Air Forces Regional Hospital.

The marble floors were covered with linoleum, chandeliers replaced with fluorescent lights, and the ballrooms filled with hospital beds. The elegant guest rooms became barracks and offices, while the grand pool was used for rehabilitation exercises.

Over 1,200 wounded soldiers were treated here, many returning from combat in Europe and the Pacific. The Biltmore’s size and location made it ideal for military use, and its transformation from resort to recovery center was emblematic of the nation’s wartime spirit of sacrifice and adaptation.

By the war’s end, the hotel had also served as a base for the University of Miami’s medical school, providing dormitories and classrooms. But after the Army left in 1968, the once-great Biltmore fell silent, its halls echoing with memories of both laughter and war. shutdown123

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