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Don Boyd | all galleries >> Memories of Old Hialeah, Old Miami and Old South Florida Photo Galleries - largest non-Facebook collection on the internet >> Memories of Old HIALEAH, Florida - Historical Photo Galleries and Commentaries - click on image to view and read > 1950's - a solid concrete "Atom bomb proof" flat roof Hialeah home typical of the homes in the Suntan Village section
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1950's Courtesy of Daniel Worth

1950's - a solid concrete "Atom bomb proof" flat roof Hialeah home typical of the homes in the Suntan Village section

Hialeah, Florida


Thank you to Daniel Worth for contributing this old image. A good portion of the homes in Suntan Village had stairs to the roof so people could sunbathe on their roofs.

This is the description on the back of this postcard: a solid Indestructible home built by Florida Sun Deck Homes Company, located at 2019 East 4th Street, Hialeah, near Miami, Dade County, Florida, FL for this SOLID CONCETE HOME - Frank Vellanti, President; Thomas F Palmer, Vice President - GUARANTEED ATOM BOMB PROOF !!!!! ... A CLASSIC FLORIDA VIEW !!!


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julie Jeffries 03-Mar-2024 13:14
I lived in a house on 980 west 64th hialeah. My father was one of the contractors who built the houses on lake Lawrence. We lived there till we moved to Missouri in 1970. I miss those days. We loved the lake. My sister had horses she kept out in Tamiami Trail. She would ride them to our home. We would Lee them over night in our fenced in back yard. The ride back next day. Those were such good times growing up there. I went to twin Lakes Elementary school. I have such fond memories of our house and Florida. I’ll always be a Floridian. One day hope to move back. I know things have changed a lot since then. But I will forever hold it dear in my heart❤️❤️
Mario L 17-Apr-2017 10:49
I am 31 and love reading about my local history. My wife's parents live on one of the suntan village houses on 14th street and 6th court. Her dads father bought the house from the original owner back in 1962 for $6,500. They still live there now. A few of these homes have been converted to a two story around the block. A developer recently bought a lot around the corner and tore down the house. They are building two houses on one plot. The block is very noisy with Latin music playing at odd hours. Her dad would tell me stories on how everything has changed. Not like the good old days.
Steve Greene 05-Apr-2016 00:29
I lived in a little flat top house on 47th st. just two blocks from Hiaieah high school where the center of the school was . When I turned 3 we moved over to west 65th street by lake lawrence west. Graduated from Hialeah High School in 72. A proud day for me .
Estela 05-Oct-2014 04:33
Our friends owned a home on E 21 St between 9th and 10th Ave with FEC tracks on the other side of some tall pine trees. Loved visiting their "atom bomb-proof" home in the 60's which also had a fireplace (???) in the living room!!
Robbin P. Learned 16-Jan-2012 08:23
Barbara Corton , And Guest , Our House on East 6th Lane: was Exactly Like The One in The Picture here. Our House had A Flat Roof, But We had Lots of Sundeck Houses all around us. The Sundecks, were Neat. My Friends, and I as Kids: Roller Skated up on them, Camped out on Chaise Lounge Folding Lawn Chairs, up on The Sundecks, and Had Picnics up there. And We also Loved to Go up on The Sundecks For The View: We could See All over The Area. Our House, Had 2 Bedrooms, 1 Bath, A Living Room, A Kitchen / Dining Room, and A Small Utility Room, Out The Kitchen Jalousy Door. And We Had A Septic Tank, in The Back Yard Buried Below. THere were No Sewers in That area then: in The 50's and the 60's. We Had 5 People Living in That House: All Family, and it was Home, But Very Cramped for all of us. Robbin P. Learned.
Robbin P. Learned 16-Jan-2012 08:12
Barbara Corton, And Guest, Lejeune Road / East 8th Avenue : was always A Very Busy Thorofare, even in The 50's. I grew up at 1000 East 6th Lane, Right off of East 9th Street, near The Hialeah Lanes Bowling Alley, and Lejeune Road: wasn't very Far away from our House. We Had no Air Conditioning, and at night , and Early in The Morning: You could Hear Lots Of Cars And Trucks on Lejeune Road . Our Old Timey Crank Out Windows were open, of Course, But Lejeune Road , was A Good 2 Blocks or More East of us , By Food Fair, and Sun Tan Plaza Shopping Center. And also : until Early in The Morning: We could see The Neon Lights Of Hialeah Lanes Bowling Alley, from our Front Bedroom. The Lights stayed on till Like around 2 A. M. : whe The Bowling Alley was Locked up. And even Back then: in The 50's , and 60's : We had nearly Everything Very Handy and Convenient to us there. We Had Royal Castle, Burger King, The Bowling Alley, Flamingo Plaza, with Walgreen's, Woolworth's , W. T. Grant's, Kwik Chek, Flamingo Cafeteria, Western Auto, Children's World, J. C. Penny, and in Sun Tan Plaza: There was : Liggett Rexall Drugstore , and Luncheonette, Grable's Bakery, DR. Ellin's Dentist Office, and nearby, was Food Fair, Farm Store, U totem, Pickle Herring Charlie's Deli and Restaurant ( and Later on it Changed to Carole's Restaurant ) , and there was A Shell Gas Station, and An Amoco Gas Station, and There was DR. Link's Clinic, Golden Point Burger Joint, The Candy Store, By Burger King , and Hialeah Elementary School, and there was Pony Rides, Go Kart Rides, A Village Bar, A Laundromat, Mae & Dave's Bar, A Pure Gas Station, A Phillips 66 Gas Station, A Grand Union, An A & W, Barber Shops, Mc Crory's, Rosie's Ice Cream, Boulevard Day School, Churches, Frank's Meat Market, Milander's Meats, Saunder's Hobby Shop, Hialeah - Springs Auto Parts, Village Custom Paint And Body Shop, Rustic Roller Rink, Benny Babcock Pool and Recreation Center, Carl F. Slade Ambulance Service, Hialeah Fire Dept., Hialeah Police Dept., Big Ed's BBQ, Hitching Post BBQ, Patsy's Italian Restaurant, Villanova Italian Restaurant, Carvel Ice Cream, Hialeah Hospital, and Lots of other Places and Services. My Family , moved to A Bigger House on A Lake, in January of 1964, in Northwest Hialeah, near Miami Lakes. But The East Hialeah Section of Sun Tan Village, and near there: was Always Very Alive, Full of Traffic, and Full of Businesses, even in The 50's , But Nowadays: of Course there's More Businesses, and Maybe More Traffic: That stands to Reason. But as The Guest said: That area: was , and is Very Convenient to Most Everything. West Hialeah, especially Northwest Hialeah: where I Live now: wasn't Real Full, and Fully Developed where Westland Mall is, and Past West 68th Street : in 1964 : was Still Growing, and not that Busy or Crowded. But it sure is now. It Grew Lots over The Years . Best Regards to Barbara Corton, Guest, and Everyone. Robbin P. Learned. Almost 61 Years in Hialeah.
Guest 12-Dec-2011 19:25
barbara,
I am saddened that you are saddened. Le Jeune road is now very commerial but in one small area you have everything you need. You can get your hair cut, put gas in your car, eat at various places, and even fill you prescriptions at 2 pharmacies. I miss the bowling alley like everyone else but I guess times change. With the exception of Hialeah traffic I still think Hialeah, especially SunTan village is a great place to live.
Barbara Corton 30-Nov-2011 08:18
I lived on what is now LeJeune Road and very commercial. I lived there from 1960 to 1970. It saddens me to see what Hialeah has become as it was a nice safe community back then. I went to Saint Johns and Miami Springs.
Mary Anne C 26-Feb-2011 05:16
That could be the house I grew up in, 922 E. 28th Street. It was soooo small! In the late 50s or early 60s my dad built a Florida room and garage. That made it a little more comfortable- especially for Mom, who now had a washing machine in the garage instead of outside on a slab. They bought it new in 1949, and paid $4500 for it. (I have the receipt in our papers somewhere) For years their mortgage payment was $44/mo.
Google Earth the site now, and you'll see that subsequent owners have built onto the house all the way to the property lines. But the backyard was a lot of fun in those olden days.
cyndi 14-Jan-2011 03:32
I found this same post card after my mothers passing. My post card on the back says these indestructible houses are built by Florida Sun Deck Homes Company, 2019 East 4th Ave. Hialeah, Fl. of solid concrete (walls-roof-partitions are all one piece). Hurricane Proof-Fireproof-Termite Proof-Atom Bomb Protection. No structual repairs for years and years. Fire and hazard insurance about 2 1/2 times less than other type homes-cool-ultra modern design for comfortable tropical linvig-modertely priced. U.S. department of defense recommends solid concrete homes for the protection of the public against the atom bomb. My dad must have written how much they were priced at because there was a figure of 6,950 written on back of post card.
Bill weaver 01-Jan-2011 03:40
My great uncle was Tom Palmer. He became very successful in his 50's thanks to the start he had with this development!
shelterisland12-May-2009 20:06
house construction that consists of beams and an outer weatherproof skin, as found on most domestic architecture. Such roofs may take a number of different shapes.A simple ridged roof consists of inclined rafters that rest on horizontal wall-plates on top of each wall.
http://happysainis.blogspot.com
Roof Solutions
shelterisland12-May-2009 18:07
if flat roof is build with the solid materials then it is best roof for the houses.Because any storm and other activity can-not damage the roof.Basically there is flat roof in the commercial buildings and houses.
http://www.newrooflongisland.com
Roof Repairs
Robbin 03-May-2009 02:04
Lily, Hi, I saw your Post, and wanted to tell you exactly, where our House was. Our Street,- East 6th Lane, was Off of East 9th Street, and it went North, one Block, from 9th Street, To 10th Street, and it Curved to The Left. From Our Front Bedroom, you Could See The Neon Sign, of Hialeah Lanes Bowling Alley, at Night. I Lived there, from: 1951, to 1964, and Then , We Moved To West Hialeah, Way Out Northwest, of there, near Miami Lakes. I Still Live There Now !!!!! I went To Hialeah Elementary School, all 6 years, and then: To Miami Springs JR. High, 1/2 Of 7th Grade, and then to Palm Springs JR. High, for The 2nd Half, of 7th Grade, 8th Grade, and 9th Grade, and Then, to Hialeah High. The Neighbor Kids, on our Street, were : Jimmy McCrory, Kenny Strong, Don, and Randy Hinson, and Bobby Nau. My Girlfriend, for A Lot of Elementary School, was : Linda Jenkins. And A Good Friend Of Mine, was : Raymond Oliver . Best Regards !!!!! Robbin Learned.
Lily 23-Apr-2009 02:38
Gosh! Our first house looked like this one and we lived in Hialeah, too! Lol! Maybe I was neighbors with Robbin down below me and didn't even know it! haha! Small world.. you never know! :D
Lily 23-Apr-2009 02:18
Gosh! Our first house looked like this one and we lived in Hialeah, too! Lol! Maybe I was neighbors with Robbin down below me and didn't even know it! haha! Small world.. you never know! :D
Robbin P. Learned 19-Sep-2008 23:44
This Looks Exactly Like The Family House, I Grew Up in My First 13 years Of Life. Our House Like This one, was At 1000 East 6th Lane, By Hialeah Lanes Bowling Alley. I was Born in 1951, But I think my parents Moved in the House, in Either 1949, or 1950, Before, I was Born. Those Houses Were Solid Concrete, and Steel. My Parents said the House Cost them ; $ 6,000.00 New. We Moved out in 1964, to a Bigger House, on a Lake, in Northwest Hialeah, just south of Miami Lakes. This House, on 6th Lane, Had Only 2 Bedrooms, and 1 Bath, no Florida Room, only a Living Room, and a small Kitchen, and a Large Table, and Chairs, next to it, as our Dining Room. It was Very Small, for our 5 Person Family, But It was Home. Robbin P. Learned.