Historic Ward Rooming House
Established in 1925 by Shadrack and Victoria Ward is the Historic Ward Rooming House, located in the historic Overtown area of Miami. This rooming house served as a resting place and safe haven for both African and Native Americans, allowing blacks rejected from local hotels and Seminole Indians needing a rest a place to relax and not worry about being bothered for the night. Today Ward Rooming House acts as an official Visitor center of Overtown and houses a gallery and exhibition hall. Within the event space, you can oftentimes find such dynamic cultural and entertainment events such as live music, special speakers, and poetry readings. There are even annual events such as the Rhythm and Arts Festival and monthly Expressions of poetry readings.
The Ward Rooming House is integrated into the Overtown epicenter and is specifically located on Northwest 9th Street, near all the best local shopping, dining, and entertainment options within Overtown. Try Jackson’s Soul Food or head over to Remix Apparel to get a full glimpse into the neighborhood and live as the locals do! The City of Miami Community Redevelopment Agency (or CRA) owns this establishment and also assists the community in large scale revamp projects. Incorporated also with the Black Archives History and Research Foundation, Historic Ward Rooming House serves as a living tribute to the history of the oldest historic black community in Miami, as well as a successful artist residence and gallery, neither of which will disappoint your group!
