Kelly Welsh | Museum of Miami
My grandfather, Harold Griffin, moved to the magic city in 1925 and he left on the heels of the 1926 hurricane. His recollections of his time planted the seeds that would inspire my parents to begin a new branch of our family tree on the island paradise of Key Biscayne.
After serving in the Navy during WWII and graduating from the University of Virginia, my father, Richard Welsh, was accepted to the University of Miami law school. My mother, Helene Griffin Welsh, was up for the move to a tropical paradise.
In 1951, my parents left Roanoke, Virginia, and moved into their first Mackle home on Ridgewood Lane on Key Biscayne. The Mackle brothers were early developers in Key Biscayne, selling small beach homes to retirees and WWII vets. My aunts recall fond memories of walking to the beach on sandy streets lined with palm trees bursting with coconuts. They provided magnificent shade all over the island and especially the beach.
