1624-37 Clubs 1969
ALFRED I. BARTON
Born November 16, 1892 in Philadelphia. Son of J. Hunter
Barton and Caroline Eulalie Ilko. Mr. Barton knew Miami since his
earliest days coming here with his family to visit his aunt who was
a pioneer resident and returning many times until he established a
home here in 1924.
At the outbreak of WWI Mr. Barton went to France to serve in
the French Ambulance Corps and was later commissioned in the U.S.Army
and served in liason with both the American and French armies.
After the Armistice he was Aide to the Commander of the
District of Paris and was attached to President Wilson during the
Peace Conference He lateK__serve 8 Aide o the,.Commanding Officer
of the American Army of Occupation. in Germany remaining there until
the troops were withdrawn in 1923 .`- Returning to the United States
he became Production Manager for Cecil B. DeMille but was forced by
illness to give up this work and later engaged in the real estate
business in Southern Florida.
He and his Mother, Mrs. J. Hunter Barton, who died in 1954,
built Buen Retiro, one of the first of the large houses on Miami Beach
and during the period of the twenties and thirties were among the most
prominent hosts in the area, entertaining lavishly in their home at
18th and Collins. Mrs. Hunter Barton was generally recognized as the
social leader of Miami Beach and Mr. Barton has been alluded to in
the national press as social arbitrator of this area.
In 1930 Mr. Barton promoted The Surf Club and was one of the
original members of the Board. He served as Executive Vice President
until his retirement in 1967 when he became Chairman of the Board.
During the period of his administration Mr. Barton made The Surf Club
internationally famous and gained for it worldwide prestige in the
resort field. His talent for promotion and staging made him one of
the outstanding figures in the realm of entertainment; and for the
pleasure of the members he originated a kaleidoscopic series of
activities including the now renown Saturday Night Galas, prize fights
during dinner dances , couturier fashion shows, book reviews , lectures
by foreign and domestic authorities on a great variety of subjects,
personal appearances by top stars of musical comedy, opera and night
clubs over a period of thirty years. He also created an Art Gallery
where some of New York ' s leading exhibitors made presentations.
Mr. Barton was instrumental in founding the town of Surfside
on behalf of The Surf Club and was the first President of the Council.
He was a founder and a two term President of the Dade County Chiefs
of Police.
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As an officer of the ,Seaway CQrporat19n',. Mr. Barton developed
sixteen blocks of land be.w e ; nd it ' / rid The Surf Club, re-naming
91st Street "Surfside ,acted duplexes and houses
as well as the Seaway: • ' ,firs^ r+ ? y r tfront.
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Mr. Barton was :mai' `• lees to the former Sally
Cobb Jones of Atlanta and Wagdi`iQ` ed4,at `the 'end of WWII.
For some years he maintained a 4500 acre ranch near Kissimmee ,
was a member of the International: Association of Chiefs of Police ,
the Resep J.e OffLimg.t.Association, ;Or r of Lafayette, a Director of
the Committee of 100, 'the neer ea iron and the Military Order of
Foreign Wars. r r •
Mr. Barton was wide; y k Tea may. m�: .z oisseur and avid collector
of art and owned what-A;(1 } 'P • •i b, r '`rtant collection of
Southwestern Tex • 1/44e hands,hands, which he
donated to the • .fr,-{ Mtarai where a
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special •wing t- ; ,. fdhis collection
of Pre-Colomb.•tin. c423rember of .the
Board of Regent } :chairman of the
Executive Couat#
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In 1969 he:'.' c� jp - r `f- the University of
•Miami and was also a w k`;' iversity Founders .
Mr. Barton received nany decorations from.:foreign governments
including the Legion of Honor and the Croix de Guerre of France, the
Kings Medal of England, the Cross of Daniel() and the Silver Medal
of Montenegro when he served as American attache to the last King of
Montenegro during the_ Peace _Conference ,_Q 1919.,. and received the
Star of Roumania from King Ferdinand .
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