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Stirrup came to America at age 15 in search of a new life. Unable to read or write, he learned carpentry. According to his granddaughter, he worked the pineapple fields during the day and at times was given land in exchange for his work.
“He began building homes on that land,” said Carol Byrd, Stirrup’s granddaughter. “Because he thought the Bahamians coming over to work should be able to bring their families.”
Stirrup built more than a hundred homes, offering affordable housing for African Americans and Bahamians immigrating to South Florida in the early 1900s.
Nestled in the heart of Coconut Grove in Miami stands a two-story yellow and white home along Charles Avenue. This was Stirrup’s home that he built by hand in 1897. Stay on top of the latest news and weather. Download the NBC 6 u003cemu003eapp for u003c/emu003eu003ca is=u0022u0022 href=u0022https://apps.apple.com/us/app/nbc-6/id331807842u0022u003eiOSu003c/au003eu003cemu003e or u003c/emu003eu003ca is=u0022u0022 href=u0022https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nbcuni.nbcots.nbcmiami.androidu0026amp;hl=en USu0022u003eAndroidu003c/au003eu003cemu003e.u003c/emu003e