Miami Media Baron

COX

Thrashed in a lopsided presidential election, James Cox bounced back to build a national news empire.

The Ohio governor was trounced by Warren Harding in 1920, so he focused on growing his newspaper chain. A trip to Florida gave him the idea to put down a marker in the small but growing town of Miami.

Modeled on a Spanish cathedral bell tower, the Miami Daily News building lasted less than one year before a hurricane tore off the top and sent it crashing through the newsroom. But Cox was not one to back down, not even when threatened by gangsters. He ordered it rebuilt.

The regal entryway and lobby welcomed celebrities, business clients, and daily subscribers alike. Years later it became federal offices and a center for refugees fleeing Fidel Castro's takeover of Cuba.