Black Archives, noted the significance of Merrick's admiration of the Bahamian community's impact and inspiration. Merrick wrote a series of stories he titled “Men of the Magical Isles,” honoring the Bahamian laborers he worked with. When "Nellie Powers, a Black woman in the community, decided to open a private school to educate Black children, Merrick, along with a biracial board, donated to the cause, up until that point “Miami had never seen such an inter-racial effort.”" Merrick also purchased land to give to the Bahamian laborers to live on, which became the MacFarlane District. The only structure on the University of Miami campus named after George Merrick, is the "Merrick Garage," which the university and students, also refer to as the "Brown Garage." The Solomon G. Merrick Building, named after George Merrick's father is sometimes referred to as the "Merrick Building." As of June 2022, the University of Miami has maintained the name of the "Merrick Garage" on all directional signs and maps. Personal life On February 5, 1916, Merrick married Eunice Isabella Peacock, daughter of Coconut Grove pioneers, R.A.S. Peacock and Lilian Irene Frow. Merrick built a home for his bride, called Poinciana Place, located at 937 Coral Way, in Coral Gables. Legacy and honors In 1927, Merrick was awarded the Order of Isabella the Catholic by King Alfonso XII of Spain for his support of Spanish culture in Coral Gables. A year after Merrick's death, in 1943, the World War II Liberty Ship was named in his honor. In 2006, the Coral Gables Garden Club commissioned a statue of George Merrick to be placed in front of City Hall. The bronze statue was crafted by American sculptor, William Beckwith. Architect Rocco Ceo designed the pedestal for the statue and surrounding bench, which were constructed from coral rock. On June 3, 2021, the City of Coral Gables celebrated its inaugural "Founder's Day Ceremony" at City Hall, marking the 135th anniversary of George Merrick's birthday to commemorate his legacy. The cover of the July 2021 edition of Coral Gables Magazine features a watercolor painting honoring Merrick by artist Carlos Garcia-Barbon; the painting depicts the bronze George Merrick statue in front of City Hall. In 2022, the City of Coral Gables enacted a resolution recognizing June 3rd as "Founder's Day in Coral Gables" honoring Merrick on the anniversary of his birthday. In popular culture Merrick appears as a major supporting character