Miami Beach History and Local Attractions



A Brief History


In 1895, in exchange for land, she persuaded industrialist Henry Flagler to extend his railroad south from West Palm Beach to Miami. The railroad arrived in 1896, and the city, launched on a path of rapid growth, was incorporated that same year.



Biscayne Bay was dredged to create more waterfront property, and the new development was incorporated as Miami Beach in 1915. Many flamboyant hotels and elegant estates were built on the island during the 1920s and 1930s.

Another building boom followed World War II, when many servicemen who had trained in the Miami area returned to settle there with their families. By the end of the 1950s, South Florida had doubled its prewar population.



Miami weathered these crises, and in the 1980s and early 1990s the city experienced a renaissance that included a multi-billion dollar building boom. A revitalized Miami Beach once again became a popular tourist destination.