Miami: History

In just the past 110 or so years of Miami’s history, the city has developed into a booming financial and tourist centre, with a vast multiethnic population of over 2.2 million. In fact, these years saw such rapid growth in the history of Miami that it’s not surprising it came to be dubbed “The Magic City” by winter visitors who thought Miami grew so much from one year to the next that it was like magic.
Historically, Miami was founded by a woman – Julia Tuttle – a wealthy local citrus grower. Many years of dramatic boom followed in the history of Miami – starting in 1896 when the first passenger railroad arrived, carrying thousands of people from North Florida whose livelihoods had been wreaked by the previous year’s Northern freeze. The next group of settlers were Blacks, who hiked up the population again in the history of Miami when they arrived from the Bahamas to find work as railroad workers and farm labourers.

During the 1920s, Miami historically saw another great boom in its population and infrastructure, but this was weakened after the Great Depression of the 1930s and the 1926 Miami Hurricane. However, the city soon got back on its feet and another upsurge in Miami’s history was marked by the construction in the 1930s of Miami Beach’s Art Deco district.

Miami’s heavy Hispanic influence and numbers is down to another twist in the history of Miami and further afield. Following the 1959 coup by Fidel Castro in Cuba, Miami’s Cuban population swelled dramatically as they sought refuge in the area.

The early 1979s brought integration and Miami’s history once more told of a booming economy and advances in education and arts. This was halted by the 1975 recession, but Miami once again gritted its teeth and transformed into the major international tourism, culture and business centre that it is today. Throughout the history of Miami, the city has always held its head high, and you can’t help feeling that its female founder would have been proud.