Welcome to the Magic City: An Introduction to Miami

Miami is a large, coastal metropolis, located on the southeastern tip of Florida. Known as a “global” city, it has become a bonafide celebrity playground, where the rich and famous seek refuge in the sugary, white sand beaches and sexy, glittering Miami nightlife. However, there are many other facets to this multicultural melting pot.

Miami is home to a portion of the Florida Everglades and retains its share of smaller, close-knit communities, all of which have their own distinct character.

Miami is situated right in the middle of Miami-Dade County, which is the largest county in the Sunshine State. Moreover, Miami is the seventh largest city in the country, boasting more than five million residents. The city plays a large role in the entertainment, transportation, finance, commerce and media industries, with many of the world’s biggest corporations retaining an office --- either headquarters or satellite --- in the Miami area. In fact, Miami has the largest grouping of international banking facilities in the United States.

Since the start of the new millennium, the city has undergone a huge transformation in terms of new construction. More than 50 new skyscrapers now dot the Miami skyline, which places third behind New York City and Chicago. In fact, the Miami skyline is the 18th best in the world and has eight of the tallest skyscrapers in the state of Florida.

Miami is also known as a “green” city, dubbed “America’s Cleanest City” in 2008 by Forbes Magazine. This honor was bestowed upon Miami for the large number of green spaces found around the metro area, as well as the quality drinking water, clean streets and sidewalks, and the recycling programs that garner high participation around the area.

For all of its appealing attributes, Miami has a checkered past that has received both positive and negative attention over the years. The area was originally settled by Tequesta Indians before being conquered by the Spanish in the mid 1500s. By the late 1800s, Miami consisted of nothing but wilderness. Then, a wealthy citrus magnate named Julia Tuttle visited the area and convinced railroad tycoon Henry Flagler to bring his company, Florida East Coast Railroad, to the area. This was the beginning of Miami as it exists today. The city was officially incorporated in 1896, starting with about 300 residents.

Almost immediately after incorporation, Miami began to develop, despite suffering devastating blows throughout the early 1900s. However, World War II helped to expand the population and generate new industry and by 1940, Miami was booming with close to 200,000 residents. However, the city really exploded once Fidel Castro came to power in Cuba in 1959. His regime prompted many Cubans to seek refuge in the U.S., settling in Miami, a mere 90 miles away from their homeland. Even after experiencing growing pains through the 1980s and 90s, which included major drug wars, gang violence and Hurricane Andrew, Miami continued to grow and prosper, settling in as a major U.S. hub for business, culture and entertainment.

In fact, the city’s official nickname, “The Magic City,” came about because Miami has managed to grow to more than five million residents in a mere 110 years, a great feat for a city that started from nothing. Snowbirds would visit the area annually and comment on how much the city would grow from year to year, saying it was like “magic.”

Since its inception, Miami has been best known for its tropical, sunny climate. The summers are hot and humid (perfect beach weather) and the winters are mild and dry. While Miami does get its fair share of cold fronts, they are never extreme and the average temperature in the winter hovers around 64 °F. The rainy season coincides with summer and usually manifests in an afternoon thunderstorm, lasting maybe an hour and then making way for the sun to return. Miami weather is similar to other Caribbean locales, meaning the area is also susceptible to hurricanes and tropical storms in the summer months.

The city of Miami is sectioned off into a smattering of smaller communities. The region is split between the North, South, West and Downtown areas of the city. Downtown Miami is the center of activity and is where the Port of Miami is located. This is also the area that houses the South Florida central business district and where many of the major business and financial centers are located. The Southern portion of the city is where Coral Way and Coconut Grove --- historic, well-to-do communities --- are located.  The Western portion of Miami consists of many immigrant neighborhoods, including the infamous Little Havana. The North side of Miami is where Midtown, an area teeming with Hispanics, artists and bohemians, is located. This is also the area of Miami where Little Haiti and Liberty City, which are predominantly black communities, can be found.

Located throughout all of the different Miami communities are public school properties. The Miami-Dade County Public School system is the largest school district in the state. There are close to 400,000 students spread out over almost 400 schools in the county. This is the single largest minority district in the U.S., with at least 60% of students derived from Hispanic origin. Some of the top-rated high schools in the nation can be found in Miami, with the Design & Architecture High School ranking as the country’s best magnet school. Moreover, as a way to recognize its multicultural demographics, the district is one of a handful in the nation to offer a full-fledged bi-lingual education system. 

The list of attributes regarding Miami is seemingly endless as it truly is a city that offers a broad range of amenities, activities, communities and business opportunities for just about anybody. The city is the embodiment of a multicultural Mecca, providing an in-depth look at how well a diverse grouping of people can work together, through the threads of different neighborhoods and nationalities, to create a city that is full of culture, knowledge, beauty and life.

Copyright 2009 MiamiSmarts

1. An Introduction to Miami
2. Getting Around Miami
3. Secrets of South Beach
4. Dolphins in Heat in Miami
5. The Miami Music Scene
6. Things to See in Miami
7. The Miami Cultural Scene
8. Shopping in Miami