This Month in Miami Beach History

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Over one century ago, on March 26, 1915, Miami Beach was originally incorporated as a town with only 33 registered voters. The humble beginnings of one of America’s most popular cities included plans for mass coconut and fruit farming in the late 1880s and early 1900s. The landscape eventually proved unsuitable for this task, leading investors to envision Miami Beach as a place of unbridled potential for seaside resorts, casinos, and other tourist attractions.

In 1912, Ocean Beach Realty Company was established by the Lummus Brothers, Avery Smith, and others. Located on the northeast corner of Ocean Drive and Biscayne Street, the Company’s wood-frame office became the location of Miami Beach’s incorporation as a town, in response to requests from majority landowners to formally recognize the area.

Miami Beach quickly outgrew township status and was re-incorporated as a city in 1917, but the original incorporation marked the beginning of its transformation into the vibrant, lively community we know today.