History And Geography

History

Florida was originally a collection of uninhabited marshes and swamplands that were discovered in early 1513. A Spaniard by the name of Juan Ponce de Leon landed in the region in search of the fabled ‘Fountain of Youth' and paved the way for the Spanish acquisition of the region of Florida. With the 19th century Spanish-American War, the region of Florida was ceded to America, along with several other Spanish territories. With this began an enthusiastic process of reclamation of the Florida mangrove swamp. The reclaimed land was used for coconut plantations, and over a period of time, this region developed into the city of Miami.

The real start to the development of the city began in 1895 with the railway business tycoon Henry M. Flagler. He teamed up with families that owned land and ran public services in the region, namely the Tuttle and Brickell families. Flagler had already begun developing the St. Augustine region of the future city in a bid to invite investors. He then went on to make a hallmark agreement with the families that lead to the extension of the American railway to that end of Florida, which was known as Biscayne Bay Country.

With the arrival of the rail, a development boom began in the region. Quaker families, settlers, ranchers and farmers thronged to the new site of development. They were in turn followed by businessmen, whose arrival heralded the beginning of the hoteliers and their luxury constructions. This spiraled into further growth and soon Miami became a bustling city visited by people from around the country who were looking for a sunny retreat. This rapid growth also gave an impetus to the development of land across the Biscayne Bay, giving rise to the Miami Beach area.

The glitz and glamour of Miami took a backseat during the Great Depression of 1929. All of a sudden, the hotels were empty as the wealthy went bankrupt and tourism came to a screeching halt. As international conditions worsened, the American government realized the strategic significance of Miami and Miami Beach and thus set up military schools and bases in the region. The move paid off with the Second World War, as German U-boats began attacking vessels off the coast of Florida and Miami Naval Bases became the main defenses of the region.

The continued presence of armed forces in and around Miami made it a popular entertainment region with war-beaten soldiers needing some reprieve. Locals chipped in to cheer their fighters and several entertainment and service clubs sprang up in Miami.

In the early 1970's, Miami and Miami Beach began a movement to protect, preserve and restore the historical buildings made during the ‘Golden Age' of the United States. This attracted large crowds, including several celebrities and dignitaries.

Geography

The city of Miami is located on the mouth of the Miami River that flows through the Dade County of Florida in the United States of America. It lies on the Atlantic coast but is shielded from the open ocean by the Key Biscayne islands and Miami Beach.

The city itself was the site of palmetto and pine flatlands coupled with the marshes that are now restricted to the Everglades. The topography has changed to make way for sand-covered beaches, whereas the outskirts of the region are sparingly wooded.

A lot of the geographic features of Miami are man-made. A foremost example is the canal that connects the Miami River to lake Okeechobee that is situated approximately ninety miles to the northwest of the city.

The climate of the city is semi-tropical and does not have the extremes of temperature and humidity that tropical areas experience. Nonetheless, Miami is the second most humid city in the United States of America.