Introduction to North Miami, Florida
The Florida city of North Miami is located in northeast Miami-Dade County, about 14 miles north of the city of Miami. The city is home to the Biscayne Bay campus of Florida International University and the Florida campus of Johnson & Wales University.
Originally settled in the late 19th century, the area first known as Arch Creek soon developed into a thriving farming community. The Florida land boom of the 1920s impacted Arch Creek and shifted its emphasis from farming to land development. In 1926, residents voted to incorporate as the Town of Miami Shores, a name which only lasted a few years due to the actions of the Florida Legislature which abolished the town's name based on lobbying by the wealthy Shoreland Company, who wanted the name for their huge development ("The Village of Miami Shores"). In 1931 the local population chose a new name for its municipality: The Town of North Miami. In 1952, voters adopted a new charter and the town became the City of North Miami.
North Miami Area Attractions
North Miami's subtropical climate and miles of nearby sandy beaches provide a haven for outdoor recreational activities of all types. The city also houses 11 public parks, 2 swimming pools, and 3 tennis court facilities. Residents and visitors can spend an afternoon at the Enchanted Forest Elaine Gordon Park (a 22-acre natural oak hammock). The Oleta River State Recreation Area, the largest urban park in the Florida State park system, contains one of the largest concentrations of Australian Pine trees found in Florida.
One of the premier cultural sites in the city is the The Joan Lehman Museum of contemporary Art (MoCA), a 22,000 square-foot state-of-the-art facility providing spacious exhibition space, an art pavilion and two outdoor courtyards. With an established reputation for high quality exhibitions, events, films, lectures and art excursions, MoCA has become a major force in the community and has stimulated the growth of sophisticated art galleries and avant-garde studios which display works by many emerging local artists. Another city staple is the North Miami Public Library, which contains over 100,000 books as well as thousands of foreign language tapes, magazines and newspapers.
Visitors and residents of North Miami can enjoy a wealth of South Florida attractions and can also participate in some of the Greater Miami area's numerous annual events, just a few of which are listed here:
- Kwanza (January's African Thanksgiving Celebration).
- Orange Bowl Classic (January).
- Miami Film Festival (February).
- Italian Renaissance Festival at Vizcaya (March).
- River Cities Festival (April).
- Miami/Bahamas Goombay Festival (June).
- 4th of July at Bayfront Park.
- South Florida International Auto Show (September).
- Hispanic Heritage Festival (October).
- Miami Air Show (November).
- Miami Christmas Family Pageant (December).
Sports fans can enjoy the following major league pro teams, all located in the Greater Miami Area:
- Baseball: Florida Marlins (MLB).
- Football: Miami Dolphins (NFL).
- Basketball: Miami Heat (NBA), Miami Tropics (American Basketball Association).
- Hockey: Florida Panthers (NHL).
- Soccer: Miami FC (United Soccer Leagues).
