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Miami Lay of the Land Art Deco & Beyond Back in the Day Up and Coming Ethnic Enclaves Southern Hospitality Northern Exposure |
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Downtown Miami is at the heart of the city's history. Julia Tuttle, the mother of Miami, settled the city in 1891 here; the discovery of the Miami Circle, an archeological site uncovered during construction development in 1998, proved that the mouth of the river was an important trading post for American Indians more than 1000 years ago. Today, the heart of commercial Miami continues to beat in virtually the same location. A hub for international business and finance, soaring office towers and ultra-modern condominiums line Brickell Avenue. American Airlines Arena (home to the Miami Heat), Bayside Marketplace, a waterfront shopping and dining destination and Bayfront Park an outdoor concert amphitheater draw residents and visitors. Nearby on tony Brickell Key, the Mandarin Oriental, Miami's only AAA Five Diamond resort has received rave reviews for its beautiful design, world-class service and award-winning restaurants.Just north of downtown, one of Miami's oldest African-American neighborhoods, Overtown, is on the upswing. In its heyday in the 1920s through 1940s, Overtown was Florida's version of Harlem -- a thriving black community where businesses and community life prospered, including an entertainment district anchored by the historic Lyric Theater. Today, revitalization is underway to restore the neighborhood's historical legacy with renovations of the Lyric, the Greater Bethel AME Church and the D.A. Dorsey House (home of Miami's first black millionaire.) |
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