Please enjoy this short film about Miami history produced by KLAC yachting member Julia Bianchi and the Junior League of Miami, of which Linda Buermann and her mother were long-time members:
Early History & Founding
- Ponce De Leon sails into Biscayne Bay in search of the Fountain of Youth and encounters the Tequesta Indian Village at the mouth of the Miami River.
1896 – Miami Officially Becomes a City
- With just 300 people and the help of railroad magnate Henry Flagler, Miami was incorporated, becoming one of the only major U.S. cities founded by a woman (Julia Tuttle).
1890s – Rev. William E. Stanton arrives
- Linda Buermann’s great-great-grandfather and Miami’s first Baptist minister, who laid the Baptist spiritual foundation of the city under a tent on the banks of the Miami River.
Golden Age Glamour
1920s–1930s – Miami Boom & Mobsters
A land rush turned Miami into a playground for the rich — and the shady. Al Capone buys a mansion on Palm land.
The “Magic City” speakeasies thrive. The Roney Plaza Hotel owns Key Largo Anglers Club (the “Florida Year-Round Club”) and Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables.
1940s – Pan Am Clippers at Dinner Key
- Pan American Airways, flying boats connect Miami to Latin America. Miami becomes the gateway to the tropics — and a hub of WWII espionage. FDR began his journey to the Casablanca summit by departing from Dinner Key on a Pan Am flying boat, with the nearby Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables serving as his Miami headquarters during visits.
1941 – Moon Over Miami Movie Released
- A musical ode to the city’s glitzy beach scene starring Betty Grable, Don Ameche and Robert Cummings.
Political Shifts & Global Drama
1959 – Cuban Revolution & Mass Migration
- Fidel Castro's rise to power led to a wave of Cuban refugees, transforming Miami into the heart of Cuban-American culture.
1961 – Bay of Pigs Invasion Planned in Miami
- The CIA-backed invasion of Cuba was staged from Miami — turning the city into a Cold War hotspot. CIA training for the invasion uses Linderman Key (“Liar’s Lair”) just North of Ocean Reef. After the failed invasion the U.S. continues efforts to unseat Fidel Castro. The CIA establishes a base for these efforts, dubbed JMWAVE, at the University of Miami’s remote South Campus. The base became the largest CIA field station in the world.
1972 - The Miami Dolphins’ Perfect Season
- The 1972 Miami Dolphins finished 17-0 and won Super Bowl VII over the Washington Redskins. The '72 Dolphins have remained the only NFL team to complete an entire season undefeated. That season, the team ranked first in the NFL in total offense, total defense, scoring offense, and scoring defense.
1980 – Mariel Boatlift
- Over 100,000 Cubans arrive in Miami, many under desperate conditions. It reshaped neighborhoods and ignited both cultural growth and tension.
1980 – Liberty City Riots
- Triggered by the acquittal of the four police officers who killed Arthur McDuffie, an African-American man, this was one of the most intense civil disturbances in U.S. history.
Vice, Vibes & Pop Culture
1980s – Cocaine Cowboys Era
Miami becomes the drug capital of the U.S. — flashy, dangerous, and wildly wealthy. Think the real-life Scarface.
Also: murder rates spike, DEA agents roam the streets, and cash money literally floods the banks.
1984 – Miami Vice Premieres
- The city becomes a neon-drenched icon of 80s style, changing the world’s view of Miami forever.
NATURE & NEWS
1992 – Hurricane Andrew
- One of the most destructive hurricanes in U.S. history slams into Miami-Dade County, leveling entire neighborhoods.
2021 – Surfside Condo Collapse
- A tragic building collapse kills 98 people and sparks national debates on infrastructure safety.
Culture, Art & Music Take Over
2000 – Ultra Music Festival Begins
- What started as a small rave becomes a massive global EDM event held in Bayfront Park, drawing over 150,000 people a year.
2002 – Art Basel Miami Beach Launches
- Miami becomes a global hub for contemporary art, attracting collectors, celebrities, and parties galore.
