Miami Beach, a city on the Miami-Dade County, is located on a barrier island nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay. Often confused with the main city of Miami, Florida, Miami Beach is separated from the mainland by Biscayne Bay. It is surrounded by Surfside to the south, Fisher Island to the north, and Miami and North Bay Village to the west. Miami Beach was incorporated on March 26, 1915. It has been in the forefront of America’s best beach resorts for almost a century.

HISTORY

In 1870, Henry Lum and son Charles arrived by sailboat on the large sandbar off the southeast Florida coast, and were so impressed by the island that they bought it from the federal government, for $.25 an acre. Lum later sold the property to fellow New Jerseyites Elnathan Field and Field and Ezra Osborne, who, in turn would sell the land to John S. Collins and his son-in-law, Thomas Pancoast.

In 1913, Fisher loaned Collins the money he needed to complete the first bridge from Miami to Miami Beach that same year and the bridge, at the time the longest wooden bridge in the world, would be the catalyst for the 1915 incorporation of Miami Beach.

The great boom of the 1920’s would see enormous growth, while during the Depression, new groups from the northeast would build many small hotels along lower Collins Avenue and Ocean Drive. This building boom helped bring the area out of the Depression and forty years later that area of Miami Beach would become the famous Art Deco District, known the world over as "South Beach" or "SoBe."

During World War II 500,000 Army Air Corps cadets passed through Miami Beach when it became a major training center. Many of these servicemen returned to make the area their permanent home after the war. By the end of the 1950s, South Florida had doubled its pre-war population.

When Fidel Castro took over Cuba in 1959, the revolution radically changed South Florida as half a million Cubans poured into the area. Although it has changed almost beyond recognition, Miami Beach has thrived amidst that change and overcome many difficulties as it continues to be an international mecca for travel, business, and permanent residents.

 ENTERTAINMENT AND LIFESTYLE

One of the most popular areas in Miami Beach is South Beach, a.k.a SoBe, or simply The Beach. It is located from 1st street to about 25th street. The TV show “Miami Vice” gave South Beach worldwide recognition.

If you’re in for a unique shopping experience, Lincoln Road, Collins Avenue, and Ocean Drive in Miami Beach are the best places to go to. Fashionistas from all over the world flock to Miami Beach for the annual Miami Fashion Week, which is the largest showcase of Latin-American designers in the U.S., with other participating designers from Europe, Canada, Middle East, Asia, and the Caribbean. From high-end designer wear to hard-to-find clothes, Miami Beach is the place to go.

Foodies will love the unique restaurant Joe’s Stone Crab, which has earned the city recognition as a culinary destination. The South Beach Wine and Food Festival, an annual four-day culinary event showcasing top chef’s and wine producers from around the globe, attracts 20,000 visitors each year.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS:

* North Beach Elementary
* South Pointe Elementary * Biscayne Elementary
* Feinberg/Fisher K - 8 Center
* Nautilus Middle School
* Miami Beach Senior High School

PRIVATE SCHOOLS:

* Landow Yeshiva
* Lubavitch Educational Center
* Alexander S. Gross Hebrew Academy