South Miami, Florida
The City of South Miami is growing rapidly as people have recognized the unique “small-town” atmosphere of the “City of Pleasant Living.” Settled over a hundred years ago, South Miami has retained many of its old world attributes while moving ahead with the times.
About The Community
In 1897, W.A. Larkins, an early pioneer and founder of South Miami, brought his family into the lush wilderness at the southernmost end of a wagon trail. He started a small dairy and a year later established a post office near what is now Cocoplum Circle. When the Miami to Homestead extension of the Florida East Coast Railroad was completed, he bought more property in the area. He established the first grocery and general supply store and named surrounding community Larkins. By 1917, the population of Larkins had reached 350.
The area boomed in the 1920s and in 1926, it was incorporated as the Town of South Miami. The Great Hurricane of September 1926 almost destroyed the town. To add to it, the Florida East Coast Railway station burned down, leaving the town without a station for many years. In 1927, it was incorporated as the City of South Miami.
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Today almost ten thousand multicultural people live here and enjoy excellent, educational, recreational and medical facilities. South Miami Hospital opened in 1960 as a 100-bed hospital in what was then a small suburban community. The hospital has kept pace with the growing needs of the community. It has an excellent reputation for care of children with developmental delays and disabilities. It is also well known for its surgical and cardiovascular services. It was on the Solucient list of top 100 hospitals in the country, based on several quality indicators.
Vicinity of South Miami
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The City of South Miami’s Historic Preservation Board received a Community Service Award for its work in obtaining a Historic Designation for the Cambridge Lawns district. The district consists of 31 small Tudor and Mediterranean Revival style family homes built in the late 1920s-30s.
The city was named an All-America City in 2001, the highest and most prestigious honor a City can receive. The award celebrates communities that face issues of concern and solves them successfully through civic action and cooperation between citizens and their local government. This community helps children in innovative ways. It has also worked to redevelop its troubled neighborhoods, and improved the city’s center.
South Miami is an exciting blend of modern suburbs, historical villages and bucolic backcountry. Its attractions have a distinct character, fun, fascinating and unique. Excellent dining, numerous parks and an exciting nightlife await you. Visitors will find hidden treasures in South Miami department stores and specialty stores while enjoying pristine beaches and year-round sunshine and the nearby Everglades. What more could one ask for in a vacation destination?
