GENERAL INFORMATION At the outset of the 1870s, William and Mary Brickell settled south of the Miami River and quickly became both savy Indian traders and real estate investors. In 1891, Julia Tuttle established a homestead on north bank of the Miami River near the Biscayne Bay. She predicted that a great city would someday exist on these banks. At about this time Henry M. Flagler, a multimillionaire from Standard Oil fame, was extending a railroad along Florida's east coast and developing cities and resorts along the way. By 1894, Flagler's railway terminated at West Palm Beach but, after repeated appeals and hundreds of acres of prime real estate from Tuttle and the Brickells, he soon extended his railway to Miami. In that same year on July 28, 1896, 344 registered voters many of whom were black laborers voted for the incorporation of the City of Miami, and Flagler's slate of candidates that governed the area. By 1925 Miami expanded from 13 to 43 square miles and with an unofficial population of 100,000, Miami and Dade County were becoming both the major metropolitan center of Florida and an American tourist center. Today Miami is not only a major international tourist destination but also a growing dynamic international hub with a truly diverse population and unique personality. Population: Dade County (Greater Miami) 2,253,362, Miami 374,791. Flight times: Chicago-3.75 hr., NYC-3.5 hrs., Los Angeles-4.5 hrs., London-8.5 hrs. WEATHER Expect warm tropical winters and very warm humid summers; rain may be persistent. Average Daily High/Low Temperature: • Spring: High 82/ Low 69 • Summer: High 88/ Low 75 • Fall: High 79 / Low 73 • Winter: High 76/ Low 59 TRANSPORTATION The Miami International Airport ranks seventh in the U.S. for passenger traffic. http://www.miami-airport.com/ AIRPORT SHUTTLES Taxicabs: A cab ride costs $28. or more from the airport to Miami Beach, $19.-$22. to the Central Business District and slightly more to Coral Gables. Pickup is on the lower level, outside the baggage claim area. There may be an additional charge for extra baggage. Super Shuttle service available from the airport to the Central Business District and the Greater Miami and Ft. Lauderdale Area. The rate is approximately $11.-$18. for one. Tri-County Commuter Rail Authority is the convenient, comfortable and affordable way to travel throughout the South Florida region. It is a rail service that connects Miami to West Palm Beach in air-conditioned comfort, seven days a week. Stations at: Mangonia Park, West Palm Beach, Lake Wort, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Boca Raton, Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach, Cypress Creek, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport at Dania Beach, Sheridan Street, Hollywood, Golden Glades, Opa-locka, Metrorail Transfer, Hialeah Market, Miami Airport. http://www.tri-rail.com/ PUBLIC TRANSIT Metrobus, Metrorail and the Metromove Metrorail is a 21-mile elevated rail system that serves Downtown Miami and extends west to Hialeah and south to Kendall, with stops approximately every mile. Metromover features individual motorized cars that run atop a 4.4-mile elevated track looping around Downtown Miami and to the Brickell and Omni business districts. Metrobus offers more than 60 routes in Miami-Dade County. Information for all Ñ http://www.miamidade.gov/transit/home.htm Electrowave Miami Beach has its' own system of electric-powered buses. Cost: 25¢ (one little quarter). AMTRAK: Union Station is located at 8303 NW 37th Avenue in Hialeah. 800 872-7245 http://www.amtrak.com Greyhound: 800 231-2222 http://www.greyhound.com The Port of Miami, known as the cruise capital of the world, serves as the embarkation point for 18 cruise ships operated by several major cruise lines. The Port serves more than three million passengers a year. VISITOR INFORMATION http://www.miamidade.gov OR http://www.gmcvb.com REAL ESTATE INFORMATION Find the best Miami Beach Real Estate including Miami condos and find Florida living like you have never seen.