Miami-Dade County, Florida From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Miami-Dade County, Florida Map Location in the state of Florida Florida's location in the U.S. Statistics Founded January 18, 1836 Seat Miami Largest city Miami Area - Total - Land - Water 2,431 sq mi (6,296 km²) 1,946 sq mi (5,040 km²) 485 sq mi (1,256 km²), 19.96% PopulationEst. - (2007) - Density 2,387,170 1,158/sq mi (447/km²) Website: www.miamidade.gov Named for: Major Francis L. Dade County flag County logo Miami-Dade County (often referred to as simply Miami-Dade, Dade-County, Dade, or 305) is a county located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the county population was 2,387,170 in 2007, making it the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States.[1] It is also Florida's second largest county in terms of land area, with 1,946 square miles.[2] The county's population makes up approximately half of the South Florida metropolitan area population and holds several of the principal cities of South Florida. The county seat is the City of Miami. The county is home to 35 incorporated cities and many unincorporated areas. The eastern portion of the county is heavily urbanized with many high rises up the coastline, as well as the location of the county's central business district, Downtown Miami. The western portion of the county extends into the Everglades National Park and is unpopulated. East of the mainland in Biscayne Bay is also Biscayne National Park, making Miami the only metropolitan area in the United States that borders two national parks. Contents [hide] 1 History 1.1 Pre-European contact 1.2 European contact 1.3 Birth of Dade County 2 Geography 2.1 Municipalities 2.2 Unincorporated communities 2.3 City districts and neighborhoods 2.4 Adjacent counties 3 Demographics 3.1 2000 U.S. Census 3.2 2006 U.S. Census estimates 3.3 Languages 4 Economy 5 Law and government 5.1 Federation, not total consolidation 5.2 Structure of county government 6 Public services 6.1 Fire Rescue 6.2 Police Department 6.3 Water and Sewer Department 7 Education 7.1 Colleges and universities 8 Transportation 8.1 Airports 8.2 Public transit 8.3 Major expressways 8.4 Street grid 9 Sites of interest 9.1 Museums 9.2 Culture and wildlife 9.3 Other areas and attractions 9.4 Parks 9.5 Sports venues 10 Sister Cities 11 References 12 External links 12.1 Government links 12.1.1 County departments and agencies 12.1.2 Special districts 12.1.3 Judicial branch 12.2 Tourism [edit] History Further information: History of Miami, Florida [edit] Pre-European contact The earliest evidence of Native American settlement in the Miami region came from about 12,000 years ago.[3] The first inhabitants settled on the banks of the Miami River, with the main villages on the northern banks. The inhabitants at the time of first European contact were the Tequesta people, who controlled much of southeastern Florida, including what is now Miami-Dade County, Broward County, and the southern part of Palm Beach County. The Tequesta Indians fished, hunted, and gathered the fruit and roots of plants for food, but did not practice any form of agriculture. They buried the small bones of the deceased with the rest of the body, and put the larger bones in a box for the village people to see. The Tequesta are credited with making the Miami Circle. [edit] European contact Juan Ponce de León was the first European to visit the area in 1513 by sailing into Biscayne Bay. His journal records that he reached Chequescha, which was Miami's first recorded name.[4] It is unknown whether he came ashore or made contact with the Indians. Pedro Menéndez de Avilés and his men made the first recorded landing when they visited the Tequesta settlement in 1566 while looking for Avilés' missing son, shipwrecked a year earlier.[5] Spanish soldiers led by Father Francisco Villarreal built a Jesuit mission at the mouth of the Miami River a year later but it was short-lived. After the Spaniards left, the Tequesta Indians were left to fend themselves from European-introduced diseases like smallpox. By 1711, the Tequesta sent a couple of local chiefs to Havana, Cuba, to ask if they could migrate there. The Cubans sent two ships to help them, but Spanish illnesses struck and most of the Indians died.[6] The first permanent European settlers arrived in the early 1800s. People came from the Bahamas to South Florida and the Keys to hunt for treasure from the ships that ran aground on the treacherous Great Florida reef. Some accepted Spanish land offers along the Miami River. At about the same time, the Seminole Indians arrived, along with a group of runaway slaves. The area was affected by the Second Seminole War, during which Major William S. Harney led several raids against the Indians. Most non-Indian residents were soldiers stationed at Fort Dallas. It was the most devastating Indian war in American history, causing almost a total loss of population in the Miami area. After the Second Seminole War ended in 1842, William English, re-established a plantation started by his uncle on the Miami River. He charted the “Village of Miami” on the south bank of the Miami River and sold several plots of land. In 1844, Miami became the county seat, and six years later a census reported that there were ninety-six residents living in the area.[7] The Third Seminole War was not as destructive as the second one. Even so, it slowed down the settlement of southeast Florida. At the end of the war, a few of the soldiers stayed. [edit] Birth of Dade County Julia Tuttle, the founder of Miami. Flagler Street in Downtown 20 minutes after surrender during World War II.Dade County was created on January 18, 1836 under the Territorial Act of the United States. The county was named after Major Francis L. Dade, a soldier killed in 1835 in the Second Seminole War, at what has since been named the Dade Battlefield. At the time of its creation, Dade County included the land that now contains Palm Beach and Broward counties, together with the Florida Keys from Bahia Honda Key north and the land of present day Miami-Dade County. The county seat was originally at Indian Key in the Florida Keys, then in 1844, the County seat was moved to Miami. The Florida Keys from Key Largo to Bahia Honda were returned to Monroe County in 1866. In 1888 the county seat was moved to Juno, near present-day Juno Beach, Florida, returning to Miami in 1899. In 1909, Palm Beach County was formed from the northern portion of what was then Dade County, and then in 1915, Palm Beach County and Dade County contributed nearly equal portions of land to create what is now Broward County. There have been no significant boundary changes to the county since 1915.[8][9][10] The second-costliest natural disaster to occur in the United States was Hurricane Andrew, which hit this county early Monday morning on August 24, 1992. It struck the central part of the county from due east, south of Miami and very near Homestead, Kendall, and Cutler Ridge (now the Town of Cutler Bay). Damages numbered over US$25 billion in the county alone, and recovery has taken years in these areas where the destruction was greatest. This was the costliest natural disaster in US history until Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf region in 2005. After the Cuban Revolution, exiles from Cuba migrated in large numbers to Dade County. On November 13, 1997 voters changed the name of the county from Dade to Miami-Dade to acknowledge the international name recognition of Miami.[11] [edit] Geography Miami River in Downtown MiamiAccording to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,431 square miles (6,297 km²), of which, 1,946 square miles (5,040 km²) of it is land and 485 square miles (1,257 km²) of it (19.96%) is water, most of which is Biscayne Bay, with another significant portion in the adjacent waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The bay is divided from the Atlantic Ocean by the many barrier isles along the coast, one of which is where well-known Miami Beach is located, home to South Beach and the Art Deco district. The Florida Keys, which are also barrier islands are only accessible through Miami-Dade County, but which are otherwise part of neighboring Monroe County. Miami is the largest city within Miami-Dade County as well as the county seat, with an estimated population of 409,719. Miami is the only metropolitan area in the United States that borders two national parks. Biscayne National Park is located east of the mainland, in Biscayne Bay, and the western third of Miami-Dade County lies within Everglades National Park. [edit] Municipalities Map of the municipalities (colored areas) and unincorporated (grey areas) communities of Miami-Dade County.There are 35 incorporated areas: City of Miami Gardens City of Aventura Town of Golden Beach City of Sunny Isles Beach City of North Miami Beach City of North Miami Village of Bal Harbour Town of Bay Harbor Islands Village of Indian Creek Town of Surfside Village of Biscayne Park Village of Miami Shores Village of El Portal Village of North Bay Village City of Opa-locka Town of Miami Lakes City of Hialeah City of Hialeah Gardens Town of Medley City of Doral City of Miami Springs Village of Virginia Gardens City of Sweetwater City of Miami City of Miami Beach Village of Key Biscayne City of West Miami City of Coral Gables City of South Miami Village of Pinecrest Village of Palmetto Bay Town of Cutler Bay City of Homestead City of Florida City City of Islandia [edit] Unincorporated communities Skyline of Downtown Miami Coral Gables South Beach Aventura Opa LockaThe following areas are unincorporated regions of the county which fall directly under the county government's jurisdiction. Most, but not all of them, are Census-designated places. Biscayne Gardens(c) Brownsville(j) Coral Terrace(o) Country Club(d) Country Walk(cc) Fairlawn(r) Fountainbleau(k) Gladeview(i) Glenvar Heights(q) Golden Glades(c) Goulds(hh) Homestead Base(ll) Ives Estates(a) Kendale Lakes(v) Kendall(u) Kendall West (w) Lakes by the Bay(gg) Leisure City(kk) Naranja(jj) Ojus(b) Olympia Heights(r) Palm Springs North(e) Palmetto Estates(z) Pinewood(f) Princeton(ii) Redland (above 34) Richmond Heights(aa) Richmond West(dd) South Miami Heights(ff) Stiltsville (near 26) Sunset(t) Tamiami(l) The Crossings(y) The Hammocks(x) Three Lakes(bb) University Park(m) West Little River(h) West Perrine(ee) Westchester(n) Westview(g) Westwood Lakes(s) Any letters grouped "(xx)" after a name refer to the labeled gray areas of the map above. [edit] City districts and neighborhoods Andover in city of Miami Gardens Bunche Park in Miami Gardens Carol City in Miami Gardens Cutler in village of Palmetto Bay East Perrine in Palmetto Bay Fisher Island in city of Miami Beach(p) Lake Lucerne in Miami Gardens Norland in Miami Gardens Opa-locka North in Miami Gardens Scott Lake in Miami Gardens South Beach in Miami Beach West Kendall in Kendall [edit] Adjacent counties Broward County, Florida - north Monroe County, Florida - south and west Collier County, Florida - northwest Collier County Broward County v • d • e Monroe County Atlantic Ocean Miami-Dade County, Florida Monroe County [edit] Demographics Historical populations Census Pop. %± 1840 446 — 1850 159 −64.3% 1860 83 −47.8% 1870 85 2.4% 1880 257 202.4% 1890 861 235.0% 1900 4,955 475.5% 1910 11,933 140.8% 1920 42,753 258.3% 1930 142,955 234.4% 1940 267,739 87.3% 1950 495,084 84.9% 1960 935,047 88.9% 1970 1,267,792 35.6% 1980 1,625,781 28.2% 1990 1,937,094 19.1% 2000 2,253,362 16.3% Est. 2006 2,402,208 6.6% Age pyramid of Miami-Dade county [edit] 2000 U.S. Census As of the census[12] of 2000, there were 2,253,362 people, 776,774 households, and 548,402 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,158 people per square mile (447/km²). There were 852,278 housing units at an average density of 438 per square mile (169/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 69.70% White (16.6% Non-Hispanic White),[13] 17.5% African American and Black (with a large part being of Caribbean descent), 0.19% Native American, 1.3% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 4.58% from other races, and 3.79% from two or more races. 65.6% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. In relation to ancestry (excluding the various Hispanic and Latino ancestries), 5% were Haitian, 5% American, 2% Italian, 2% Jamaican, 2% German, 2% Irish, and 2% English ancestry.[14] 1,147,765 of Miami-Dade residents, or 50.9 percent of the total population, were foreign-born, a percentage greater than any other county in the United States (47% of whom were naturalized U.S. citizens),[14][15] The most common countries of foreign-born residents included Cuba (42%), Nicaragua (16%), Colombia (6%), Haiti (6%), Dominican Republic (3%), and Jamaica (3%).[14] There were 776,774 households out of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.7% were married couples living together, 17.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.4% were non-families. 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.35. The age distribution is 24.8% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males. The median income for a household in the county was $35,966, and the median income for a family was $40,260. Males had a median income of $30,120 versus $24,686 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,497. About 14.5% of families and 18.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.9% of those under age 18 and 18.9% of those age 65 or over. [edit] 2006 U.S. Census estimates In recent years, Downtown Miami has seen a large construction boom in skyscrapers, retail and gentrification. Miami's Brickell neighborhood, is amongst the fastest-growing areas of Miami-Dade CountyU.S. Census Bureau 2006 Ethnic/Race Demographics:[16] White: 77% (White non-Hispanic: 18.3%) Black (non-Hispanic): 20.2% Hispanics or Latinos of any race: 61.3% Asian: 1.5% Two or more races: 0.9% Some other race: 5.6%[17] American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.3% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: 0.1% According to the 2006 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, when compared to the 2000 U.S. Census, the Hispanic population dropped 3%, the Black (non-Hispanic) population grew 3%, the White (non-Hispanic) population grew 2.5%, and the Asian population grew 0.2%. Population Miami-Dade 2030 Projection 3,196,805 2025 Projection 3,019,785 2010 Projection 2,551,284 2006 Estimate 2,402,208 2000 Census 2,253,485 1990 Census 1,967,000 [18] [19] [edit] Languages As of 2000, 59.25% spoke Spanish as their first language, 32.09% English, 4.12% French Creole, 0.89% French, and 0.67% spoke Portuguese as their mother language.[20] 50.9% of the county residents were born outside the United States, while 67.90% of the population speaks a language other than English at home.[20] [edit] Economy Burger King is headquartered at 5505 Blue Lagoon Drive in unincorporated Miami-Dade County.[21] Several consulates are located in Miami-Dade County. Some of them are located in unincorporated areas within the county; the Consulate-General of Honduras in Miami is located in Suite 309 at 7171 Coral Way in an unincorporated area,[22] the Consulate-General of Nicaragua in Miami is located in Suite 270 at 8532 SW 8th Street in an unincorporated area,[23] and the Consulate-General of Panama in Miami is located in Suite 320 at 5757 Blue Lagoon Drive in an unincorporated area south of Miami International Airport.[24] [edit] Law and government Main article: Miami-Dade county law and government Miami-Dade County has operated under a unique metropolitan system of government, a "two-tier federation," since 1957. This was made possible when Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment in 1956 that allowed the people of Dade County (as it was known then) to enact a home rule charter. Prior to this year, home rule did not exist in Florida, and all counties were limited to the same set of powers by the Florida Constitution and state law. [edit] Federation, not total consolidation Presidential elections results Year Republican Democrat 2008 41.6% 358,256 58.1% 497,386 2004 46.6% 361,095 52.9% 409,732 2000 46.3% 289,574 52.6% 328,867 1996 37.9% 209,740 57.3% 317,555 1992 43.2% 235,313 46.7% 254,609 1988 55.3% 270,937 44.3% 216,970 1984 59.2% 144,281 40.8% 223,863 1980 50.7% 265,888 40.2% 210,868 1976 40.5% 211,148 58.1% 303,047 1972 58.9% 256,529 40.8% 177,693 1968 37.0% 135,222 48.4% 176,689 1964 36.0% 117,480 64.0% 208,941 1960 42.3% 134,506 57.7% 183,114 Unlike a consolidated city-county, where the city and county governments merge into a single entity, these two entities remain separate. Instead there are two "tiers", or levels, of government: city and county. There are 35 municipalities in the county, the City of Miami being the largest. District Commissioner 1st Barbara J. Jordan 2nd Dorrin D. Rolle 3rd Audrey Edmonson 4th Sally A. Heyman 5th Bruno A. Barreiro, Chairman 6th Rebeca Sosa 7th Carlos A. Gimenez 8th Katy Sorenson 9th Dennis C. Moss 10th Javier D. Souto 11th Joe A. Martinez 12th José Pepe Diaz 13th Natacha Seijas Cities are the "lower tier" of local government, providing police and fire protection, zoning and code enforcement, and other typical city services within their jurisdiction. These services are paid for by city taxes. The County is the "upper tier", and it provides services of a metropolitan nature, such as emergency management, airport and seaport operations, public housing and health care services, transportation, environmental services, solid waste disposal etc. These are funded by county taxes, which are assessed on all incorporated and unincorporated areas. Of the county's 2.2 million total residents (as of 2000), approximately 52% live in unincorporated areas, the majority of which are heavily urbanized. These residents are part of the Unincorporated Municipal Services Area (UMSA). For these residents, the County fills the role of both lower- and upper-tier government, the County Commission acting as their lower-tier municipal representative body. Residents within UMSA pay a UMSA tax, equivalent to a city tax, which is used to provide County residents with equivalent city services (police, fire, zoning, water and sewer, etc.). Residents of incorporated areas do not pay UMSA tax. [edit] Structure of county government Dade County Courthouse built in 1928See also: List of Mayors of Miami-Dade County, Florida The Executive Mayor of Miami-Dade County is elected countywide to serve a four-year term. The Mayor is not a member of the County Commission. The Mayor appoints a County Manager, with approval and consent of the Board of County Commissioners, to oversee the operations of the County Departments. The Mayor has veto power over the Commission. The current mayor is Cuban-born Carlos Alvarez. The Board of County Commissioners is the legislative body, consisting of 13 members elected from single-member districts. Members are elected to serve four-year terms, and elections of members are staggered. The Board chooses a Chairperson, who presides over the Commission, as well as appoints the members of its legislative committees. The Board has a wide array of powers to enact legislation, create departments, and regulate businesses operating within the County. It also has the power to override the Mayor's veto with a two-thirds vote. The election of Commissioners from single member districts came to be in 1992 after a group led by attorney and City of Miami Commissioner Arthur Teele, Jr. with the support of some African American and Hispanic civic leaders, challenged the at large election system in the courts, arguing that the present system did not allow for the election of minority commissioners, despite the fact that African American Commissioner Barbara Carey-Shuler had been elected several times. The court, under the ruling of Judge Graham, created the single member district election system. Florida's Constitution provides for four elected officials to oversee executive and administrative functions for each county (called "Constitutional Officers"): Sheriff, Property Appraiser, Supervisor of Elections, and Tax Collector. Each of these offices were reorganized and became subordinate County Departments. Today these positions are appointed by and report to the Mayor. The most visible distinction between Miami-Dade and other Florida counties is the title of its law enforcement agency. It is the only county in Florida that does not have an elected sheriff, or an agency titled "Sheriff's Office." Instead the equivalent agency is known as the Miami-Dade Police Department, and its leader is known as the Metropolitan Sheriff and Director of the Miami-Dade Police Department. The judicial offices of Clerk of the Circuit Court, State Attorney, and Public Defender are still branches of State government and are therefore independently elected and not part of County government. [edit] Public services [edit] Fire Rescue Further information: Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department The Miami-Dade County Fire Rescue Department is the agency that provides fire protection and emergency medical services for Miami-Dade County, Florida. The department serves 28 municipalities and all unincorporated areas of Miami-Dade County from 60 fire stations[25]. The Department also provides fire protection services for Miami International Airport, Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport and Opa-Locka Airport.[26] The communities served are Aventura, Bal Harbour, Bay Harbor Islands, Biscayne Park, Doral, El Portal, Florida City, Golden Beach, Hialeah Gardens, Homestead, Indian Creek, Islandia, Medley, Miami Lakes, Miami Shores, Miami Springs, North Bay Village, North Miami, North Miami Beach, Opa-locka, Palmetto Bay, Pinecrest, South Miami, Surfside, Sweetwater, Sunny Isles Beach, Virginia Gardens, and West Miami.[27] Miami-Dade Fire Rescue is also the home to Urban Search and Rescue Florida Task Force 1 as well as EMS operations consisting of 57 Advanced Life Support units staffed by 760 state-certified paramedics and 640 state-certified emergency medical technicians. [edit] Police Department Further information: Miami-Dade Police Department A Miami-Dade police carThe Miami-Dade Police Department is full service metropolitan police department serving Miami-Dade County's unincorporated areas, although they have lenient mutual aid agreements with other municipalities, most often the City of Miami Police Department. The Miami-Dade Police Department is the largest police department in the state of Florida with over 5,000 employees. The Department is still often referred by its former name, the Metro-Dade Police or simply Metro. The Miami-Dade Police Department operate out of nine districts throughout Miami-Dade County and have two special bureaus. The current director of the Miami-Dade Police Department is Robert Parker, who succeeded Carlos Alvarez, the current mayor of Miami-Dade County. The Department's headquarters are located in Doral, Florida. [edit] Water and Sewer Department Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (MDWASD) is one of the largest public utilities in the United States, employing approximately 2,700 employees as of 2007. It provides service to over 2.4 million customers, operating with an annual budget of almost $400 million. Approximately 330 million gallons of water are drawn everyday from the Biscayne Aquifer for consumer use. MDWASD has over 7,100 miles of water lines, a service area of 396 square miles (1,026 km2) and 14 pump stations. MDWASD has over 3,600 miles of sewage pipes, a service area of 341 square miles (883 km2) and 954 pump stations [28] [edit] Education Florida International University University of MiamiIn Florida, each county is also a school district. Miami-Dade County Public Schools, is operated by an independently-elected School Board. A professional Superintendent of Schools manages the day-to-day operations of the district, who is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the School Board. The Miami-Dade County Public School District is currently the fourth-largest public school district in the nation with almost 400,000 students in 2007/2008. The Miami-Dade Public Library is one of the largest public library systems in the country, comprising 42 branch locations, and 8 branch locations currently being built/not officially opened. [edit] Colleges and universities Miami-Dade County is home to many private and public universities and colleges. Total approximate college/university student enrollment in the county in 2006 was about 245,000, one of the largest number for university students in the USA.[citation needed] Florida International University (public, largest university in South Florida) University of Miami (private) Miami Dade College (public) Barry University (private/Catholic) Nova Southeastern University (private) Florida Memorial University (private/historically black) St. Thomas University (private/Catholic) Johnson and Wales University (private) Carlos Albizu University (private) Miami International University of Art and Design (private) Talmudic University (private/Jewish) Keiser University (private) [edit] Transportation [edit] Airports Miami International AirportMiami International Airport, located in an unincorporated area in the county, serves as the primary international airport of the Miami Area. One of the busiest international airports in the world, Miami International Airport caters to over 35 million passengers a year. Identifiable locally, as well as several worldwide authorities, as MIA or KMIA, the airport is a major hub and the single largest international gateway for American Airlines, the world’s largest passenger air carrier. Miami International is the United States’ third largest international port of entry for foreign air passengers (behind New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport), and is the seventh largest such gateway in the world. The airport’s extensive international route network includes non-stop flights to over seventy international cities in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. General aviation airports in the county include Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport in an unincorporated area, Opa-Locka Airport in Opa-Locka, and Homestead General Aviation Airport in an unincirporated area west of Homestead. Homestead Air Force Base, east of Homestead in an unincorporated area, serves military traffic. [edit] Public transit Government Center is one of the main stations for the Miami MetrorailPublic transit in Miami-Dade County is served by Miami-Dade Transit, and is the largest public transit in Florida. Miami-Dade Transit operates a heavy rail metro system Metrorail, an elevated people mover in Downtown Miami, Metromover and the bus system, Metrobus. Currently, expansion of Metrorail is underway with the construction of a new Orange Line. [edit] Major expressways Julia Tuttle Causeway connects Miami and Miami Beach Flagler Street in Downtown Miami Downtown DistributorIn Florida a Tolled State Road is often (but not always) denoted by having the word "TOLL" printed on the top of the State Road shield. When a driver passes through a toll plaza without paying the proper toll a digital image of the cars license tag is recorded. Under Florida Law, this image can be used by the Authority to issue a toll violation.[29] Miami-Dade County has 10 major expressways and 1 minor expressway in Downtown Miami. Interstate 95 Interstate 75 Florida's Turnpike Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike Dolphin Expressway (State Road 836) / Interstate 395 Gratigny Parkway (State Road 924) Airport Expressway (State Road 112) / Interstate 195 Don Shula Expressway (State Road 874) Snapper Creek Expressway (State Road 878) Palmetto Expressway (State Road 826) Hialeah Expressway (State Road 934) Downtown Distributor (State Road 970) [edit] Street grid A street grid stretches from downtown Miami throughout the county. This grid was adopted by the City of Miami following World War I after the United States Post Office threatened to cease mail deliveries in the city because the original system of named streets, with names often changing every few blocks and multiple streets in the city sharing the same name, was too confusing for the mail carriers.[30] The new grid was later extended throughout the county as the population grew west, south, and north of city limits. The grid is laid out with Miami Avenue as the meridian going North-South and Flagler Street the baseline going east-west. The grid is primarily numerical so that, for example, all street addresses north of Flagler and west of Miami Avenue have NW in their address (eg. NW 27th Avenue). Because its point of origin is in downtown Miami which is close to the coast, the NW and SW quadrants are much larger than the SE and NE quadrants. Many roads, especially major ones, are also named, although- with a few notable exceptions, the number is in more common usage among locals. Although this grid is easy to understand once one is oriented to it, it is not universal in the entire county. Hialeah uses its own grid system which is entirely different in its orientation. Coral Gables and Miami Lakes use named streets almost exclusively, and various smaller municipalities such as Florida City and Homestead use their own grid system along with the Miami-Dade grid system adding to the confusion. [edit] Sites of interest [edit] Museums Miami Art Museum in Downtown Miami Frost Art Museum at Florida International UniversityAmerican Police Hall of Fame, Miami Bass Museum of Art, Miami Beach Cuban Museum of Arts and Culture, Coral Gables Frost Art Museum, (Florida International University, Miami) Haitian Heritage Museum, Miami Historical Museum of Southern Florida, Downtown Miami Holocaust Memorial, Miami Beach Jewish Museum of Florida, Miami Beach Lowe Art Museum, (University of Miami, Coral Gables) Miami Art Museum, Downtown Miami Miami Children's Museum, Miami Miami Cultural Center, Downtown Miami Miami Science Museum, Miami Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami Rubell Family Collection, Miami The Gold Coast Railroad Museum, Miami United in Elian House, Miami Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, Miami Weeks Air Museum, Miami Wings Over Miami Museum, Miami Wolfsonian, (Florida International University, Miami Beach) World Erotic Art Museum, Miami Beach [edit] Culture and wildlife Villa Vizcaya, a popular tourist attraction Miami SeaquariumMiami MetroZoo, Miami Jungle Island, Miami Fairchild Tropical Gardens, Coral Gables Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, Miami Bayside Marketplace, Downtown Miami Miami Seaquarium, Miami Monkey Jungle, Miami Ancient Spanish Monastery, North Miami Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, Downtown Miami Wertheim Performing Arts Center, (Florida International University, Miami) Florida Grand Opera, Miami Gusman Center for the Performing Arts, Downtown Miami Bayfront Park Amphitheatre, Downtown Miami [edit] Other areas and attractions South BeachSouth Beach Calle Ocho Lincoln Road Downtown Miami Bal Harbour Shops Dolphin Mall Aventura Mall Biltmore Hotel Freedom Tower Miami Art Deco District Miami Design District Bayside Marketplace Little Havana Star Island Brickell City of Miami Cemetery Española Way Mary Brickell Village Wynwood Art District [edit] Parks Domino Park Tropical Park Bayfront Park Bicentennial Park Crandon Park Cape Florida State Park Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve Oleta River State Park Everglades National Park Biscayne National Park [edit] Sports venues American Airlines Arena, home of the Miami Heat. Dolphin Stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins, Miami Hurricanes and the Florida MarlinsMiami-Dade County holds the majority of sports arenas, stadiums and complexes in South Florida. Some of these sports facilities are: Dolphin Stadium- Miami Dolphins, Miami Hurricanes (football), and Florida Marlins American Airlines Arena- Miami Heat Tennis Center at Crandon Park- Sony Ericcson Open FIU Stadium- FIU Golden Panthers (football) Pharmed Arena- FIU Golden Panthers (basketball) University Park Stadium- FIU Golden Panthers (baseball) BankUnited Center- Miami Hurricanes (basketball) Tropical Park Stadium Homestead-Miami Speedway Calder Race Course Former venues include: Miami Arena Miami Orange Bowl Miami Marine Stadium [edit] Sister Cities See also: List of sister cities in Florida Miami-Dade County has 23 sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI): Veracruz, Mexico Iquique, Chile Kingston, Jamaica Petit Goâve, Haiti The Bahamas Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Lamentin, Guadeloupe Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain Stockholm County, Sweden Taipei County, Taiwan Pereira, Colombia Turks and Caicos Islands San José, Costa Rica Saint Kitts and Nevis Province of Asti, Italy Mendoza, Argentina State of Monagas, Venezuela São Paulo, Brazil Pucallpa, Peru Santa Cruz, Bolivia Asunción, Paraguay Maldonado, Uruguay Cayman Islands [edit] References ^ US Census Bureau Estimates retrieved May 26, 2007 ^ US Census Bureau ^ Parks, Arva Moore (1991). Miami: The Magic City. Miami, FL: Centennial Press. pp. 12. ISBN 0962940224. ^ Parks, p 13 ^ Parks, p 14 ^ Parks, p 14-16 ^ History of Miami-Dade county retrieved January 26, 2006 ^ "Miami-Dade County Annual Report for Bondholders. For the Fiscal Year of 1998." (PDF). Miami-Dade County, Florida. 1998. http://www.miamidade.gov/finance/library/Bookgo.PDF. Retrieved on 2007-04-07. ^ History of Indian Key - retrieved September 13, 2007 ^ Muir, Helen. (1953) Miami, U.S.A. Coconut Grove, Florida. Hurricane House Publishers. Pp. 33, 100 ^ Miami-Dade County Government ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved on 2008-01-31. ^ "Demographics of Miami-Dade County, FL". MuniNetGuide.com. http://www.muninetguide.com/states/florida/Miami-Dade.php. Retrieved on 2008-06-23. ^ a b c "Miami-Dade County, FL Detailed Profile". city-data.com. http://www.city-data.com/county/Miami-Dade_County-FL.html. Retrieved on 2008-06-23. ^ Census Bureau, American Community Survey Ranking Tables ^ "2006 Miami-Dade County Demographics". http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/12/12086.html. ^ "2006 U.S. Census for Some Other Race". http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=Search&geo_id=05000US12099&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US12%7C05000US12099&_street=&_county=Miami-Dade+County&_cityTown=Miami-Dade+County&_state=04000US12&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=050&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=ACS_2006_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null®=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry=. ^ http://www.miamidade.gov/planzone/Library/Census/Population_Projections_Components_of_Change_1990-2020.pdf ^ Regional & Local Profiles ^ a b "Modern Language Association Data Center Results of Miami-Dade County, Florida". Modern Language Association. http://www.mla.org/map_data_results&state_id=12&county_id=86&mode=geographic&zip=&place_id=&cty_id=&ll=&a=&ea=&order=r. Retrieved on 2008-06-23. ^ "We're Listening." Burger King. Retrieved on January 31, 2009. ^ "Consulados de Honduras en Estados Unidos" Consulate-General of Honduras in Miami. Retrieved on January 31, 2009. ^ "Bienvenidos al Consulado de Nicaragua en Miami, FL" Consulate-General of Nicaragua in Miami. Retrieved on January 31, 2009. ^ "Panamanian Consulates in the U.S." Embassy of Panama in Washington, D.C.. Retrieved on January 30, 2009. ^ "Locations". Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department. Miami-Dade County. http://www.miamidade.gov/MDFR/locations.asp. Retrieved on August 30. ^ "Airport Fire Rescue Division". Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department. Miami-Dade County. http://www.miamidade.gov/mdfr/airport.asp. Retrieved on August 30. ^ "Cities Served". Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department. Miami-Dade County. http://www.miamidade.gov/MDFR/cities_served.asp. Retrieved on August 30. ^ [1] ^ Toll Violation Attorney ^ Muir, Helen. (1953) Miami, U.S.A. Coconut Grove, Florida: Hurricane House Publishers. Pp. 136-7. [edit] External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Miami-Dade County, Florida [edit] Government links Miami-Dade County Government [edit] County departments and agencies Miami-Dade Public Library System Miami-Dade Police Department Public Health Trust of Miami-Dade County Jackson Memorial Hospital Miami-Dade Aviation Department Miami International Airport Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department [edit] Special districts Miami-Dade County Public Schools (MDCPS) is the 4th largest school district in the United States. The Miami-Dade School Board is a nine-member publicly elected body responsible for overseeing the administration of the (MDCPS). South Florida Water Management District [edit] Judicial branch Miami-Dade Clerk of Courts Miami-Dade Public Defender, 11th Judicial Circuit Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office, 11th Judicial Circuit Circuit and County Court, 11th Judicial Circuit of Florida [edit] Tourism Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau [show]v • d • eMunicipalities and communities of Miami-Dade County, Florida County seat: Miami Cities Aventura | Coral Gables | Doral | Florida City | Hialeah | Hialeah Gardens | Homestead | Islandia | Miami | Miami Beach | Miami Gardens | Miami Springs | North Bay Village | North Miami | North Miami Beach | Opa-locka | South Miami | Sunny Isles Beach | Sweetwater | West Miami Towns Bay Harbor Islands | Cutler Bay | Golden Beach | Medley | Miami Lakes | Surfside Villages Bal Harbour | Biscayne Park | El Portal | Indian Creek | Key Biscayne | Miami Shores | Palmetto Bay | Pinecrest | Virginia Gardens CDPs Brownsville | Coral Terrace | Country Club | Country Walk | Fisher Island | Fountainbleau | Gladeview | Glenvar Heights | Golden Glades | Goulds | Homestead Base | Ives Estates | Kendale Lakes | Kendall | Kendall West | Lakes by the Bay | Leisure City | Naranja | Ojus | Olympia Heights | Palm Springs North | Palmetto Estates | Pinewood | Princeton | Richmond Heights | Richmond West | South Miami Heights | Sunset | Tamiami | The Crossings | The Hammocks | Three Lakes | University Park | West Little River | West Perrine | Westchester | Westview | Westwood Lakes Former CDPs Miami Gardens: Andover | Bunche Park | Carol City | Lake Lucerne | Norland | Opa-locka North | Scott Lake Palmetto Bay: Cutler | East Perrine Unincorporated communities Aladdin City | Biscayne Gardens | Coopertown | Coral Way Village | Deering Bay | Fairlawn | Fortymile Bend | Frog City | Glenwood Heights | Green-Mar Acres | Hawley Heights | Highland Lakes | Howard | Ludlam | Redland | West Kendall [show]v • d • eSouth Florida metropolitan area Counties Miami-Dade County • Broward County • Palm Beach County 200,000–500,000 Miami† • Hialeah 100,000–200,000 Fort Lauderdale† • Pembroke Pines • Hollywood • Coral Springs • West Palm Beach† • Miramar • Miami Gardens • Pompano Beach 50,000–100,000 Sunrise • Miami Beach • Boca Raton • Plantation • Davie • Kendall • Deerfield Beach • Boynton Beach • Delray Beach • Weston • Fountainbleau • Lauderhill • Tamarac • North Miami • Kendale Lakes • Wellington • Margate • Tamiami • Jupiter 10,000–50,000 Aventura • Belle Glade • Boca Del Mar • Brownsville • Coconut Creek • Cooper City • Coral Gables • Coral Terrace • Country Club • Country Walk • Dania Beach • Doral • Gladeview • Glenvar Heights • Greenacres • Hallandale Beach • Hamptons at Boca Raton • Homestead • Ives Estates • Kendall West • Key Biscayne • Kings Point • Lake Worth • Lake Worth Corridor • Lauderdale Lakes • Leisure City • Lighthouse Point • Miami Lakes • Miami Springs • North Lauderdale • North Palm Beach • Oakland Park • Olympia Heights • Opa-Locka • Ojus • Palm Beach Gardens • Palmetto Bay • Palm Springs • Palmetto Estates • Parkland • Pinecrest • Pinewood • Princeton • Richmond West • Riviera Beach • Royal Palm Beach • Sandalfoot Cove • South Miami • South Miami Heights • Sunny Isles Beach • Sunset • Sweetwater • The Crossings • The Hammocks • University Park • West Little River • Westchester • West Park, Florida • Westwood Lakes • Wilton Manors Sports Florida Marlins (baseball) • Miami Heat (basketball) • Miami Dolphins (football) • Florida Panthers (ice hockey) • Miami FC (soccer) Airports Miami International Airport (Miami-Dade) • Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport (Miami-Dade) • Opa-locka Airport (Miami-Dade) • Homestead General Aviation Airport (Miami-Dade) • Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (Broward) • Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (Broward) • Pompano Beach Airpark (Broward) • Palm Beach International Airport (Palm Beach) • Boca Raton Airport (Palm Beach) • Palm Beach County Park Airport (Palm Beach) • North Palm Beach County Airport (Palm Beach) Rail Services Miami-Dade Metromover • Miami-Dade Metrorail • Tri-Rail † - County Seat A list of cities under 10,000 is available here. [show]v • d • e State of Florida Tallahassee (capital) Topics Education | Environment | Floridians | Geography | Government | History | State Parks | Transportation | Visitor Attractions Regions Big Bend | Central Florida | Emerald Coast | First Coast | Florida Heartland | Florida Keys | Florida Panhandle | Forgotten Coast | Fun Coast | Gold Coast | Greater Orlando | Nature Coast | North Central Florida | South Florida | Southwest Florida | Space Coast | Sun Coast | Tampa Bay Area | Treasure Coast Largest cities Jacksonville | Miami | Tampa | St. Petersburg | Orlando | Hialeah | Fort Lauderdale | Tallahassee | Cape Coral | Port St. Lucie | Pembroke Pines | Hollywood | Coral Springs | Gainesville | Miramar | Clearwater | Pompano Beach | Palm Bay | West Palm Beach | Miami Gardens | Lakeland | Davie | Sunrise | Boca Raton | Miami Beach Counties Alachua | Baker | Bay | Bradford | Brevard | Broward | Calhoun | Charlotte | Citrus | Clay | Collier | Columbia | DeSoto | Dixie | Duval | Escambia | Flagler | Franklin | Gadsden | Gilchrist | Glades | Gulf | Hamilton | Hardee | Hendry | Hernando | Highlands | Hillsborough | Holmes | Indian River | Jackson | Jefferson | Lafayette | Lake | Lee | Leon | Levy | Liberty | Madison | Manatee | Marion | Martin | Miami‑Dade | Monroe | Nassau | Okaloosa | Okeechobee | Orange | Osceola | Palm Beach | Pasco | Pinellas | Polk | Putnam | Santa Rosa | Sarasota | Seminole | St. Johns | St. Lucie | Sumter | Suwannee | Taylor | Union | Volusia | Wakulla | Walton | Washington Coordinates: 25°46′27″N 80°11′37″W / 25.77417°N 80.19361°W / 25.77417; -80.19361 Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami-Dade_County,_Florida" Categories: Florida counties | South Florida metropolitan area | Charter counties in Florida | Miami-Dade County, Florida | United States counties with Hispanic majority populations | Amalgamated placenames