Miami Beach incorporated March 26, 1915, two years after the Collins Bridge opened. Its 13 National Register listings, Art Deco district and museums.
Last checked Oct. 9, 2026. History on this page comes from the City of Miami Beach’s This Month in Miami Beach History series and its Art Deco page. National Register listings and dates come from the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places data, May 2026 release. Historic preservation questions: Planning Department, 305-673-7550.
Before 1913, reaching Miami Beach meant a ferry ride across Biscayne Bay to a barrier island of mangroves and farmland. A bridge changed that, and within two years the island was a city. Miami Beach incorporated on March 26, 1915.
How the city began
- June 12, 1913: The Collins Bridge opens. Built by farmer and developer John S. Collins and finished with financing from Carl G. Fisher when costs ran over, it ran 2.5 miles across Biscayne Bay and was, the city says, the longest wooden bridge in the world at the time.
- March 26, 1915: Miami Beach incorporates as a city.
- 1925: The wooden bridge is replaced by what is now the Venetian Causeway.
- Sept. 18, 1926: The Great Miami Hurricane strikes, causing widespread destruction in Miami Beach.
- 1933: The first Art Deco buildings appear, in a local style sometimes called tropical Art Deco.
- May 6, 1977: Preservationist Barbara Capitman and her followers incorporate the Miami Design Preservation League and start mapping the 1930s buildings of South Beach as a historic district.
- May 14, 1979: The Miami Beach Architectural District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- Sept. 16, 1984: The first episode of “Miami Vice” airs on NBC, drawing new attention to the Art Deco District.
Sources: the city’s history posts on the Collins Bridge and incorporation, and its Art Deco timeline.
The Art Deco District
The city says Miami Beach has the world’s largest collection of Art Deco buildings, more than 800 properties built between 1923 and 1943. Architects including Albert Anis, L. Murray Dixon and Henry Hohauser designed many of them as the city rebuilt after the 1926 hurricane and the Depression. Later buildings took on Streamline Moderne curves, neon, terrazzo floors and glass block. Even the beach’s lifeguard towers, designed by William Lane, carry the style.
Buildings the city lists as notable, with the years it gives:
| Building | Year | Architect | Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Franklin | 1934 | Victor H. Nellenbogen | 860 Collins Ave. |
| The Colony Hotel | 1935 | Henry Hohauser | 736 Ocean Drive |
| Lincoln Theatre (now a store) | 1935 | Thomas W. Lamb and Robert E. Collins | 551 Lincoln Road |
| The Tides Hotel | 1936 | L. Murray Dixon | 1220 Ocean Drive |
| The Leslie Hotel | 1937 | Albert Anis | 1244 Ocean Drive |
| The National Hotel | 1940 | Roy France | 1677 Collins Ave. |
The Miami Design Preservation League, founded in 1977, runs Art Deco walking tours from the Art Deco Welcome Center at 1001 Ocean Drive and organizes Art Deco Weekend each year with the city’s support.
National Register of Historic Places
The National Park Service lists 13 properties with a Miami Beach address:
| Listing | Address or area | Listed |
|---|---|---|
| Miami Beach Architectural District | Ocean to Alton Road, roughly south of the Collins Canal; 575 acres | May 14, 1979 |
| Beth Jacob Social Hall and Congregation | 301 and 311 Washington Ave. | Oct. 16, 1980 |
| Ocean Spray Hotel | 4130 Collins Ave. | June 2, 2004 |
| Cadillac Hotel | 3925 Collins Ave. | Oct. 5, 2005 |
| Normandy Isles Historic District | Normandy Isle, around Rue Versailles and 71 Street; 84 acres | Nov. 12, 2008 |
| Fontainebleau Hotel | 4441 Collins Ave. | Dec. 22, 2008 |
| North Shore Historic District | Roughly 73 to 87 streets, Collins Avenue to Hawthorne Avenue; 175 acres | Nov. 18, 2009 |
| Lincoln Road Mall | 400-1100 Lincoln Road | May 16, 2011 |
| Collins Waterfront Architectural District | 24 Street to the Collins Canal, ocean to Pine Tree Drive; 185 acres | Dec. 15, 2011 |
| Monticello Hotel | 210 W. 63rd St. | Oct. 11, 2017 |
| Giller Building | 975 W. 41st St. | March 29, 2018 |
| Gaylord House | 5208 Alton Road | Oct. 4, 2021 |
| North Beach Bandshell | 7275 Collins Ave. | Aug. 11, 2022 |
The Venetian Causeway, which links Miami Beach to the mainland, was listed on July 13, 1989; the National Park Service files it under Miami. Separately, the city designates its own local historic districts and sites; check any address on the city’s historic property viewer.
Museums to visit
| Museum | Address | Hours as published |
|---|---|---|
| The Wolfsonian-FIU | 1001 Washington Ave.; 305-531-1001 | Wednesday and Thursday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; closed Monday and Tuesday |
| The Bass | 2100 Collins Ave.; 305-673-7530 | Wednesday to Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.; Third Thursdays 6 to 9 p.m.; free for Miami Beach and Surfside residents |
| Jewish Museum of Florida | 301 Washington Ave., part of the Beth Jacob listing above; 305-672-5044 | Wednesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; closed Monday and Tuesday |
| Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach | 1933-1945 Meridian Ave. | See the memorial’s website |
What this means for you
- Walk Ocean Drive to see several of the notable Art Deco hotels listed above, or book a preservation league tour.
- Miami Beach residents get into The Bass free.
- Planning exterior work on an old building? Check the historic property viewer first; see building permits and zoning.
More: Miami Beach population and growth and parks and trails.
Frequently asked questions
When was Miami Beach founded?
Miami Beach incorporated as a city on March 26, 1915. The Collins Bridge, the first bridge to the mainland, had opened on June 12, 1913.
Who built the first bridge to Miami Beach?
John S. Collins built the 2.5-mile wooden Collins Bridge across Biscayne Bay, and Carl G. Fisher financed its completion when costs ran over. It opened June 12, 1913, and was replaced in 1925 by what is now the Venetian Causeway.
How many Art Deco buildings are in Miami Beach?
The city says Miami Beach has the world’s largest collection of Art Deco buildings, more than 800 properties built between 1923 and 1943.
When was the Miami Beach Architectural District listed on the National Register?
May 14, 1979. The National Park Service lists it at 575 acres, roughly bounded by the Atlantic Ocean, Alton Road and the Collins Canal.
What museums are in Miami Beach?
They include The Wolfsonian-FIU at 1001 Washington Ave., The Bass at 2100 Collins Ave., the Jewish Museum of Florida at 301 Washington Ave. and the Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach at 1933-1945 Meridian Ave.
Have your say