The People
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However, South Florida’s swamps, heat, and sandy land remained unappealing to most newcomers. It was not until the railroad came to South Florida that Miami boomed, and it hasn’t stopped growing since.
South Florida has a long tradition of multi- cultural influences. During and after the Civil War, Miami attracted freed and escaped slaves and army deserters, as well as Spaniards, Cubans, and Bahamians. After the railroad came to Miami, many Southerners moved to the area. During the 1930’s many Jewish immigrants came and formed the nucleus of the Art Deco District in Miami Beach.
Perhaps no country has influenced Miami more than Cuba. Key West once was a haven for cigar makers from Cuba before they resettled in Tampa. Fidel Castro’s rise to power in Cuba in 1959 led to half a million Cubans seeking exile. After 40 years, they have remained and the Cuban language and traditions are now an integral part of South Florida. They have now been joined by many others from Latin America, as well as Vietnamese, Thai, Indian, Pakistani, Chinese, and in more recent years Haitian immigrants.
