History of Bal Harbour, Florida
Bal Harbour, Florida came into being not naturally
or out of necessity, as many small towns in America have done, but
through the sheer will and determination of its founders. The Miami
Beach Heights Corporation was in possession of a few hundred acres of
land that had yet to be developed. The task ahead was difficult, but they were
certain that it could be turned into a great town and a wonderful place
to live. What existed was a bit of swampland in the middle of nowhere.
What was envisioned was a so-called “subtropical paradise”, a goal which
has been met and exceeded by those who have made the town great. Robert C. Graham, one of the members of the Miami
Beach Heights Corporation, took over as the city planner and called in
the assistance of city planners to, at long last, have the idea of Bal
Harbour finally turned into a reality. But it wasn’t until after World
War Two, during which time the land was rented out to the U. S.
Government in the war effort, that Graham and his associates finally saw
their ideas turned into a reality. Graham, in order to finally have the area recognized as a town, moved families into apartments in the Village. These families made up the first population in what would eventually become a population of over three-thousand. Because of its beginnings as a quiet and comfortable to live, Bal Harbour remains an incredibly affluent village, attracting top designers and businesses to its shopping centers.In fact, the shopping in Bal Harbour has always
been one of its main attractions. The area was prime for retailers as it
grew up out of that initial small, incorporated area, and another of
the town’s founders, Stanley Whitman, was responsible for his
then-revolutionary ideas in building up that part of the town. His
ideas have led to shopping being one of the major attractions in Bal
Harbour, even to this day, and the shopping center that Whitman created
is now known as the most productive in the United States. In addition to shopping, entertainment has been
the key to Bal Harbour’s success since the 1950s. Major broadcasts were
made from Bal Harbour in the 1950s, and Americana’s Carnival Supper Club
saw a frequent visitor in Frank Sinatra and his “rat pack”. Ed Sullivan
made visits to the area, too. United States Presidents have frequented
the many lavish hotels in Bal Harbour, making it a destination that is
not to be missed. Bal Harbour continues, even to this day, to be committed to excellence. From the beginning those involved in running Bal Harbour have kept that idea of a subtropical paradise in mind, and nobody can say that they haven’t succeeded in their goals. Every year more is done to make Bal Harbour greater, and every year both residents and visitors to the city alike enjoy the many delights that it has to offer. It is certain that Bal Harbour will only continue to get even better with time. |
