South Florida

Remember when South Beach, Coral Gables and Little Havana looked like this?

Stories by Miami Herald journalists, with AI summarization

These photo albums delve into the history of South Beach and Miami.

In South Beach, Lincoln Road and Ocean Drive have changed since their heyday in the 1940s and 1950s. Coconut Grove experienced various phases, from a Bahamian outpost to a hippie haven in the 1960s. Hollywood and Fort Lauderdale's downtowns underwent transformations, replacing lost movie theaters and bus stations with bustling cafes and high-rise buildings. Little Havana thrives on its bustling Calle Ocho, offering cultural staples and music that reflect its rich immigrant history. Coral Gables, celebrating its centennial, showcases continuity and change with its Miracle Mile shops and added restaurants and downtown buildings.

Let's take a step back in time and go through the photos.

In 1988, the Carlyle and Cardozo hotels in Ocean Drive and 13th Street. By Albert Coya

NO. 1: LINCOLN ROAD AND OCEAN DRIVE IN SOUTH BEACH USED TO LOOK LIKE THAT? SEE FOR YOURSELF

How the area has changed. | Published July 31, 2024 | Read Full Story by Miami Herald Archives

Looking west on Grand Avenue in 1967, with Food Fair supermarket in the background.

NO. 2: COCONUT GROVE USED TO LOOK LIKE THAT? SEE PHOTOS OF HIPPIES, HEAD SHOPS, STREET LIFE

This village has some history. | Published October 18, 2024 | Read Full Story by Miami Herald Archives

The Great Southern Hotel in the 1920s, near Young Circle in Hollywood.

NO. 3: WHAT DID HOLLYWOOD AND FORT LAUDERDALE LOOK LIKE DECADES AGO? SEE FOR YOURSELF

Do you recognize anything? | Published January 31, 2025 | Read Full Story by Miami Herald Archives

The Little Havana business district in the 1960s.

NO. 4: LITTLE HAVANA USED TO LOOK LIKE THAT? SEE THE OLD PICTURES FROM THE 1960S, ’70S AND ’80S

The president had lunch there. | Published February 14, 2025 | Read Full Story by Miami Herald Archive

The multi-purpose Coliseum in Coral Gables, which at one time had a bowling alley.

NO. 5: WHAT DID THE STREETS OF CORAL GABLES LOOK LIKE DECADES AGO? TAKE A LOOK

See how has the City Beautiful changed, and hasn’t changed, through the years. | Published April 2, 2025 | Read Full Story by Miami Herald Archives

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.