Top 5 Things You May Not Know About North Miami

What's In A Name?

Like most South Florida cities, NoMi had a series of name changes before it was called "North Miami."

In fact, when the United States Army soldiers cut a Military Trail through nearly impassable thickets and rivers connecting Fort Lauderdale to Fort Dallas at the mouth of the Miami River and discovered the area across a unique natural bridge made of limestone, they first named it "Arch Creek."

Arch Creek was then incorporated as the "Town of Miami Shores," renamed the "Town of North Miami" in 1931, and reincorporated as a city in 1953!

The First Pioneer Of NoMi

If you've ever been curious about who was the first to settle down in North Miami, we're here to answer your million-dollar question!

No, it's not the Tequestas, if that's what you're thinking!

North Miami's first pioneer was Charles J. Ihle, who purchased 80 acres from the State of Florida at one dollar an acre in today's N.E. 116th Street and Biscayne Boulevard in 1891!

Mr. Ihle built a temporary palmetto frond shelter when NoMi was still a remote area, where his nearest northern neighbor was thought to live in Ft. Lauderdale!

Nevertheless, the isolation worked to his advantage!

During the next 27 years, Ihle grew shallots, coontie, bananas, sugar cane, Puerto Rican pineapples, lemons, guavas, limes, rose apples, Jamaican apples, and tomatoes in his property, turning into one of North Miami's pioneer business owners before the Arch Creek farming community arrived in 1896!

A Famous Hub For Art And Film

Known as a hub for art and film, North Miami is a proud home to the Museum of Contemporary Art and a growing commercial center with more than 70 businesses in music, video production, and post-production!

In fact, each year, dozens of film, video, and photography projects take place around North Miami, including popular TV shows and movies like Burn Notice, Graceland, Ballers, and the iconic series Miami Vice!

And it seems the list will continue to grow, as North Miami provides pre-production and production incentives for projects that film and do business in the community, so there's a high chance you'll see more of NoMi in future blockbusters — or your next favorite TV series!

Stay tuned!

Freebee, NoMi's Free, On-Demand Transportation Service

Are you going somewhere around North Miami?

Download the Freebee On-Demand app and request a free ride with just a few taps on your smartphone!

An integral part of North Miami's transportation ecosystem, Freebee On-Demand is a zero-emission, electric vehicle-based transportation service created to reduce traffic congestion and carbon emissions in NoMi.

Boasting a fleet of compact, eco-friendly vehicles, Freebee On-Demand spearheads NoMi's ongoing efforts to build a greener and more livable urban environment while transporting residents in strategically designed routes that connect various neighborhoods, shopping districts, cultural centers, and entertainment hubs, including Aventura, Homestead, Delray Beach, West Miami, North Miami Beach, Bal Harbour, Doral, Key Biscayne, Mid Beach, and more!

So, where are you "Freebee-ing" today?

North Miami's Long-Standing LGBTQ Advocacy

Aside from spearheading forward-thinking green initiatives, North Miami has long been at the forefront of LGBTQ issues in South Florida.

In fact, to show the city's support for the LGBTQ community, North Miami has dedicated a monument to the heroes of South Florida's LGBTQ community in the Elaine Gordon Enchanted Forest Park!

Designed by Miami-based artist A.G., the 6ft tall multi-colored art sculpture dubbed "Untitled" is comprised of poles made of enamel over aluminum, with colors identical to the ones used in the Mediapro HD Ultimate F/X 18 Color Makeup Palette, meant to represent "the power of queerness."

The sculpture was created as part of the city of North Miami's Art in Public Places program and is adjacent to Elaine Gordon Enchanted Forest Park's ambient lake and fountain walker's bridge.

We're pretty sure it's comforting to know that aside from rallying for Mother Nature, North Miami will continue to be a leader in gay rights issues as long as needed!