MIAMI MIAMI BEACH

Description

This large-format bird’s-eye-view captures the lively zeitgeist of Miami and Miami Beach in perhaps its most quirky and defining era: the 1970s. There are moments in the history of every city when something just “clicks” — when a vibrant and unique community coalesces, forms a culture, and then inevitably changes.

More specifically, this view features Miami Beach when it was largely an enclave for Jewish retirees, many of whom came from the Northeast and found a new life in the Florida sunshine. The map reflects this optimism, with its bright colors and relaxed atmosphere.

The mapmaker, Paul Desormier, has employed a cleverly-skewed perspective to allow the view to extend from the Atlantic Coast across southern Florida to the Gulf of Mexico. In the far distance, we see the Everglades and Naples, FL. But the focus of the map is certainly on Miami Beach, which is depicted in great detail. A numbered key links to points of interest and attractions. No less than four airliners soar in the skies, emphasizing Miami’s connectivity to travel hubs in the United States and beyond.

Overall, this is a spectacular work of southern Florida, one that will surely evoke feelings of nostalgia for anyone whose parents or grandparents were part of the community of Miami at the time this map was published.