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History

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  • Bullets

    1921

    The Town is settled by co-founders Glenn Curtiss & James Bright. They name the young city “Hialeah” after the Seminole word “Haiyakpo Hili” which means “high prairie.”

  • Bullets

    1921

    Triangle Park is built, our very first public park. It would serve as a staging place for potential
    residents to explore our young city.

  • Bullets

    1921

    The largest billboard in the state of Florida is placed at the entrance of Hialeah, depicting Seminole Chief Jack Tigertail. An influential figure in the early days of the Hialeah.

  • Bullets

    1922

    The Miami Movie Studios is built on 140 acres, over a dozen studio stages made Hialeah the second largest studio town in the silent movie era. However, the 1926 Hurricane & the 1929 Great Depression took a massive toll, and plans were abandoned a few years later.

    Miami Movie Studios with production inside and filming
  • Bullets

    1922

    The first racetrack in Hialeah opens to the public, not with horses as it came to be known but with dogs instead. The first track had greyhounds and was located on Palm Avenue. Unfortunately, the 1926 Hurricane destroyed the park.

  • Bullets

    1923

    The exclusive model neighborhood of Deer Park is built right off Okeechobee Road. The homes are Spanish revival architecture, our founders used them to market Hialeah as a premier winter destination for wealthy snowbirds.

  • Bullets

    1923

    Leah Millard becomes the first baby to be born in our new city. Her father Bob Milliard was Hialeah’s first full time resident and early pioneer. He founded Hialeah’s first post office, general store & gas station.

  • Bullets

    1923

    The first school in Hialeah is erected. The stunning Spanish Revival building still amazingly still stands today as South Hialeah Elementary.

  • Bullets

    1924

    The first bridge connecting Hialeah to Miami Springs opens for car traffic. An original swing bridge, The Warren Pony (incoming) bridge is a testament to build to last engineering marvels.

    Footbridge crossing, Hialeah town and zoo with bus tour; 1922
  • Bullets

    1924

    The Hialeah Municipal water plant is built and its responsible for supplying water for the entire west side of Miami Dade County, without this hard-working plant, it would’ve been nearly impossible to expand South Florida in the 1920’s.

    Hialeah Water Plant under construction
  • Bullets

    1924

    The Hialeah Public Library was started by our founder’s mother, Lea Curtiss & the Hialeah’s Women Club. Today, we honor her own namesake library Lea Curtiss Library on East 4th Avenue.

    Lua A. Curtiss Library; 1976
  • Bullets

    1925

    The Hialeah Fire Department was founded. Originally made up of volunteers, today it’s one of the largest in the county with 9 stations, answering 200K calls a year, responding to 41K incidents and it’s rated one of the most elite fire departments in the state of Florida.

  • Bullets

    1925

    Our city is incorporated on September 10th, 1925. J.P Grethen becomes Hialeah’s first Mayor with a unanimous 234 votes.

  • Bullets

    1926

    Our sister city of Miami Springs is incorporated on August 23rd, 1926. It was originally named Country Club Estates, it featured a beautiful green golf course & a unique Pueblo Indian architecture style.

  • Bullets

    1926

    The stunning Mediterranean style Hialeah Seaboard line Train Station is built, connecting New York to the City to Hialeah. It would operate during the winter months and bring thousands of snowbirds to the racetrack.

  • Bullets

    1926

    The Great Miami Hurricane Hits South Florida, Hialeah was utterly devastated. Over 70% of all buildings suffer massive structural damage. Population subsequentially shrinks by 90%. The land boom ends abruptly and would not fully recover until WWII was over.

  • Bullets

    1926

    Our other sister city, the stunning “Arabian Nights” inspired city of Opa-locka is incorporated on May 14th, 1926.

  • Bullets

    1927

    The second bridge connecting Hialeah to Miami Springs is built. The Parker bridge is an amazing vertical lift bridge, there are only two original ones left in all South Florida.

    Bridge on the Miami Canal, under construction; 1924