MIAMI

Algonkian-speaking Indians who lived in the area of what is now Green Bay, Wis., U.S., when first encountered by Europeans in the 17th century. They had also established settlements around the southern end of Lake Michigan in northeastern Illinois and northern Indiana and on the Kalamazoo River in Michigan; they continued to expand as far as Detroit and Ohio, but they later withdrew from their eastern territories and settled in Indiana. The Miami social system was based on exogamous clans, with clan chiefs serving as members of the village council; one of their number was elected civil chief. A separate war chief was chosen on the basis of ability in leading raids. At the time of the first French contact, the Miami were divided into six bands, of which two, the Wea and the Piankashaw, later became separate tribes. The staple of the Miami diet was a particular type of maize (corn) that was considered superior to that cultivated by their neighbours. During the summer they occupied permanent agricultural villages; they moved to the prairies in winter for communal bison hunts. In addition to mat-covered dwellings, each village had a large house in which councils and ceremonies were held. A major feature of Miami religion was the Midewiwin, or Grand Medicine Society, a secret religious organization whose members were believed to be able to secure supernatural aid for tribal welfare, as well as being able to cure the sick. Sacred medicine bundles of magical objects were important in many rites and ceremonies. In the 19th century the Miami ceded most of their lands to the U.S., with one band remaining in Indiana and the rest removing to a reservation in Oklahoma in 1867. city, transportation and business hub of southeastern Florida, U.S., and seat (1844) of Dade county; it is a leading resort and Atlantic port on Biscayne Bay at the mouth of the Miami River. Greater Miami, the state's largest urban concentration, comprises all of Dade county, which includes Miami Beach (across the bay), Coral Gables, Hialeah, North Miami, and many smaller municipalities; together these make up the southern section of Florida's Gold Coast. Spaniards in the 16th century found a village (perhaps 2,000 years old) of Tequesta Indians on the site. The name Mayaimi, probably meaning big or sweet water, may have referred to Lake Okeechobee or to Everglades Indians. In 1567 a Spanish mission was established in a futile attempt to pacify the Indians. After American acquisition of the area (1821), Fort Dallas was built (1835) as a base for searching out Seminole Indians for removal to the West. A few settlers (among them Julia D. Tuttle, mother of Miami) gradually moved in. In 1896 Henry M. Flagler extended his Florida East Coast Railroad to the site, dredged the harbour, started the Royal Palm Hotel, and promoted tourism. Miami was incorporated the same year. During the Florida land boom in the 1920s, the city's population almost tripled, but the collapse of this speculation dampened Miami's fortunes for almost two decades. Occasional hurricanes, notably in 1926 and 1935, damaged the city. During World War II soldiers replaced tourists at the oceanfront hotels, and long stretches of beach were converted to rifle ranges. Miami has an important relationship with Cuba and Latin America, emphasized by the SpanishAmerican War (1898), and nearly 300,000 Cuban refugees have settled in the area since 1959. Little Havana has developed as a completely Cuban enclave within the city. A subtropical climate helps to make Miami one of America's great luxury winter resorts. The miles of beaches are lined with glittering skyscraper hotels and are dotted with marinas, yacht clubs, and golf courses. Sailing regattas and fishing tournaments are frequent events. Horse and greyhound racetracks and jai alai frontons offer pari-mutuel betting. The Orange Bowl Stadium, Vizcaya (estate of James Deering, now the Dade County Art Museum), and many other attractions are in the locality. Since the 1950s industrial and commercial developments have vied with tourism for first place in the economy. The enlarged Port of Miami handles coastal and foreign shipping. Miami International Airport also handles international cargo going mostly to Latin America and the Caribbean. The city is served by a highway network that includes the Dixie Highway, Tamiami Trail, and Florida's Turnpike. Metropolitan Miami has many degree-granting institutions, including the University of Miami (1925) in Coral Gables, Barry College (1940) in Miami Shores, Biscayne College (1961), Florida Memorial College (1892) in Opa Locka, International Fine Arts College (1965), Miami-Dade Community College (1960), St. John Vianney Seminary (1960), and Florida International University (1972). The Jackson Memorial Hospital-Public Health Trust is the heart of a complex of medical services. The city also is a world leader in underseas study. Located there are the famed University of Miami-affiliated Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science and several oceanographic laboratories of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Pop. (1990) city, 358,648; Miami PMSA, 1,937,194; MiamiFort Lauderdale CMSA, 3,192,725; (1998 est.) city, 368,624; (1996 est.) Miami PMSA, 2,076,175; MiamiFort Lauderdale CMSA, 3,514,403. city, seat (1907) of Ottawa county, northeastern Oklahoma, U.S., in the Ozark foothills on Neosho River near Grand Lake (Lake O' the Cherokees; impounded by Grand River Dam). Originally a trading post called Jimtown and renamed in 1890 for the Miami Indian tribe whose reservation was close by, it was laid out in 1891. The community, which is in an important cattle-raising and dairying region, developed rapidly as a commercial centre when lead and zinc were discovered nearby in 1905. Light manufactures include crushed particle board, steel springs, and furniture and carpeting. Miami is the seat of Northeastern Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College (founded in 1919). Inc. 1910. Pop. (1990) 13,142.