1976 Desormiers Pictorial View of Miami and Miami Beach, Florida

This is Paul Desormiers' impressive large-format pictorial bird's-eye view of Miami, Miami Beach, and environs in South Florida, published in 1976 by the Mapex Corporation.

A Closer Look

This view is oriented towards the northwest, with Fort Myers and Lake Okeechobee in the background at the top, and it covers from Biscayne Bay and Key Biscayne in the south (at left) to North Miami Beach, Hollywood, and nearby communities in the north (at right). Major roads and highways are labeled throughout, while major structures, parks, golf courses, bridges, waterways, and other features are illustrated, many of them numbered, corresponding to the index at the bottom right. Several off-map locations are also referenced. Jets, seaplanes, helicopters, and the Goodyear Blimp fly across the sky while boats, surfers, and windsurfers appear in the area's coastal waters.

Historical Context

This view was produced when Miami and South Florida were becoming more prominent on the national stage, as the number of retired 'snowbirds' grew, including Jewish retirees who settled in significant numbers in Miami Beach. Miami also became the leading destination for Cuban refugees fleeing the Castro regime for political reasons or economic opportunity. The area garnered considerable attention when the Miami Beach Convention Center (number 64) hosted both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions in 1972, the most recent city to host the conventions of both major parties in the same year (it had also hosted the 1968 Republican Convention, a sign of Nixon's famous 'Southern Strategy' that year). But the area was also riven by worrisome undercurrents, including racial tensions, which culminated in deadly riots in 1980 after several police officers killed a black motorcyclist, covered up his murder, and were acquitted nonetheless. The arrival of so many Cuban refugees invigorated the city but also led to paramilitary violence within the exile community, including dozens of bombings and assassinations.

Publication History and Census

This map was prepared by Paul Desormiers and published by the local Mapex Corporation in 1976. It is rare, as it is not recorded in OCLC. However, the Library of Congress likely holds the map cataloged under a different title (OCLC 37837302). The Touchton Map Library at the Tampa Bay History Center also holds an example.