Remember when ... Miramar felt small? Take a look at the city in its early days
This typical neighborhood street scene from 1961 shown below captures Miramar in its early years, when the city was still finding its footing as a quiet suburban community.
At the time, Miramar’s population hovered around 7,000 — today it is near 140,000.
Back then, a modest single-family home started at about $9,000, prices designed to lure retired families looking for sunshine, space and a slower pace of life. Today, the median price for a single-family home in Miramar is about $595,000.
Using historical photos from the Miami Herald’s files, the Miramar News will give readers an occassional glimpse at how the city used to look.
Founded in 1955 by developer A.L. Mailman, Miramar was incorporated just three years later and marketed as a bedroom community far from the congestion of Miami.
Streets were wide, traffic was light and neighbors often knew one another by name. Many early residents were retirees from the Northeast and Midwest, drawn by affordable housing and South Florida’s warm winters.
Over the decades, Miramar would transform dramatically, evolving from a sleepy retirement enclave into one of Broward County’s most diverse and fast-growing cities.
Yet images like those shown here offer a reminder of the city’s humble beginnings, when Miramar was defined by simple homes, open roads and the promise of a fresh start.
This story was originally published January 6, 2026 at 5:00 AM.
