In 1895 Florida experienced what became known as the Great Freeze, where the temperares in Florida dipped to record lows ; at that time Henry Flagler was an extremely influential figure and Julia Tuttle had been courting him to extend his railroad down to Miami, which he had refused up to this point since his favorite Citrus trees were doing great in Palm Beach. In 1896, after the Great Freeze had devastated most of the Citrus Groves north of Fort Lauderdale, Julia Tuttle sent a small box to Henry Flagler with a note that said "Dear Henry, How does your garden grow?" and a Orange Blossom and this is how Henry Flagler decided to extend his railroad and in doing so created the city of Miami and Little Havana in particular.
1896 to us means that Miami has always been a welcoming place, whether it is weather you are seeking, different cultures, night life or simply a place where you don't feel like a tourist (because at the end of the day all of us in Miami are), this city and us in particular will welcome you with open arms.