The street scenes of Miami in the early 1980s offered a vivid and high-contrast tableau of a city at a historical crossroads. Walking through districts like South Beach, one would have encountered a unique blend of faded grandeur and emerging neon energy, where elderly residents sitting on porch swings shared the sidewalks with a new wave of trendy, fashion-forward youth.
The streets were lined with pastel-colored Art Deco hotels, many of which were still peeling from neglect before the preservation movement fully took hold. Parked along the curbs were iconic vehicles of the era: from sleek European sports cars fueled by the city’s sudden “cocaine cowboy” wealth to the rugged, sun-beaten sedans of the local working class.
Palm trees swayed over bustling boulevards where the air was thick with a mix of salty Atlantic breezes and the rhythmic sounds of Latin music spilling out from storefronts, creating an atmosphere that was simultaneously glamorous, gritty, and pulsating with a raw, multicultural soul.
These fascinating photos, taken by
Steven Martin, capture street scenes of Miami, Florida in 1983.
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| Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, 1983 |
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| Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, 1983 |
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| Building sign, Coconut Grove, Miami, 1983 |
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| Coconut Grove Playhouse, Miami, 1983 |
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| Dade County Courthouse, Miami, 1983 |
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| Downtown Miami skyline from I-95, 1983 |
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| Downtown Miami skyline from Watson Island, 1983 |
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| East Flagler Street looking toward 2nd Avenue, Miami, 1983 |
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| Freedom Tower, Miami, 1983 |
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| Moored sailboats, Coconut Grove, Miami, 1983 |
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| NE 1st Street from NE 1st Avenue, Miami, 1983 |
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| NE 2nd Avenue from NE 3rd Street, Miami, 1983 |
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| Old boat, Coconut Grove, Miami, 1983 |
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| Old U.S. Post Office and Federal Courthouse, Miami, 1983 |
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| SE 1st Street from SE 1st Avenue. View is east. The historic Miami Bank and Trust Company Building is on the left, , Miami, 1983 |
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| SE 3rd Avenue at SE 3rd Street, Miami, 1983 |
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| Southeast Financial Center under construction, Miami, 1983 |
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| Storefronts, Little Havana, Miami, 1983 |
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| Street scene in Coconut Grove's downtown, Miami, 1983 |
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| Street scene in Coconut Grove's downtown, Miami, 1983 |
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| SW 8th Street, Little Havana, Miami, 1983 |
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| Toledo Hotel, Miami, 1983 |
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| U.S. Post Office and Courthouse, Miami, 1983 |
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| View is from Miami Avenue and NE 3rd Street, Miami, 1983 |
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