The rapid growth of South Florida in the first decades of the twentieth century stemmed not just from the emergence of travel and tourism, but also from the decision of many of those tourists to stay. While sun and surf could entice people to vacation in the area, it also could encourage them to rethink their lifestyles and consider a permanent or semi-permanent move to the region.

Postcards like this one, sent to Schenectady, New York in 1926, link the promise of perpetual sunshine for the vacationer with the possibility of experiencing it all year long.



Atwater Hotel

Exclusivity was one of the leading features that developers used as a way to promote travel, tourism, and land sales in South Florida. Many prominent developments, from Coral Gables to Bal Harbour, contained restrictive covenants prohibiting land sales and rentals to non-Caucasians and Jews. Even by the 1930s and 1940s, many hotels in Miami Beach featured signs or brochures stating "Gentile Only."

Others, like the Atwater Hotel at 37th and Collins Avenue, used coded language to get their message across to potential patrons. While presenting the variety of "modern" amenities the hotel offered, including elevator service, steam heat, and a lovely veranda and sun deck, the postcard also claims to cater to "a discriminating clientele." Lest anyone miss the meaning, the description on the card explains that it is located in the "exclusive North Beach section" of Miami Beach.