16-04-2025
This South Florida city had a theme park and an oceanfront mall. Take a look
The city was known as Modello at first, for the Florida East Coast Railway's Model Land Co. Later, it was renamed by a delegation of Danes from Wisconsin, led by A.C. Frost.
Formed in 1904, Dania was the first Broward city to be incorporated.
The city, now known as Dania Beach, is best known for its jai alai fronton, antique district, Canadian visitors, fishing pier and Jaxson's ice cream parlor.
In decades part, Dania beach was home to Pirates World, a theme park and concert venue, and an oceanfront dining and shopping complex called SeaFair.
Here's a look at Dania Beach through the years from the photo archives of the Miami Herald:
Pirates World
Along the ocean
Jai alai
Downtown
Downtown Dania Beach along US. 1 in 1999. Candace West Miami Herald File
Early years
