Homestead
A railroad farm town between two national parks.
- Population
- 80,737 (2020 census)
- Incorporated
- February 8, 1913
- Gateway to
- Biscayne and Everglades national parks
- Tides
- Two highs, two lows a day
Then
- 1904
The Florida East Coast Railway opens a station in July. Supplies for the crews are labeled “Homestead Country,” and the name sticks.
- 1913
Homestead incorporates, the second-oldest city in what is now Miami-Dade County.
- 1923–1951
Edward Leedskalnin spends 28 years building Coral Castle from coral rock.
- 1992
Hurricane Andrew, a Category 5, devastates the town and Homestead Air Force Base on August 24.
Now
Homestead is a major farming area and calls itself the gateway to Biscayne and Everglades national parks. Biscayne's Convoy Point Visitor Center is at Homestead Bayfront Park.
Offshore, the keys of Biscayne Bay, from Elliott Key to Boca Chita and Card Sound, are part of this stretch of water.
On the water
From NOAA's predictions for Turkey Point, Biscayne Bay, FL over the next 365 days. Heights are in feet above mean lower low water (MLLW).
- Pattern
- Two highs and two lows a day, close in size
- Typical daily range
- 1.5 ft
- Biggest swing
- 2.1 ft on Nov 25
- Smallest swing
- 0.9 ft on Mar 1
- Highest high
- 2.3 ft, Oct 27 at 12:27 PM
- Lowest low
- −0.5 ft, Jan 23 at 5:30 AM
22 tide stations around Homestead
- Turkey Point, Biscayne Bay9.5 mi
- Card Sound, western side12.5 mi
- East Arsenicker, Card Sound13.4 mi
- Little Card Sound bridge14.2 mi
- Cormorant Point, Key Largo, Card Sound15.0 mi
- Totten Key, west side, Biscayne Bay15.1 mi
- Pumpkin Key, south end, Card Sound15.2 mi
- Wednesday Point, Key Largo, Card Sound15.7 mi
- Adams Key, south end, Biscayne Bay16.0 mi
- Christmas Point, Elliott Key16.3 mi
Show all 22 stations
- Manatee Creek, Manatee Bay, Barnes Sound16.4 mi
- Main Key, Barnes Sound16.5 mi
- Ocean Reef Harbor, Key Largo16.7 mi
- Billys Point, south of, Elliott Key, Biscayne Bay17.1 mi
- Elliott Key Harbor, Elliott Key, Biscayne Bay17.6 mi
- Coon Point, Elliott Key, Biscayne Bay18.1 mi
- Sands Key, northwest point, Biscayne Bay18.2 mi
- Sea Grape Point, Elliott Key18.6 mi
- Boca Chita Key, Biscayne Bay19.2 mi
- Ragged Keys, Biscayne Bay19.6 mi
- Garden Cove, Key Largo21.7 mi
- Carysfort Reef23.8 mi