Hialeah is a name that has its origins to the Muskogee peoples. Translated it means "pretty prairie," because "Hili" means pretty and "Haiyakpo" means prairie. The word itself is believed to be of Seminole origin, meaning "Upland Prairie."
The city of Hialeah sits on a large prairie right in between Biscayne bay and the Everglades. The city of Hialeah is part of Florida's Miami-Dade County. The population of the city was roughly 226,400 according to the 2000 census. During the year 2009, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that the city's population had become reduced to around 218,900. It is a main city of Greater Miami and South Florida and was the 6th biggest city in the state of Florida at that time. With a population density of over 10,000/sq mile, it is the country's 10th largest city.
The interpretation of the name Hialeah, by the Seminole means "High Prairie" and evokes a picture of the pretty grassy plains the native Indians used to dock their canoes on when coming in from the everglades. It was in this place that they would present all their things for sale and trade for the newcomers from Miami. In 1921, Pioneer aviator Glen Curtiss and Missouri cattleman James H. Bright thought that the area had great potential.
Hialeah is perhaps the most dense city in the nation in terms of population which does not have a tall building. The city of Hialeah also has the 2nd highest percentage of Cuban and Cuban American inhabitants of any city within the US. Hialeah is home to various retailers including: Target, Starbucks, Walmart, Kohl's, The Home Depot, Lowe's and Best Buy. It is the commercial center within Miami-Dade County. Hialeah is also home to some famous homegrown companies like Sedano's and Navarro.
The city of Hialeah is home to a variety of mom and pop stores which add a vibrant flare to the community. These stores successfully and actively compete alongside the national franchises, name brand retailers and outfitters. National companies have changed their traditional business strategy to fit into the demands of the local economy so as to remain competitive. For example Publix supermarkets opened up a Publix Sabor. This location is found along one of the main streets within Hialeah and caters exclusively to Hispanic and Latin American clients.
During the 1970s and the 1980s, the cloth and manufacturing business made the city of Hialeah an industrial city. Most of these companies have disappeared. The local economy has been revitalized with many technology businesses and new electronics.
Residents and visitors alike could enjoy several restaurants and over 100 retail stores within Westfield Westland, likewise known as Westland Mall. Some of the major anchor stores here consist of Macy's, JC Penny and Sears. Famous eateries consist of Chili's, McDonald's, Edy's, Manchu Wok and Fuddrucker's.
Hialeah offers easy access to the entertainment and arts alternatives found in the city of Miami and the larger South Florida metropolitan area. In the vicinity, there are several parks and cultural resources. Some of these resources within the city of Hialeah consist of: Triangle Park, an Audobon Bird Sanctuary called Hialeah Park, Amelia Earhart Park, Don Shula's Hotel and Golf Club, The Gymnasium & Youth Center situated at Bucky Dent, Hialeah Racetrack, Milander Park and Milander Auditorium, Bucky Dent park Gym as well as Goodlet Tennis Center and Goodlet Park.