The Town of Bay Harbor Islands, located in Miami-Dade County, Florida, is a growing and vibrant community of fine homes, luxury condominiums, and apartments. The Town is home to an elementary school, retail shops, restaurants, professional offices and many other businesses. The Town's location near South Beach, the Bal Harbour shops, downtown Miami and other areas in Miami-Dade County has made it an ideal place to live and work.

The Town of Bay Harbor Islands grew from the foresight of Shepard Broad, who came to America from Pinsk, Russia in 1920 at the age of 14. Seven years later, he held a degree from the New York Law School. Mr. Broad practiced law in New York until 1940, when he brought his wife Ruth to live in South Florida.

In 1945 Broad acquired two undeveloped mangrove swamp islands, located between the beach barrier island and mainland North Miami. With his own funds and with down payments on the sale of lots, Shepard Broad filled in the islands and watched as Bay Harbor began to spring up. He was joined in the venture by a prominent businessman, the late Benjamin N. Kane, for whom the Town's main thoroughfare was named. In 1947, the Town of Bay Harbor Islands was incorporated. In 1953, the present municipality was chartered by the Florida Legislature and later that same year approved by the voters of the Town. It is operated under a Council-Manager form of government with seven elected Council members each serving for $1 a year. Shepard Broad was elected the first mayor of the Town and served in that position for 26 consecutive years until his retirement from office in 1973. On June 15, 1947, the first building permit was applied for. Within four years, the Town had a population of 550 citizens living in 46 private residences. Today, the Town's population is approximately 5,100. Following through on the concept of zoning Shepard Broad brought to the islands, the 103-acre West Island remains open only to single-family unit development. The 150 acres of the East Island contain multiple-family dwellings and also a small business district to provide Bay Harbor residents with a complete selection of goods and services. In 1951, the Broad Causeway was opened, joining the islands with the mainland of northern Dade County.