Vizcaya has been a witness to numerous significant occurrences in the history of Miami over the last century. Initially built in 1916 as the vacation home of the affluent businessman James Deering, it has since evolved into a revered public art museum.

Miami-Dade County now owns the Vizcaya property, as the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, which is open to the public.

Today, the property is worth an estimated $9 billion. Following Deering's death, care of the estate was handed over to his family. However, due to high maintenance costs over the following decades and harsh bay weather conditions, his family began selling off parts of the surrounding land and gardens.