Miami Beach, Florida, part of Miami Dade County, should not be confused with the city of Miami; it is, rather, a small part of Miami city. It’s located on a thin strip of land separated from the rest of the city by Biscayne Bay. The first building constructed in what is now Miami Beach was the Biscayne House of Refuge, a halfway house for shipwreck survivors being assisted in adjusting to their new surroundings. The arrival of the railroad in 1896 led to the creation of Miami City, which in turn inspired some to see Miami Beach as a potential tourist destination. At first, Miami Beach was simply a destination for day trippers hoping to escape the city across Biscayne Bay by ferry. By 1912, efforts had begun to clear the land for construction; the first hotel, Brown's Hotel, was constructed in 1915. Dredging and land fill construction increased the size of the sand bar from 1,600 acres to 2,800 acres. The construction of a wooden bridge connecting Miami City and Miami Beach caused the small getaway town to become even more popular.