Per the Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture "... it was settled in a business-like way by men of vision who looked into the future and saw possibilities.

That meeting resulted in Congress authorizing the secretary of the United States Department of the Interior to approve the townsite purchase from the Ottawa.

Lykins, Richardville and Manford Pooler, chief of the Ottawa, are identified in historical accounts as "fathers of Miami."

[7] The discovery of rich deposits of lead and zinc under Quapaw land a few miles north caused Miami to boom.

[7] Miami was on the route of the Jefferson Highway established in 1915, with that international road running more than 2,300 miles (3,700 km) from Winnipeg, Manitoba in Canada across the border and to New Orleans, Louisiana.

[10][11][12] Town residents and neighboring Native American groups have objected to maintaining high water levels on the river at Pensacola Dam and its popular vacation area, Grand Lake, on the grounds that when water backs up downstream, it can increase Miami's flooding problems.

[11] Local government in Miami consists of an elected Mayor at-large and four councilmen representing four Wards.

The city lies within Oklahoma's 2nd congressional district, represented by Josh Brecheen since 2023.

These counties combined make up the third-largest tourism destination in the state, following only the Oklahoma City and Tulsa metropolitan areas.

Designed by the Boller Bros., and built by George L. Coleman Sr. at a cost of $600,000, the Louis XV interior includes gold leaf trim, silk damask panels, stained glass panels, marble accents, a carved mahogany staircase, Wurlitzer pipe organ, decorative plaster moldings, and bronze railings.

While there have been many changes to seeing movies in grand theaters, the building has been preserved and also serves as a venue for live performances.

The community theater group presents five large-scale productions on the Coleman stage every year.

In addition to its certificate programs, it has working relationships with other higher education institutions in the state to promote transfers of students seeking four-year college degrees.