Midland Beach's resort area opened on August 29, 1896. The Midland Terminal Company, which developed the resort, was a subsidiary of a trolley organization, and the growth of the recreation facilities was thus inextricably tied to the growth of trolley service in the area.
Over the next few decades, Midland Beach's popularity grew and the area continued to expand. By 1917, however, worsening economic conditions and disastrous fires took their toll on the resorts and the area began to decline. Subsequent efforts to revive the beach as a WPA (Works Progress Administration) project during the Great Depression (1929-1940) were frustrated by further fires and newly troublesome water pollution.
Midland's carousel, built by the renowned factory of Charles I. D. Looff (1852-1918), came through every fire miraculously unscathed, and continued in operation until the mid-20th century.