Key Biscayne

I LOVE THIS ISLAND AND HOPE YOU TOO SET ROOTS IN THIS COMMUNITY.

Brief history

• A sand barrier island just seven miles from Miami mainland.
• Our 5 mile island was a cool resting place for the Tequesta Indians as they traveled Florida’s coast.  Here, they could always find food and fresh water.
• In 1513, Ponce de Leon discovered the island naming it Santa Marta and claimed it for Spain.  Pedro Fornells received the first Royal Land Grant in south Florida.
• The first American title holder was Mary Ann Davis. The Davis family will continue to enjoy the island and Mary’s son Walter Smith Davis built a vacation house called Cape House.
• The Cape Florida lighthouse was constructed in 1825 to aid maritime travel.  The Indians resented the white folks intrusion and made the lighthouse their enemy target setting it on fire.  Key Biscayne had become a haven for blacks and hunted Seminoles trying to flee to safety in the Bahamas.
• Vizcaya’s owner, James Deering purchased Cape House and the southern end of the island from Davis, but never accomplished his hideaway sanctuary.
• The north part of the island, not the Cape, became a self sufficient coconut plantation, a a botanic garden experiment as well as a wildlife refuge thanks to the Matheson family.  Mashta House is built. Crandon Park is created.
• Cuba’s Aleman family purchased the Cape and lighthouse from the Davis heirs and planned for a residential development.  
• State of Florida purchases Mrs. Aleman’s property thus creating Bill Baggs State Park.
• Village of Key Biscayne becomes a city in 1991.

 
Learn more:

Key Biscayne, A History of Miami’s Tropical island and the Cape Florida Lighthouse by Joan Gill Blank, Pineapple Press.

*** Book sold in island stores. You may also find it at Amazon.com

Key Biscayne Historical & Heritage Society. Email: info@kbhistory.org

Watch Village channel 77  “Moments and Memories”

 

 

 

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