A short history of Miami Beach.

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The following is a brief history and chronology of Miami Beach and its surrounding communities (including the one across Biscayne Bay). The sources of the abbreviated history are three: Highlights of Greater Miami, published in 1956, and Pocket Guide, Greater Miami, published in 1953, and The Miracle of Miami Beach (1952 edition), written by J. N. Lummus, pioneer developer and first mayor of Miami Beach. Because the sources are

generally excerpted verbatim, please excuse the grammar, spelling, punctuation, and archaic use of the English language.

The Miami Story.
Miami was built on the vision of Henry M. Flagler and Julia D. Tuttle. In 1895, only these two families lived at the mouth of the Miami River. One year later there was a blooming city . . .without going thru the usual process of becoming a village and a town.

The city's beginnings actually can be traced to 1836, when Fort Dallas was built at the mouth of the Miami River to control the Seminole Indians. The government abandoned the fort in a few years, but some of the garrison stayed on to become permanent settlers.

Dr. Henry Perrine, a noted scientist of the day was the first developer of vision. In 1838, Congress granted him as six-square mile tract of land to experiment in tropical fruits. He was killed, and 36 families brought in from the Bahamas were driven out by the Indians. Several others, including the Biscayne Bay Co. and Adam C. Richards who sold vegetables to the northern market tried to develop the area but could arouse no real interest. Then, in 1891, Mrs. Julia Tuttle came

from Cleveland, Ohio, bought out the lands of the defunct Biscayne Bay Co., and tried to interest the outside world. She tried vainly until 1895 to have Henry M. Flagler extend his East Coast Railroad from Palm Beach to Miami. In that year, in exchange for half her land, he contracted to build the road, and later built both many houses and the famous Royal Palm Hotel, now gone, on the land that she had donated. By 1896, Miami had so grown that it was incorporated as a city with a population of about 1500.

Up until 1889, Fort Dallas had also been the county seat. In that year the seat moved to Juno, near Palm Beach. But by 1899, three years after the incorporation of Miami, Fort Dallas once again became the county seat. From then on, Miami marched forward with amazing speed. Neither epidemics nor an economic depression slowed it, and the story of its phenomenal growth is still fresh in memory and current history.

The Miami Beach Story.

Originally called Ocean Beach and incorporated as a town on March 26, 1915, Miami Beach was incorporated as a city on May 21, 1917; thus was born a city destined to push aside short-sighted critics and become the nation's No. 1 playground, in the land of perpetual summer.

John S. Collins of Moorestown, N. J. came in the early 1890's. Hiring a rowboat, he visited this peninsula. Much of his earlier life was spent on a farm , so he realized this soil was rich and could be cultivated; too, the climate was ideal. At this time most of the land on the beach was owned by two partners, Elnathan T. Field and Ezra Osborn, who were trying to operate a coconut plantation (with little success). After returning to his home in the North, Collins continued his attempts to purchase some of the property. Finally in 1907, a deal was consummated with Osborn which made Collins a partner with Field. Most of the land at that time . . .

2004 Words to the Wise, Inc.