A Brief History of Fisher Island

 
Over the years, I have been asked by countless clients what makes Fisher Island so expensive, so special and so exclusive. So, I decided to publish this article to answer those questions and educate readers.

Today, Fisher Island is an exotic, uber-exclusive island that represents one of the wealthiest zip codes in the entire country, but it wasn’t that long ago that it was merely a wedge of land in Biscayne Bay filled with mangroves and coconut palms. And, although most people have heard of Fisher Island, many are probably not familiar with exactly what it represents and how it came to be the exquisite tropical island that it is today. So, I want to tell you a little about today’s Fisher Island and the history of how it became so.

About Today’s Fisher Island

Fisher Island is a super-exclusive, 216-acre tropical island situated off the southern tip of Miami Beach. The island offers a truly-unique sense of tranquility, allowing you to be leisurely secluded in tropical paradise surrounded by lush landscaping, natural foliage and bay breezes and stunning views of Biscayne Bay, the Atlantic Ocean and the Miami skyline.

Although the island is quite small, it is prestigious for a reason…it has shockingly luxurious and unparalleled amenities that include more than just the breathtaking views. Fisher Island features the Fisher Island Club that is situated in the heart of the island and offers members and guests the absolute finest residential and recreational amenities in the country as it is the most exclusive club and residence in Florida. The Club offers a private tropical oasis with world-class resort amenities such as a private beach, seaside golf, Mediterranean-inspired tennis, luxury spa, fitness center, exquisite beach club and marina, luxury hotel accommodations and unparalleled services. The island also offers several high-end restaurants.

Adding to the uber exclusiveness of the island is the fact that it is only accessible by a passenger vehicle ferry service (24-hour), a private yacht, or private helicopter. And, although you can bring your car onto the island by ferry, you do not use it do get around the island. The primary mode of transportation around the island are golf carts.

Who lives here???

There are roughly 700 families who own property on Fisher Island, but this does not mean they live on the island year round. There are several hundred families that do live on the island full time; however, most families use their luxury Fisher Island condo as merely their 2^nd, 3^rd or 4^th vacation home. I say condos above because single-family homes are in rare supply on the island. In fact, there are only 8 Fisher Island homes that even exist on the island.

The History of Fisher Island

Summary
Fisher Island started out as merely a piece of land situated in Biscayne Bay filled with mangroves and coconut palms. In fact, it was not even an island until 1906 when the government dug a canal dubbed “Government Cut” to ease port traffic which resulted in a separation of the land from Miami Beach creating an undeveloped island. Years later, in 1919, the Miami Beach founder and developer, Carl Fisher, purchased the land from Dana Dorsey to begin his mission to expand the island to develop for real estate and deep-water docks. His progress of development was delayed by the County initially, but later construction of the Port of Miami helped to separate the lush island from Miami Beach, creating an entirely distinctive island. A year or so later, Carl Fisher traded 7 acres of the island to William Vanderbilt II for a 250-foot yacht, and the Vanderbilt’s continued to own and develop the island for the next 2 decades constructing his million-dollar mega mansion, guest homes, cottages, swimming pools, among other luxuries that still stand on the island today. Vanderbilt died in 1944, and ownership changed hands several times, with the company Fisher Island Club standing in since 1987. This all contributes to how the island is now known today around the world as the ultra-luxurious and exclusive Fisher Island.

Historical Timeline of Fisher Island