History

Fisher Island History

Fisher Island has elegantly evolved over the years from a wedge of plush vegetation nestled on the waters of Biscayne Bay to a hidden tropical oasis, eventually becoming one of the most luxurious and exclusive destinations in the world.

Created in 1905 through dredging and land reclamation projects, the development of Fisher Island as a luxury destination didn't commence until 1919 when Carl G. Fisher, a prominent real estate mogul, purchased the island from Dana A. Dorsey, South Florida's first African-American millionaire. Over the next five years Mr. Fisher made immense improvements to the island including building infrastructure and erecting a variety of residents. These improvements were so vast that in 1925 William Kissam Vanderbilt II, a well-respected member of the Vanderbilt family, traded his prized 250-foot yacht for the island.

Since that legendary trade and for the next 50 years, Fisher Island held the distinction of being owned by some of the wealthiest and most influential people in the world, including:

  • 1944 - 1953: Edward Moore, heir to U.S. Steel
  • 1953 - 1963: Gar Wood, millionaire inventor of hydraulic construction equipment and speedboat enthusiast
  • 1963 - Early 1970's: Bebe Rebozo, Key Biscayne millionaire; George Smathers, United States Senator and Miami native; and Richard Nixon, the 37th President of the United States and the 36th Vice President under Dwight D. Eisenhower

From the early 1970's till the 1980's, Fisher Island did not see much in terms of growth; excluding construction of the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (RSMAS) Comparative Sedimentology Laboratory, operated from 1972 to 1990 under the leadership of Dr. Robert Ginsburg, development on Fisher Island remained stagnant. It wasn't until the mid-1980's when longstanding court battles resolved that luxury development again commenced. Adhering to the same Spanish influenced stylistic choices of the 1920's, developers created many luxurious mansions and condominiums that comprise today's modern Fisher Island, including our accommodations that feature exquisite ocean views and seaside villas. Let Provident Luxury Suites Fisher Island introduce you to these luxurious accommodations.