Loading...
1674-16 Steve Hannegan • Fran the ..inmi Beach news Bureau ()77t Notes on Steve Hannan supplied by C.W.Chsas Jr. , who was la Miami Beach during much of the Carl G.Fisher development or Miami ;3ectch. 0------- Steve Hannmgan was workinc for the Indianapolis Star as a sports reporter when Carl_ Graham Fisher ' of ?rest-o-Lite fame) first spied him, mike i hien and engaged hire to do publicity for the Indianapolis Speedway of which Fisher was half-owner with James Allison. About 1923 or 1924 Fisher induced Han egan to come and !iandlo �,tiblicit %t F s her's ePponse) for Miami Beach--a11 of Miami ;o r,ac.. .(D�a to 1'115. three camr:u:lities made up what lator became Miami Beach at i'- .3 .� corpora ion. `7;©8c were Ocean Beach (Government Cut to 15th Street, developed by J.E. and J.N. Alton Bea° h,/ Lummu ;/I5th to Rist Street. gisher's prpnerty named attoy his Alton "aiiroac days when he was a railroad "butcher"; and Mimi ".e"eh, 21st Stroet and northwards, developed by the Collins-pancoaat group. ) At this time , Na,-:r. ;an made hii first eontact S:i th pec711^ of i Tortancc This was pre-bool time when the rinoipal hotels at Miami '.Bench irc udec the Flam:inco, Lincoln,Pancoast and Wofford. Incidents/1y, han::etpanra contacts all cane through Carl Fisher. Much publicity originated with the (Fisher financed) polo 'it fields just south of Lincoln Road r,enoz to Meridien 4renue arcual 15th ^ti,.,.at ) . This also was the time when "cheesecake" pictures became I'-portant in Miami Beach newspaper publicity. Ev. Sewell, at one time 71ecror of Mani had begun the "cheesecake" operation with bathing beauties in a parere and contest at the Roman Pools every year, dating from about 1920. But it was Harnean who put Miami Beach "cheesecake" across in newspapers across the nation. Roman Pools, at 22nd and 23rd Streota and Collins Avenue were the pu.+l`.city and social hub in those days and everythin;; took plac there. (2) Also in the same neighborhood, N.B.T.Roney built his coney Plaza hotel at 23rd. Street in 1925 with the neat hotel cabana colony here. Actually, however, the very first cabanas in Miami Beach were erected at the Bath Club and these proved so successful that others gown copied the idea. (First cabanas on the Florida East Coast were at the Palm Beacn Bath and Tennis Club.) First time HannAgan made national news for Miami Beach was when Julius Fleischman, of Cincinnati, who played polo here, top-led over and died on the polo f. told!. Up to that time anything that happened at Miami Reach wont out with a liami dateline. The name of Miami Beach was not 'mown at all. Hannigan'a story read, "Julius Fleischman died today on Miami Beach -)olo fields stop Don't forget Miami Beach dateline." When the Stock Market crashed in 1929 and when the Depression came along, Fisher beganto economize. He out expenses and decided it was tL'ze for the City of Miami ileac h to take over the publicity. Up to that time, publicity funds had come out of his own pocket. So the City of Miami Reach, with Claude Renshaw as City Manager, took over the publicity with a department oamposed of Hannegan, Joe Copps and Larry Smits as principals. It was housed in the Chamber of Commerce building at Fifth Street and the County Causeway, later renamed theMacArthur Causeway. Publicity expenses were paid out Of City funds. Today a one mill tax manage is earmarked for publicity purposes. When the task of publicizing the City of Miami 13eac h became too big; to be handled in the Chamber of Commerce Building, it was molted to the old City Hall--a woodenbuilding facing west on Collins Avenue north of Sixt' Street about 1925. The Department moved to the present City F when it opened for business in 1928. (3) 2bte---the "diami Beach Chamber of Commerce was started in 1921 with a man ( C.W.Chase Jr.) sitting realer an umbrella on the site where the Chamber of Commerce building later was constructed. At that time Mia:ii Beach Chamber of Conte rce dues were A0 a year for the 300 members. They have riven to 14.O minimum a year for some 1,!x00 members. ReaLen for the u'brella "setting" was that Chase, as the one-man Chamber of Conre roe, had, in 1921, no place from which to greet Miami Beset- visitors, who cane on they trolley car over the County Causeway. So he obtained plana a, aawhorees and bunting, topped with a big umbrella and a sign, to begin the first site for the Miami Beach Chamber or Commerce at the S.W. corner of "'if th Street and Alton Road. The "booth" was manned at: all times during daylight hours. The County Causewa , brand-new at that titer, had been financed through nounty funds with the help of Lummus and Fisher. The close-by Hibiscus and palm Islands were filled in by Mr. Highley mn, while Fisher and Allison pumped in Star Island. The trolley Cara used by visitors coming to Miami Beach star sod then run at Flaglor Street incl FL.'st Avenue, Miami; continuo.? up First Avenue to 13th street, then oast across the County Causeway. Upon reaching Mani Beach, the trolleys turned south on Alton Road,east on First Street past the two casinos. Hardie's and Smith's, and then northward on Washington Avenue to Dade Boulevard and the Collins Canal. They then turned west to Alton Road and southward on Alton back to Fifth Street and Miami. The fare was five cents. trolley car/ C.W.Chase' first lob lith r'isher was as a/conductor's "spotter" for fares. APRIL 20th.1961 Mr. Edward Ellis • Now York World-Telegram and Sun YE iui K, I{.Y. 1 I ` C(,l G� i'� Dear :Ir. Ellis: \\\ _r. an, :',ever asked to rct yip some faetq for \\`� fou about Steve Fiarwagan's early days at Miami Beaca. lierc is thy: rosult, thanks to a lonr* conversation with C.: .(:'e'6e) Chas© Jr., who was he at the time•i do hop'" this will hAo you in your hiography. I am mortified to note that I mis-spelled Bannagan all the way through--I altered it,but feel I owe you au explanation. It I can help farther, .eleaQc do not hesitate to lot .no «,.row. With best wiahea, Yours sincerely, Margaret Nadeau Miami Beach News Bureau