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Interior View of Collins Memorial
The
JOHN S. COLLINS
MEMORIAL
of the
MIAMI BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY
and ART CENTRE WE`: " 7 1'J58
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'111-11 1
The John S. Collins Memorial
This memorial comprising the south wing of
the Miami Beach Public Library and Art Centre of
Miami Beach, Florida is erected to commemorate
the late John S. Collins, pioneer and early developer
of Miami Beach by his daughter Mrs. Thomas J.
Pancoast, Chairman of the Library Board.
Mr. Collins was born December 29, 1837 in the
ancestral Quaker home of the Collins family in
Morrestown, New Jersey. The son of a farmer,
he was the sixth generation of his name to live
in this homestead. He grew up with a deep love
of the soil and a creative passion for making things
grow and produce abundantly. In his early youth
he experimented with growing strawberries commer-
cially, and as a young man of twenty years he was
the proud possessor of a quarter of an acre of ground
all his own, a gift from his father. This land he
planted half in blackberries and half in strawberries
and harvested a profitable cropthe first year. His
love of growing things causedhimto establish the
Pleasant Valley Nurseries at Morrestown, the profits
from which were used to buy neighboring farms, an
enterprise of considerable value. After much ex-
perience in experimental agriculture he stocked a farm
at Merchantville, New Jersey with his beloved black-
berry plants and it was from these plants that Ire
popularized the famous Wilson early blackberries in
the markets of Philadelphia and New York. His
early recognition of the Kiefer pears did much to
promote its acceptance in the east.
Mr. Collins was always keenly receptive to new
methods and new ideas, especially machine and labor
saving devices, and in 1888 he became a dealer in
farin machinery and farmer's supplies. Feeling that
he was getting along in years, he was now ready to
shift a measure of his responsibilities to his son and
son-in-law. Now he found that there was time to
look for other fields to conquer.
A number of years before he had come to the
financial aid of a group of New Jersey men who
were promoting a fantastic plan to grow coconuts
commercially in Miami Beach. This plan had prov-
en a failure, a fact deeply resented by Mr. Collins
and he now determined to turn that failure into suc-
cess. In the early nineties Mr. Collins had first come
to Florida. The railroad had not yet reached Palm
Beach and he preceded the railroad into Miami in
1896 to take the situation over personally. 13�.ii
T=cnrded; if the land came up to his expectations, to
develop it according to his own ideas. Two black
men rowed him across Biscayne Bay and for the first
time he set foot on the soil of Miami Beach. He
admired the location, and after examining the soil
found it good. Things, wonderful things, new
things could be grown in this virgin jungle. That
was for the present, and with the perfect climate,
the sun and the sea, he foresaw that thousands of
people would come to spend the winter here, if given
the opportunity.
There was much work to be done, the jungle
must be cut down, business called him north, proper
control of the land must be obtained, all of these
things caused irritating delays, but finally by 1907
he was ready to go ahead. During the delay he
studied the situation, talked to native farmers and
government plan experts. He sought and found
the unusual fruit with which he wished to experi-
ment. He would plant avocados and while these
grew he would plan the fashionable winter resort of
his dreams.
The Herculean task of clearing the jungles, of
planting orchards, of building canals and bridges for
communication, of interesting others to settle here,
of supplying vision and courage to those who with-
out it would so easily have given up, has truly earned
him the loving title of Father of Miami Beach.
In memory of this vision and this courage. the
John S. Collins Memorial is erected for the citizens
of the city he dreamed.
JOHN S. COLLINS
THE MEMORIAL IS ERECTED
IN LOVE AND RESPECT FOR
THIS FRIENDLY MAN. MIAMI
BEACH IS A MONUMENT TO
HIS VISION AND COURAGE.
No.
Dredge in Lake Pancoast
This picture shows the type of suction dredge
used in the building of Miami Beach. The dredge
in this picture is working along the southeast edge of
Lake Pancoast, deepening and widening it, in order
to make it navigable. Before this dredging process
took place the lake was shallow enough to be crossed
on foot at low tide.
The plans for the building of the new town
called for the preservation of all the natural beau-
ties and it was therefore desirable to preserve the
inland waterways as well as to fill in the land. For
this reason the shallow basin at the headwaters of
Indian Creek was pumped out at a depth of from
six to ten feet. The result was a beautiful, clear
navigable lake. Along the shores, after the man-
grove had been cut down, the sands from the bottom
+
of the lake were spread to form firm land and streets
and homesites were laid out.
Lake Pancoast
This picture shows Lake Pancoast in the early
part of year 1913. The wide strip of while, sandy
soil in the right foreground is Collins Avenue be-
fore any improvements had been made. In the
center background is the location of the present resi-
dence of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. Pancoast. They
chose as a homesite this beautiful spot at the head of
the wading pond that formed the headwaters of In-
dian Creek. The pond was dredged out to form
Lake Pancoast, the shores of the lake were bulk -
headed and filled in. The mangroves along the
creek were cut down and the fill was pumped in over
them, but the palms were allowed to remain forming
a beautiful setting for the new home. This home
has not changed much during the years. Its spacious-
ness and grace of architecture was a forerunner of the
many large homes soon to be built at Miami Beach.
Collins Canal was later to connect this Lake with
Biscayne Bay.
No.
2
Lincoln Road in 1905
Scrub Palmettoes
Parts of the island of Miami Beach were c9vered
with the scrub palmettoes shown in this picture. They
had to be cleared before building could begin. The
palmettoes were cleared by a 16 ton traction engine
with wheels two feet wide, to each side of which was
bolted a knife -blade. The engine was first driven
north and south the weight forcing the blades through
the palmettoes. It was then driven east and west to
further loosen them. A third trip was made across
the land by the engine, this time in a diagonal direc-
tion pulling two heavy plows. The plows cut off the
No. center roots that grow directly into the ground. This
3 method cut off the scrub palmettoes into approxi-
mate two foot lengths. Men driving mule carts
removed the cut palmettoes and piled them in the
sun where they were allowed to lie for three or four
months until dry enough to burn.
This clearing is the exact location of the pres-
ent day Lincoln Road the fashionable shopping dis-
trict of Miami Beach. This picture was taken from
the Bay side looking east toward the Ocean. The
strip was originally cleared so that the mangrove trees
might be taken out for the purpose of manufacturing
tanic acid.
The group of engineers in the center of the pic-
ture include Mr. W. E. Brown, and Mr. August De -
Winkler, long connected with the early engineering
problems of the district.
Those pioneers who originally conceived this
clearing as an east -west highway across the island
could not possibly envisioned the Lincoln Road of to-
day with its exclusive shops filled with finery and
merchandise from all corners of the globe. There
is a daily parade of the great and the near great,
.riving this street the name "Fifth Avenue of the
`outh."
No.
w
THE SHORE OF MIAMI BEACH
An early picture showing the ocean front of Miami Beach
before development. The Beach was originally a narrow
peninsula extending south and marking the eastern boundary
of Biscayne Bay. On the ocean side a magnificent sandy
beach extended southward. To the west there was a virgin
jungle, thick, impenetrable, and tropical. An old Indian
trail ran north and south among the trees. This trail had in
all probability been made by the Takesta Indians long before
the time of Columbus and there is reason to believe that the
Seminoles had used it after them. The first settlers, of the
Beach found the trail clear but overgrown, and with much
labor widened it so that it might be used as a road for the
mule teams.
in 1870 Henry B. Lum and son of Sandusky, Ohio, visited
the Beach, coming to Miami from Key West in a sixteen foot
1
1
No.
5
sailboat. At Brahman's Landing they saw a small group
of coconut trees.
The returned in 1882 accompanied by Ezra Osborn and
Elnathan T. Field of Middletown, New Jersey with the idea
of planting an enormous coconut grove along the ocean beaches
of south Florida. They thought a fortune could be made for
the financial backers from the coconuts produced by these trees
and marketed as copra or coconut oil. Believing that a ma-
ture tree dropped a nut daily, the calculated yield, in spite of
market price, promised to be a profitable venture.
Contrary to their expectations the project failed and John
S. Collins, a disappointed investor, believed that the arca
should be developed as a winter resort.
The tall palms shown in this picture are some of those
planted as part of the original grove.
1
No.
6
The Mangrove Swamp
A section of mangrove covered swamp land on
the bay side of Miami Beach. The slender trees rose
to great heights and their wide -spreading tops inter-
laced. The growth was dense and rank. Their roots
stood high above the wet, swampy soil and at high
tide the roots were partially submerged. Beneath
their interwoven tops a dim twilight prevailed and
it was extremely dangerous, sometimes quite im-
possible, to walk among them. At the water's edge
oysters had fastened themselves to the roots, feeding
upon minutiae as the tide rose. In the early days
these oysters were edible though their flavor was
never the best. This kind of oyster can now be
found on the submerged islands of the inland water-
ways or dinging to the banks of the Collins Canal,
but they are contaminated and not edible. Large
areas of such swampy lands bred quantities of mos-
quitoes that preyed mercilessly upon the early settlers.
To form a foundation for new land these stands
of timber had to be cut down as was described in No.
4 and the gigantic dredges poured over the stumps
thousancts of cubic feet of soil from the bay bottom.
Indian Creek
A view of Indian Creek looking northward to
41st Street. The watertower in the right center
background was built to supply fresh drinking water
to the Collins farm located in that area. The tower
was situated at the site of the present 41st Street
bridge across Indian Creek. It was down this water-
way that the harvests from the farm were moved on
their first journey to the northern markets. The
deepening and widening of this waterway, the dredg-
ing out of Lake Pancoast, and the building of the
Collins Canal gave the Beach its first system of water
travel, proving the first link in the chain that was
later to become the splendid inland waterway that we
know today, over which so many boats and yachts
come to Miami from the north.
Today Indian Creek Drive following along the
eastern bank of this stream, bulkheaded, graded and
landscaped, and lined with beautiful homes is the
realization of the picture that must have been in Mr.
Collins mind when he looked our over his farm to
the bright waters beyond.
No.
7
No.
8
The Collins Bridge
This bridge was the first means of access from
the mainland of Miami across Biscayne Bay to Miami
Beach, other than by boat. It was a vehicular bridge
of wood construction, two and one-half miles long.
It was built by the Miami Beach Improvement Com-
pany. Construction on the bridge was started July
1912, and it was completed in May 1913. The for-
mal opening was held June 12, 1913, at which time
cars could cross as far as Bull Island (now known
as Belle Isle). At the time the bridge was built it
was the longest wooden vehicle bridge in existence,
costing $100,000.00.
Before travel could proceed from the bridge,
the mangrove swamp had to be cleared from the Bay
side. This required the pumping in by suction
dredge of approximately 14,300,000 cubic yards of
solid material.
The present Venetian Causeway replaced this
early wooden bridge.
Miami Beach Bathing Pavilion
This scene was taken from the neck at the south
end of Lake Pancoast. It looks eastward, and shows
the Miami Beach Bathing Pavillion and swimming
Pool. Shortly after its opening the name was
changed to the Miami Beach Casino. It was built
by the Miami Beach Improvement Company, the
third casino to appear on the Beach. It was the first
casino to have a swimming pool. Because of some-
what limited funds, salvaged timbers from wrecked
ships were used as a framework and the exterior was
covered with shingles.
Mr. Carl G. Fisher, then operating on the Beach,
thought that the Casino should be improved to keep
step with the growing city. He offered to spend
$60,000.00 on this improvement if the property would
be sold to him. He planned to make it one of the
outstanding amusement centers of the South. He
became carried away with the idea and spent $350,-
000.00 instead, making it a fine sport center. It was
later known as Casino St. John, Roman Pools, and
Everglades Cabana Club.
NO.
9
No.
10
Lake Pancoast
This view of the lake and environs shows the
residence of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. Pancoast at the
head of the lake in the center background. This was
the first house of concrete construction built on Miami
Beach.
The white strip in the right foreground is Col-
lins Avenue. The street is named for the founder
of Miami Beach, Mr. John S. Collins and extends the
full length of the beach from north to south.
The left half of the picture shows Indian Creek
and Indian Creek Drive.
The beach waterways, both natural and man-
made, were priceless municipal assets from the very
first, even before bulkheading, and bear testimony to
the foresight of the pioneers.
The furrows in the left background on the high
ground are rows of castor beans planted during the
World War. This was a government assisted plan.
From the castor beans oil was extracted to be used
in aeroplanes.
Pine Tree Drive
Originally Pine Tree Drive was an evergreen
bordered lane leading from 23rd Street north to the
Collins farm. The pines were first planted as a
windbreak to protect the young avocado and mango
orchards. Several other methods of protection had
proven costly and unsatisfactory. These fast-grow-
ing evergreens gave all the protection that was needed.
When it was decided to develop this area as residen-
tial property, the lane was allowed to remain as a
thoroughfare. At that time the roadway between the
two lines of pines was too sandy for practical use.
Scrup palmetto fronds were cut and laid in the old
ruts made by wagon travel. This reinforcement made
the road firm enough to support vehicles, and later
cars were driven over them.
From the first this section proved popular as an
exclusive residential neighborhood. It is now Tined
with beautiful homes and the long twin lanes of
Australian pines are an outstanding beauty spot not
only of Miami Beach but of all south Florida.
No.
11
Avocado Grove
Mangrove Trees
In its original state the island of Miami Beach
was partly covered with a heavy growth of mangrove
trees. The land on which the trees stood was
swampy. The trees had to be cut down before the
suction dredge could pump solid material over this
land to make ground of sufficient height on which
to build a city. To make the land the specifications
required that no stumps stand higher than two feet.
The mangrove trees were cut down and allowed to
lay just where they fell, and the solid material from
the bay bottom was pumped in on top. Far in the
No. left -background can be seen a suction dredge of the
12 type used for pumping.
There were approximately 3,000 acres of land to
be filled in to a depth of from one to seven feet, at
an average cost of $700.00 per acre.
The high trees in the extreme right -background
show the mangrove before cutting.
A grove of avocado trees was planted about 1909
in the vicinity of what is now 41st Street. The part
of the grove shown in the picture looks to the north
from 41st Street.
When the grove was planted the fruit was just
beginning to be appreciated for its food value.
Seven thousand avocado trees were planted, and one
thousand mango trees. The fruit was shipped in
iced crates to all parts of the United States.
That there might be some revenue from the land
befort the fruit trees were large enough to bear,
onions and potatoes were planted in the rows between
the trees.
The buildings in the left -center of this picture
are the workers' quarters. The pond in the left
foreground was built to collect fresh water for ir-
rigating purposes. The house in the south -fore-
ground is the packing plant where the avocados and
mangoes were prepared for shipment.
No.
13