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Notes on interview with
BOB CARR
March 17, 1992
Geologically, Miami Beach is a sand berm, similar to Virginia
Key and Key Biscayne.
Waves and wind deposited sand on the east side, against
mangrove trees on the lee side.
Surprise! Carr says Miami Beach always was an island. It was
separate from the mainland geologically and was connected only
by mangrove trees.
Indian Creek was a natural elemenmt. From the west , it
maneuvered thru the mangroves and came out like an inlet to the
ocean.
Very large Tequesta site in Surfside. Has not totally
disappeared; it 's in everyone ' s yards. There also are remnants
of burial grounds excavated by Smithsonian. (Photos of mound
before and after appear in John Kunkel Small 's 1929 "From Eden
to Sahara; Florida ' s Tragedy. " Carr says he believes photos may
be in Fairchild Collection: call Zuckerman. Or in Tallahassee. )
Mound was very well known in '20s. John Small was first
archeological preservationist in southeast Florida.
There is no hard rock in sub-strata of Miami Beach. One
continuous sand berm all up Florida coast. Lee side is where
the mangroves are.
Government cut was through sand. Creating Miami Beach was not
' as tough a proposition as led to believe. Biggest problem was
getting the equipment across the bay. They would dredge up
sand , put it on top of the mangroves and kill them.
(Carr suggests call Miami Beach Public Works; trenches under
roads still show evidence of smothered mangrove trees. )
Carr says there probably was another Tequesta settlement on
south tip of Miami Beach , which really would be south tip of
Fisher Island. No real documentation that Seminoles were there.
Seminoles probably didn 't go there because it was a less
desirable place. They went to places best suited for humnan
habitation. Land was too low for long-term homesteading'
Miami Beach has been there about 2,000 years; forming and
reforming' It stopped reforming because we imprinted an urban
grid on top of it and stopped its movement. Miami Beach
probably was expanding at the time.