Miami Beach: Always a Circus Posted on May 25, 2020August 10, 2020 by Mandy Mizell Did you know the original mascot of Miami Beach was an Elephant? The story starts on Collins Avenue, this little stretch of A1A was purchased in the 1880s by John Collins of NJ with big plans of a coconut plantation. When that failed, Collins’ sons gave him the idea to make lots for lovely Miami Beach winter homes. Collins liked the idea, but the mangroves, noseeums and the occasional venomous snakes were daunting. He recruited some unique help, namely Carl Fischer (as in Fischer Island) who suggested using elephants to aid in bulldozing the salty swamp of the Venetian Islands. Continue Reading
