Photo above: Boca Chita Key lighthouse at Biscayne National Park. Right: Sunset in the park. Source: National Park Service.

Biscayne National Park Then

Over 10,000 years ago, the Paleo-Indians made their way down the Florida peninsula to Biscayne. At that time, the Florida Peninsula might have been twice as wide and the area of Biscayne more a savannah than bay. Thousands of years later, the Tequesta would be the indigenous people of Biscayne Bay, until European settlement began in the 1600s, causing their demise. It would come to the tribes of the Creek from Georgia to inhabit this land later, giving rise to the Seminole and Miccosukee.

But there was more to the inhabants of the Biscayne Park area than pure Indian and European history. Porgy Key and Toten Key tell the story of African Americans and the Jones Family in the Jones Family Historic District, where they parlayed an investment of $300 ($5 per acre) into $1.5 million.

Photo above: Biscayne Bay through the coconut trees, early 1900s. Source: Library of Congress. Below: Marine life along one of the coral reefs of Biscayne National Park. Source: National Park Service.

Biscayne National Park Now

Today, you can travel the water of Biscayne National Park and conjure up the lives of the past, whether back in time to Ice Age days or those pirate ways. This is a relatively new park, established by President Johnson in 1968. There are a number of ship wrecked vessels below the surface here, including ... Arrratoon Apcar at the Fowley Rocks, plus Lugano, Mandalay, Erl King, and Alicia at Long Reef. More than forty were lost in these waters. There are a number of keys to visit; Boca Chica, Elliot, and Adams the best known, Sands Key plus the Jones Family story at Totten Key and Old Rhodes Key. On the land side, you can visit the main Visitor Center area at Convoy Point, plus Miami-Dade county parks at Black Point Park and Homestand Baypoint Park. Bring your smile, bring your adventureous spirit, and accept the possibliity that you might just get wet, and that's just what you want to be.

The first thing you'll notice about Biscayne National Park when you venture toward the visitor center or the water, is the plethora a wet nature that abounds and the things you can do to view it. There are four ecosystems in the park; shoreline mangrove swamp, shallow bay waters, coral limestone keys, and the Florida Reef. Boating, camping, bird watching, learning about history, hiking, diving, canoeing, and a whole lot more is there for the taking within those systems. The area around Biscayne has been hosting visitors and residents for years. Yes, at one time, those visitors were unwanted pirates. At others, they were Presidents like Hoover and Nixon. Even more inhabited and visited the Stiltsville area for the Bikini Club and Quarterdeck Club where they could imbibe and gamble during illegal times. What, there was gambling near Miami? Who knew?

Minute Walk in History

Take a walk along the boards of Biscayne National Park and enjoy the pristine waters to the east, a Visitor Center with views and exhibits to relax about, and hiking, boating, kayaking, and even island camping just south of Miami. The video uses no words, just the wild ambient sounds of nature's high winds, lapping waters, and creatures along the way. Yes, gila monsters, oh my.