In the beginning, Fisher Island was a wedge of land with coconut palms and mangroves that sat in Biscayne Bay. Miami Beach founder and developer Carl Fisher purchased it from Dana Dorsey, South Florida's first African American millionaire. When trying to expand the island and build deep-water docks, progress was delayed as Fisher experienced push back from the County. Later, construction of the Port of Miami served to separate the lush appendage from Miami Beach, creating an entirely distinctive island.
