John S. Collins
John Stiles Collins (
December 29,
1837-
February 11,
1928) was a
Quaker farmer from
New Jersey,
USA who came to southern
Florida and attempted to grow vegetables and coconuts on the swampy, bug-infested stretch of land between Miami and the ocean, a
barrier island which became
Miami Beach.
Although the farming venture was not successful, with involvement from his family, notably his sons and sons-in law, John S. Collins also became a land developer. He and his family formed the Miami Beach Improvement Company in 1911, the first use of the term "Miami Beach"
[Great Floridians 2000 Program], and built the
Collins Bridge across
Biscayne Bay from the established
City of Miami in 1913. They built a casino, an oceanfront hotel and began residential development of the island.
The Collins Bridge project ran short of funds and the 2.5 mile (4 km) long wooden
toll bridge was in danger of not being completed when 74 year old Collins struck a deal with automotive pioneer and millionaire
Carl G. Fisher (1874-1939) to loan him the needed funds in exchange for 200 acres (800,000 m²) of land. Fisher later described John Collins as "a bantam rooster, cocky and unafraid."
The Collins Bridge was located at the southern terminus of promoter Fisher's
Dixie Highway project, which brought traffic from the mid-west as part of the
National Auto Trail road system. Collins, his family, and Fisher all became very wealthy with the development of Miami Beach, which had a 400% increase in resident population between 1920 and 1925.
John S. Collins died in 1928 at the age of 90. Collins Avenue in Miami Beach is named in his honor.
*
Indiana History website*
Top 50 Most Influential people in Florida History website*
Lincoln Highway Association official website*
Lost Indiana website*
American Experience series: Carl Fisher, "Mr. Miami Beach"*
Fisher Island official website*
Miami Beach 411 website, John Collins biography*
Collins Avenue history, Miami Beach*
Billion Dollar Sandbar: The History of Miami Beach
